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Belle Époque homes add a distinctive style to the seafront at Wimereux


Channel hopping


Sarah Daly meets local residents and discovers the charms of the historic fi shing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in the north of France and the coastal villages around it


I


f you’re dreaming of a new life close to a French beach, but with the conveniences of a large town and a vibrant


cultural life, Boulogne-sur- Mer could be just what you’re looking for. It boasts a diverse range of architectural styles, from higgledy-piggledy fi shing cottages near the port and elegant 19th-century houses in the old town to modernist post-war fl ats and new homes in its suburbs. If city living doesn’t appeal,


but the seaside does, just a few miles from Boulogne to the north is the pretty Belle Époque resort of Wimereux, with colourful historic buildings, beach huts lining the seafront and thriving shops and restaurants. Le Portel, just south of Boulogne, has a very diff erent feel. With three ancient forts – one out at sea and two on land – and a wide sandy beach, it nevertheless has a fresh modern appeal. José Capez has always lived in Le Portel, which remade


Greeter José Capez at Le Portel; (inset) the resort in its Belle Époque heyday


it’s lively all year round and there isn’t a large


proportion of second homes.” He is proud of the area’s commitment to conserving its built heritage and nature, such as Fort Cap d’Alprech,


restored to protect the building and associated wildlife habitats.


itself almost completely after the Second World War. Nazi-occupied Boulogne was an Allied target before the D-Day landings and, in 1942, its smaller neighbour was decimated by the British, with the loss of over 500 lives in three days of bombing raids. José was born in a ‘cité provisoire’, the French equivalent of British post-war prefabs, and he now volunteers


62 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: November/December 2023


as a ‘greeter’ taking visitors on walking tours of the village. The greeter scheme,


introduced from the States by Pas-de-Calais Tourism, is a great way to fi nd out more about the area if you’re thinking of buying property. As local residents, greeters really understand the community and some even off er tours in English. José says of Le Portel: “With 9,500 inhabitants,


A CLEAN SWEEP Even the town’s sewage system is undergoing an overhaul, creating a massive underground reservoir to capture storm runoff and process it, thus preventing pollution from reaching the sea. It’s not glamorous, but cleaner seas make a big diff erence to the quality of life of residents and visitors alike. Offi cials at the town hall


bought a seafront property off ered for private sale too, José tells me, to create a restaurant and reinvigorate the local community. Alain Lenain is a relatively


recent Wimereux resident, but he has many years of


© PADDY DALY


© PADDY DALY


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