Where to go for a weekend in northern France? Opal Coast, cities and bays

Where should you go for a weekend in northern France? If you're looking for the sea, head for the Côte d'Opale: in two days you can go from the vast beaches of Le Touquet to the cliffs of Cap Blanc-Nez. If you prefer Flemish squares and museums, Lille, Arras or Bruges make excellent city breaks. Here are eight practical ideas, with approximate travel times and a sample itinerary for each.

Eight weekend ideas in northern France, compared

Travel times are given by car from Le Touquet, excluding traffic jams, to help you combine the coast and a city in the same trip. The first four destinations are easy day trips there and back; for Lille, Arras or Bruges, a night there lets you enjoy the evenings and avoid spending half the weekend in the car.

Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, the sea-and-forest weekend

Le Touquet is the simplest weekend destination on the Côte d'Opale: more than 12 km of fine sandy beach, a pine forest of around 800 hectares planted in the 19th century, villas from every era and a rue Saint-Jean that's lively all year round. From Paris, the resort is just under 3 hours by car, or by train to Étaples-Le Touquet station, a few minutes from the centre.

A sample two-day itinerary:

• Saturday: a stroll along the seafront, lunch in town, an afternoon cycling in the forest, then sunset at the pointe du Touquet, overlooking the baie de Canche.
• Sunday: the market in the morning, a round of golf or a land-yachting session, then a walk through the villa district before heading home.

For more, read our guide to a weekend in Le Touquet and our ideas for things to do in Le Touquet.

Charles's tip: arrive on Friday evening rather than Saturday morning. The roads are quieter, you gain a real morning on the spot, and the beach at dawn, when dog walkers and riders have it almost to themselves, is worth the trip on its own.

The Opal Coast's clifftops: Boulogne, Wimereux and the Deux-Caps

North of Boulogne-sur-Mer, the coast turns wild. The Grand Site des Deux-Caps, designated a Grand Site de France in 2011, stretches from Wimereux to Sangatte: the chalk cliffs of Cap Blanc-Nez, Cap Gris-Nez facing England, villages such as Audresselles and Wissant, and waymarked coastal paths.

• Day 1: Boulogne's old town and its 13th-century ramparts, then Nausicaá, Europe's largest aquarium since its 2018 extension. An evening on the promenade at Wimereux.
• Day 2: a hike between Gris-Nez and Wissant, lunch in the village, then up to Blanc-Nez for the view over the bay.

From Le Touquet, this weekend can also be done as two day trips. We cover these stops in detail in things to do around Le Touquet.

The baie de Somme and Montreuil-sur-Mer: a nature and heritage weekend

The baie de Somme

A Grand Site de France since 2011, the baie de Somme is shared between Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, with its medieval upper town and harbour, and Le Crotoy, linked to Saint-Valery by a cycle path and by the bay's heritage railway. Harbour seals are plentiful; the Parc du Marquenterre is the ideal place to watch migratory birds.

Montreuil-sur-Mer

25 minutes from Le Touquet, Montreuil is a small town perched on its ramparts, with a citadel reworked by Vauban and cobbled streets where Victor Hugo set part of Les Misérables. In summer, a sound-and-light show inspired by the novel is staged in the citadel. Montreuil combines easily with a day at the beach in Le Touquet or Berck.

Lille, Arras and Bruges: city weekends

Lille

The capital of the Hauts-de-France region is best explored on foot: Vieux-Lille with its Baroque and classical façades, the Flemish Renaissance-style Vieille Bourse, the Grand-Place, Vauban's citadel surrounded by a park of around a hundred hectares, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts, one of the largest museums in France. In early September, the Braderie (giant flea market) draws millions of visitors every year.

Arras

Arras surprises visitors with its two Baroque squares, the Grand-Place and the place des Héros, lined with gabled façades. Its belfry and citadel are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Wellington Quarry, a network of tunnels dug by New Zealand tunnellers, tells the story of the 1917 Battle of Arras. Every July, the Main Square Festival takes over the citadel. The Louvre-Lens, whose Galerie du temps is free to visit, is half an hour's drive away.

Bruges

Across the Belgian border, Bruges' historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000, is a succession of canals, a béguinage and an 83 m belfry. Allow just over 2 hours by road from Le Touquet: it can be done as a day trip, but it's better to spend a night there. Remember to check the traffic rules in force in Belgium before you set off.

Which season for a weekend in northern France?

Each season has its recurring events, useful for picking a date:

Outside these events, spring and early autumn are the most pleasant times: soft light, quieter beaches, accommodation easier to find. In high summer, book early, especially on the coast. The resort's full calendar is set out in Le Touquet's main events.

How to choose your weekend in northern France

A few questions to help you decide:

1. Do you really want to switch off? Choose the coast: Le Touquet if you like having shops and restaurants within walking distance, Wissant or the baie de Somme if you're looking for peace and quiet.
2. Travelling as a family? Le Touquet and Boulogne combine beach, activities and indoor outings. Our ideas are in family holiday rentals in Le Touquet.
3. Going in winter? The cities (Lille, Arras) and Nausicaá are still enjoyable in bad weather; the coast, meanwhile, offers superb light between showers.
4. Got three days? Combine a base on the coast with a day in a city, Arras or Montreuil for example.

For a stay for two or for eight, the Hélios and Cassiopée apartments at Villa Mon Étoile, 300 m from the beach, can be rented from two nights and make a practical base for exploring the whole Côte d'Opale.