LOCATION
Fort Cap d’Alprech at Le Portel was built in the 1870s
“The landscape here is beautiful – you can walk the coast all the way to Calais and no two beaches are the same”
experience as a greeter in Pas-de-Calais. He is passionate about the pretty town he now calls home. “It has everything I need,” he tells me. “There’s a market twice a week, a fishmonger, and I even cycle to different farms locally to buy bread, cheese and meat.” He has always had a strong
connection with England and imparts all sorts of interesting information about the town and its history, much of it relating to its strong cross- Channel ties. Henry VIII, he tells us, stayed in the town during the siege of Boulogne. The Grand Hotel was home to the British Army Medical Corps hospital in 1916, when it was badly damaged by fire. It welcomed guests until 2019 when it became flats.
BESIDE THE SEASIDE Local estate agent Justine Briançon says: “I love living here and being able to walk the dunes north of Wimereux, have lunch facing the sea and walk along the seafront. It’s a thriving year-round community, as well as a popular seaside town, whereas
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villages nearby have more second homes. Boulogne is bigger, so there’s less of a seasonal feel to it. The landscape is beautiful. You can walk the coast all the way to Calais and no two beaches are the same. There’s a real charm to the different communities and architectural styles. “We tend to sell more second homes in the coastal villages,
Greeter Alain Lenain is a mine of information about Wimereux’s history, and shows here how the seafront has changed
and sales have increased since Covid because more people are working from home, prioritising quality of life. Prices depend very much on the area, and the most expensive properties are those closest to the beaches, particularly in Wimereux. Depending on surface area, condition and location, you can pay €200,000 for a two- roomed property in the town or €300,000 if it has three rooms, with properties in Boulogne often more affordable.” Boulogne resident and
greeter, Claudine Feinte, begins
her tour on the edge of the vibrant port. On the dock are numerous fish stalls. Small fishing boats unload their catch in the morning to sell to customers, giving them varied, seasonal, fresh seafood.
ARTISAN SEAFOOD These artisanal producers are clearly distinguished from the stalls operated by wholesalers offering a wide range of seafood from some of the many vessels that bring their catches to Boulogne. “This is a huge centre for fish-processing,” Claudine says. “It’s also the
4
€309,750, Boulogne-sur-Mer: Close to Nausicaa Aquarium and the port is this two-bedroom furnished flat with a sunny terrace and secure underground parking (
immobilier-lariviere.com)
€375,000,Ambleteuse: Just 100m from the seafront, this 60m2 two-bedroom flat has an open- plan kitchen and living area, its own entrance and private garden (
immobilier-lariviere.com)
€407,662, St-Etienne-au- Mont: Near Boulogne, Le Portel and the beach at Equihen, this five-bedroom ‘maison de maître’ sits in wooded gardens of 1,214m2 (
immobilier-lariviere.com)
€1,285,350,Wimille: This charming six-bedroom ‘longère’, just five minutes from Wimereux, sits in 2,680m2
of land, with
a heated pool, stables and paddock (
immobilier-lariviere.com)
FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: November/December 202363
© PADDY DALY
© AS FLAMENT
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