Too often, too many of us use the French Channel ports as a gateway to our holiday destination. But take a step back and cut down on your driving – several of France’s ports are excellent holiday destinations in their own right.
Boulogne-sur-Mer is no longer used as a passenger port but is just 20 minutes from Calais and a whole lot more fun. The old town is lively with its castle, cathedral and market as well as several superb seafood restaurants supplied directly from the boats coming in to what is France’s busiest fishing port. Hotel Ibis and Hotel Matelote are two good choices to suit difference budgets with La Matelote being one of most comfortable in the area and with one of the very best restaurants in the region. For golf, the classic links of Wimereux is five minutes up the road and the two stunning courses of Hardelot are 15 minutes in the other direction. All along the coast there are wonderful beaches. The maritime museum of Nausicaa, on Boulogne seafront and adjacent to the fish marketing, is reopening in May to become the largest of its kind in Europe. Boulogne is a great spot for a very French stay with excellent golf.
Dieppe is served by Newhaven and you’ve got access to the heart of Normandy from this ancient port. Relaunched as a leisure port in the late 19th-century, Dieppe (pictured above) is small and cute. The Dormy House is the best hotel and overlooks the town and is, in turn, overlooked by the superb links. Wander around the marina, the market, the numerous bars and the excellent-value restaurants and you’ll enjoy a step-back-in-time. Other courses within easy reach are the parkland of Saint Saens and the new and highly-rated Cote d’Albatre.
Caen is home to WIlliam the Conqueror and provides a brilliant backdrop to both medieval and 20th century histories of France and the United Kingdom. The ferry port is outside of town and the marina of Caen hosts an ever-increasing number of good restaurants and a beach atmosphere. For golf, Caen is a nice track and the 36 holes at Omaha Beach will please all but the most spoilt of golfers. Our favourite hotel for location, dining and comfort is the Ivan Vauthier where Chef is owner. It’s a great base and the food is superb.
Saint Malo has three golf courses within 25 minutes and is a remarkable town with the wonderful “only in Brittany” feeling that food is still king. Hotels abound as do good shops, countless brasseries and sensational sea views. The golf courses of Dinard, Le Tronchet and Les Ormes provide a high-quality mix of links, parkland and forest.
So instead of zipping through France, take your time, make it a tour and cherry-pick your way around – dipping into hotels, restaurants and golf courses according to your taste and budget. And there’s nowhere better than France to do it.