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Desperate to see the views of the blue open sea, the Ville de Boulogne-sur-Mer, a coastal city in northern France located in the Haut-de-France region in Pas-de-Calais sub-prefecture, became the first French coastal town I’ve ever visited in France before I travelled to other towns on the Opal Coast like Wimereux, Calais, and Dunkirk. I chose it randomly without any knowledge of what I could see there — and I was truly surprised by the positive experience!
How to get to Boulogne-sur-Mer from Lille?
To get to Boulogne-sur-Mer from Lille, I booked a TGV train which left the Gare de Lille-Europe train station in Lille and took just an hour before arriving at my destination. It looked far on the map and the trip felt fast thanks to the availability of a high-speed train.
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The Château de Boulogne-sur-Mer
I arrived at the main train station of Boulogne-sur-Mer on a sunny but windy Spring morning. So, it felt cold when I left the building and started my walk to the city centre.
From the train station, I was drawn towards a hill that looked like it had some historical prominence on it from the distance. As the sky was spotless blue, this also motivated me to go there as I thought I could get some nice overlooking views of the city from the hill.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a brick wall surrounding the slopes of the hill, which gave me the impression that perhaps it was a citadel. It turned out, that this place was actually a castle called Château de Boulogne-sur-Mer and there is a town inside.
Boulogne-sur-Mel’s town hall is also located inside which had breathtaking views.
I spent some time enjoying the flower-filled garden in front of the city hall building and the sunshine. Shortly, I started to explore the old town in the chateau. I loved seeing the old houses, the many restaurants around, and other commercial businesses.
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Further up, I entered an old church called the Notre Dame of Boulogne, which houses a relic. Little did I know that it also had a 2,000-year-old crypt!
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The Crypt at Boulogne-sur-Mer
As I have not been into a crypt before, I was glad to pay the small entrance fee. I felt so glad I did this as I saw many interesting things underground. It felt amazing to think this place was built 2,000 years ago!
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Here are some other pics I took from the crypt. If you plan to visit Boulogne-sur-Mer, this place is something you cannot miss to experience!
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After the crypt, I explored the old town in the chateau a bit more and enjoyed the overlooking views of the city.
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Soon enough, I made my down the castle and walk in the direction of the Boulogne beach. Here are the interesting points I’ve seen along the way.
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As I strutted along the river La Liane and relished a leisurely walk to the upper town, I came to know that Boulogne-sur-Mer is considered a major fishing port in France. I was fascinated to see so many large fishing boats cruising along the La Liane River towards the open sea.
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Shortly, I saw a building called Nausicaa, one of Europe’s largest aquariums which, unfortunately, I did not have time to explore (I could imagine it would easily consume half the day, anyway). Nausicaa is one of the things Boulogne-sur-Mer is known for.
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Scenic Beach at Boulogne-sur-Mer
Walking past Nausicaa gave way to the view of the Boulogne’s scenic beach with its conspicuous and characteristic red lighthouse.
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After sightseeing on the beach, I decided to take lunch at one of the beach restaurants. Of course, it had to be seafood to mix with the lovely views!
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Breathtaking Views of Opal Coast at Boulogne-sur-Mer
My adventures in Boulogne-sur-Mer did not end on the beach. From the restaurant where I had lunch, I noticed that it leads to an uphill coastal area.
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So, I hiked up there and discovered some hiking trails along the Opal Coast. This is something I would remember and will come back for.
What’s more: the hill offered jaw-dropping views of the nearby town of Wimereux.
![](https://johnisoffline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/boulogne-sur-mer-coast-03-1024x768.jpg)
In summary, my day trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer has been extremely satisfying. I will definitely return when the weather is good and do some exciting activities such as hiking along its scenic coast to the next towns.
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Have you been to Boulogne-sur-Mer? Let me know your thoughts!
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