Lezli Rees - 20 Short Walks near Calais, France

20 SHORT WALKS
near CALAIS, France

Twenty walks within easy reach of
Calais for drivers, families and dogs

Lezli Rees

Laughing Dog Media

Warwickshire, UK

First published in May 2014 by Laughing Dog Media, The Studio, 205 High Street, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire B95 5BA.

ISBN 978-0-9927197-1-5 2014 Lezli Rees.

All rights reserved.

With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of the publishers.

The contents of this book are believed correct at the time of printing. Nevertheless neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions or for changes in the details given in the book, or for the consequences of any reliance on the information it provides. This does not affect your statutory rights. We have tried to ensure accuracy in the book but things do change and we would be grateful if readers would advise us of any inaccuracies they may encounter at

We have taken care to ensure that these walks are safe. The author or publisher cannot accept responsibility for any injuries caused to readers whilst following these walks.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Illustrations by Karen Blake

Map drawn by the author

About the Book

This handy guide shows you where to find really good walk places for drivers, families and the dog within easy driving distance of Calais, and to discover some of the extraordinary, and dog-friendly, visitor attractions of this often overlooked part of France.

Introduction

Researching this book has been a delight. Not only has it let me explore a small part of France that was completely new but also to discover the warmth and genuine hospitality of the residents of the Pas de Calais and the Opal Coast.

Complete strangers were keen to point out the best walking places in the enormous forests of Northern France. Dog-walkers provided a wealth of information about dog etiquette and excellent advice concerning when a visit to the vet is considered necessary or not after insect bites. North France presents no greater risk to pets than the UK but it was reassuring to learn that vet treatment is considerably cheaper in France and also that many vets speak extremely good English.

Even in the busy school holiday season in July and August, families may be surprised by the spontaneous warm welcomes and curiosity of rural folk aroused by the appearance of visitors on foot. We were charmed to be invited to join family picnics, to be taken to meet prized farm animals, and to receive expert tuition in foraging for berries and edible mushrooms from locals whose laughter and enthusiasm made us fall in love with the Pas de Calais.

The walks have been fully tried and tested, but please bear in mind that coastal paths in particular are subject to re-shaping by the strong tides and currents of the sea. You may find that slight changes to the quality of the paths will take place from year to year, but the overall route will remain unchanged.

I hope the walks in this book will serve as an introduction to the Pas de Calais and the astonishing beaches of the Opal Coast and that you may be inspired to spend more time exploring the region in the future.

I would like to thank the many anonymous dog-walkers who shared their thoughts on a vast range of canine topics, and the helpful staff of the regions Tourist Information Offices especially those in Berck and Montruiel. Special thanks are due to David Rees who has walked all the routes with me and also undertook the driving. Our rescue collie, Jem, with his unstoppable energy and a truly omnivorous approach to food made the research trips fabulously worthwhile.

Lezli Rees

May 2014

perlecques Forest

About the walks

More and more of us are now using the Pet Passport scheme to take our family pets across the Channel for day trips or holidays in France. This handy guide shows you where to find really good walk places for you and your pet within easy driving distance of Calais, and to discover some of the extraordinary, and dog-friendly, visitor attractions of this much overlooked part of France.

Each walk has written directions to the start point, and the GPS co-ordinates; plus detailed information for campervan drivers. The nearest fuel stations, supermarkets, tourist information offices, vets and cafs to each walk are given, together with useful local information.

The walks are all within an easy drive from Calais. Several walks are within just a few minutes drive of the Eurostar terminus and Calais ferry port. These are ideal for a leg stretch before or after a channel crossing.

Other walks lie in hidden pockets of the Pas de Calais and enable you to combine a great walk with a fascinating place to visit. For example, you could visit the open-air museum of perlecques with its dramatic story of London-bound rockets during World War 2 and also take a stroll in the surrounding national forest. perlecques Forest is a safe spot for kids and dogs to dash around without restraint.

The beaches of the Opal Coast offer mile after mile of golden sand, and cant be beaten for swimming, beach games and friendly cafs and bistros right on the sea front. Ive selected beaches where dogs are given a fantastic welcome, and theres plenty for all the family to do.

Several walks are close to historic sites, from a harbour where King Henry III created chaos trying to load elephants onto a small boat, to the site of the Battle of Crcy, and poignant reminders of World Wars One and Two.

You could also visit the town that inspired Les Misrables, or the exact spot where Blriot touched down after successfully making the first airborne crossing of the English Channel.

All the walks in the book are suitable for children, leisure walkers and dogs, and are at an easy grade. The selected walk places have been chosen to enable you to enjoy a walk of the length and time that suits you, without the need to buy maps or specialist walking gear. If you grow to love the area and want to explore more, the IGN green map series 101, 103 and 107 are recommended.

Where the walks are

Walking in France

Walkers have many paths to explore throughout the forests, coast and fields of the Pas de Calais and the Opal Coast. A basic understanding of the French waymarker system will help you walk with extra confidence, although all the walks in this book can be easily managed without any special navigation skills.

Long distance trails, such as the coastal path around much of the north coast, are marked with UK-style wooden waymarker posts with a red and white painted stripe. For example, the route number of the coastal path that winds along much of the Northern coastline is GR120. This number, together with the name of the nearest village or town, will be written onto the wooden post which works just like a signpost. All you need do is to follow the direction pointed out and youll reach your destination.