Reiseführer Nordfrankreich - Picardie, Côte d'Opale, Calais

Just a few hours of driving from Germany, you will encounter the wild coastal landscapes at the southern tip of the North Sea and the English Channel, featuring high cliffs, seemingly endless dune beaches with Belle Époque seaside resorts, bustling port towns, and fishing villages. In the interplay of sunshine and passing clouds, the sea shimmers in countless shades of blue and green, which has earned the coast the name Côte d’Opale. This is Northern France, home to the friendly and communicative Scht’is, a relatively unknown corner of the country for many, where giants are paraded during Carnival, where people meet at the fry stand for lunch and dinner—quite un-French—and where beer is served from corked bottles like champagne elsewhere.

Author Markus Mörsdorf presents in his travel guide "Northern France – Picardy, Côte d’Opale, and Calais" a detailed and comprehensive overview of all coastal towns from the Belgian border and the North Sea beaches, leading through the land of the two capes, the bays of Canche, Authie, and Somme, all the way to the steep coast at the transition to Normandy. The hinterland is also covered: the idyllic Somme Valley, the Monts de Flandre, a small mountain range at the Belgian border, floating gardens, Amiens with its impressive Gothic cathedral, perhaps the most elegant square in France in Arras, and the metropolis of Lille in all its beauty, along with its characterful neighboring towns.

In the expanded preface, there are overview pages with descriptions of all regions between the Opal Coast, Baie de Somme, Picardy, and French Flanders, a yearly overview of festivals and events, suggested routes, and personal top tips from the author. In addition to information on history and attractions, there are tips for cycling and hiking vacations, water sports, beach activities, and hinterland adventures, as well as accommodation recommendations ranging from castle hotels to nature camping. Excursions provide numerous background details.