Day trip in North France?

[Panter]

We have finally got my Daughters passport sorted out so we want to take her on the ferry to France as she's desperate to experience a boat trip on a big boat.
Seems a bit pointless though heading over there just to sail straight back again so any recommendations for a nice area to visit in North France?
I'm thinking a nation park or equivalent or somewhere scenic to wander round maybe with somewhere on route to explore some shops?
I'd like to check it out for holiday potential but have never really considered France for that so know absolutely nothing about the place.

Sorry for the vagueness but any help appreciated

We'd be sailing from Dover I imagine so it would have to be somewhere reasonably close to where we land (withing a couple of Hours drive really.)

 

[scook94]

When I was but a lad we went to France on a school trip, Normandy and Paris. The only bits of Normandy that have stuck with me nearly 30 years later were the the D-Day museum and mulberry harbour at Arromanches and the visit to see the Bayeux Tapestry....

EDIT - Just checked a map, that may be too far for you though.

 

[Globalti]

If you have enough time, take her to Ypres in Belgium and pay a visit to the Menen Gate. It's possibly the most powerful and emotive memorial I've seen to the dead of WW1. You will need a handkerchief.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Not sure on the age of the daughter in question, but my husband and I have just (last month or so) done a quick trip around Europe. We did the train thing, so can't comment on driving, but things that are close to where you'll come in in Calais are:

WWI battlefields (including Ypres, as Rigid Raider suggests, although that's in Belguim not France)
Bruges, if you cross into Belgium (we did Bruges -> WWI battlefields on the train).

If you have a car you could drive around the WWI battlefields yourself, we didn't so we got a tour with http://www.terresdememoire.com/GB/accueil/1.html (one day I'll figure out how to make that look neater). The tour was good, but perhaps a bit pricey if you have your own transport anyway - but having said that we got our guide entirely to ourselves for 4 hours as we wanted to go to a less-visited memorial. There might well be cheaper options if you get a 'standard' tour with other people.

 

[Arch]

Are you talking about literally a day trip? (IE spend some time there, instead of just catching the next ferry back)

I would have thought you could kill a fair bit of time just enjoying being in France. Coffee and pain au chocolat, have a wander round Calais, have a nice lunch, wander a bit more... It'll all be a bit exotic, with the language and everything... I know I could while away a fair bit of time like that, on a nice day (although I suppose a child might want a bit more stimulation...)

 

[Globalti]

How about this, spread over a leisurely four hours?

http://www.solemeuniere.com/modulosite2/fiche.php?id_bouton=3604&fr=1&id=124

 

[fossyant]

The big wine supermarkets in Calais...hic.....

 

[SamNichols]

Dunkirk is quite close by, and isn't bad for a day out. Or travelling over to Belgium is a good idea - Bruges is very nice, although for a teenager can be a bit dull.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Depending on her age, the Nausicaa in Boulogne might be a good way to pass a few hours: it's a Sea Life Centre kind of thing. The Little-LCs (7yo and 5yo at the time) liked it when we went there.

Otherwise, I'd second other suggestions such as the Menin Gate and so on. Though the experience might go past a younger child a little.

 

[Unkraut]

To be honest, Calais is a bit of a dump Arch...

I imagine it would be a bit like taking the ferry to Dover and then wandering around Dover to see what 'England' is like.

I have driven through the coastal part of north France - Bolougne, Calais, Dunkirk countless times, it's OK but nothing special. A trip to Ieper/Ypres in Belgium could be worthwhile without necessarily getting bogged down in WW1 (interesting as that is). Perhaps a Michelin Guide or equivalent might give some info on nice ordinary French towns not too far from the coast. St Omer perhaps?

If, btw, you travel with Norfolk Line make sure you get there well on time, as when they say get there 45 mins before sailing, they mean it! Good if you want to go to Bruges/Brugge though, as you sail to Dunkirk.

 

[Arch]

To be honest, Calais is a bit of a dump Arch...

oh, ok. I only really know Dieppe, which is nice enough. I'd have thought a small seaside town with a bit of beach might be fun..

 

[Unkraut]

Boulogne is much nicer, but the big ferry companies don't go there any more. I think there's only one, Speedferries that uses the port there.

SpeedFerries went broke, but I think some French outfit now runs a service there. But it's not that far if you do Dover Calais and drive down the motorway.

 

[Panter]

Thanks for the help all, much appreciated

My Daughter is 8 BTW.
I would love to see the war memorials but I think that would be better as a trip just with the Wife, I don't think my Daughter would appreciate it and it's a lot to lay on a child.

The Naussica looks really good, maybe a trip there and lunch in Dieppe or Boulogne and a wander along the cliffs.

 

[Panter]

Hmmmmm, seafood, sounds good thank you

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Thanks for the help all, much appreciated

My Daughter is 8 BTW.
I would love to see the war memorials but I think that would be better as a trip just with the Wife, I don't think my Daughter would appreciate it and it's a lot to lay on a child.

The Naussica looks really good, maybe a trip there and lunch in Dieppe or Boulogne and a wander along the cliffs.

Yeah, agree with that .. we will take ours over and show them things like the Menin Gate and some of the war graves so as they can understand what happened in the past. But they need to be an age when they can understand what they're seeing.

Anyway, if you follow the D940 between Boulogne and Calais, you will pass Les Deux Caps - Blanc Nez and Gris Nez - which are a bit bleak and windswept but are both places you can get out of the car and wander about a bit. There's also a few beaches along that route.