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Restaurant near Calais?


Carolski
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Hi Carolski,

Depends what you want to spend, and whether you are looking for characterful or Michelin-starred...

For the latter, you have the Matelote in Boulogne, the Auberge de la Grenouillere outside Montreuil, and the restaurant Marc Meurin near Lillers.  (I haven't checked the current Michelin, but those have all had stars in the past).

For the former, I always make a beeline for T'Kasteelhof, opposite the windmill above the pretty hilltop town of Cassel. It's a pretty estaminet, with fabulous views, serving typical Flemish fare, washed down with a choice of countless beers and some delicious fresh fruit juices.
Another quaint one is the Bruegel, in the centre of the little walled town of Bergues, where you eat hearty Flemish dishes such as waterzooi of chicken, and often share tables with other diners.
Les Marroniers, near Lillers, serves seasonal food in a small former farmhouse.

Within an hour (by motorway) you could almost be in Arras.  On the picturesque Grand'Place you can eat traditionally at Les Grandes Arcades (sorry, can't find its website);  Michelin-style at  La Faisanderie   ;  and more simple fare at Le Palerme and La Rapiere. 

There are links to most of the above from my site http://www.northernfrance-within90minutesofcalais.co.uk/nfrestos.htm

Angela

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[quote user="sueyh"]We have not been to that restaurant for ages but it used to be excellent.  Amazing view and the food was pretty darn good too.

Suey
[/quote]It's a while since I last went but I do see from the website that it's happily still the same woman in charge.[:)]
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As Carolski has found her restaurant, I hope she won't mind if I ask a question about the same area.

I run a French group for my local U3A group. I'd like to take us for a day trip to Calais/Boulogne via the tunnel. As well as eating out, I've been looking for a place we can visit where we will be shown round by a guide in French. There used to be a lemonade factory near Calais, but I think it must be closed down now. Other places I've looked will only take larger groups around their premises, we will probably only be 8 in number. There is a brewery at St Omer, I gather, but I didn't want to go inland, I've got my eye on one of those restaurants along the coast.

I just thought a day out giving them the chance to absorb some French would be more interesting than the proverbial shopping trip to Calais.

Anyone know the area well enough to give me some ideas? Thanks in advance.

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Christal d'Arques ? http://www.norfolkline.com/EN/Ferry_destinations/Shopping/Factory_Outlets/

It isl inland a little bit but it looks as if they do tours - nice shop and good buys there too [:)]

 I expect the Museum at Desvres would do something for you too : http://www.informationfrance.com/towns/158:desvres

Sorry I can't think of anything closer

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[quote user="Carolski"]Hi

We're in Calais for the day in a few weeks time and would love to find a good restaurant outside of the town up to an hours drive away. Any recommendations much appreciated.

Thanks

C[/quote]

Obviously you have money to burn ! What's your secret?

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I visited La Coupoule a few years ago Rowland and it was interesting, but we had  recorded info through an earpiece rather than a guided tour. Has that changed, d'you know?

I've looked at the links Russethouse gave me and both the Cristallerie and the Faiencerie seem to offer tours. I'll try them first.

Thanks for the suggestion though. 

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Hi Frecossais,

The Arc International/Cristallerie d'Arques, 5km S of St Omer, tour is v interesting, and of course the shop is great.

The Blockhaus d'Eperlecques, 12km NW of St Omer, features interesting guided tours of a gobsmackingly large site.  Like La Coupole, it was intended as a V2 base, but bombed by RAF before reaching potential.  You also see a V1 flying bomb on its launching ramp.  (Much of this site is open-air, so not quite as good for a wet day, of course.)      [The Coupole visit, as stated above, uses headsets;  it might almost take tooooo long (I spent 6 hours there on my visit!)]

You can tour the Distillerie Persqyn at Houlle, 8km NW of St Omer.

Obviously you would need to book whatever tour in advance.  Most places in the area pride themselves on doing tours in English, so you might have to specify that you wanted a French tour (!), but the distillery one was French-only when I went.

If you want to remain in Calais for your visit, you might get in touch with the Cite de la Dentelle - the new lace museum - to see if they would do you a tour.  It's fairly new, and I have not yet been, so cannot evaluate the place.

Some years back, the restaurant Thome de Gamond (recommended earlier in the thread) had the Maison du Transmanche down some steps below it.  This was a museum of attempts to bridge/tunnel the Channel over the centuries, and was v interesting, culminating in a film of the actual breakthrough in the tunnel (not a guided tour  - just panels to read).  I am not sure if it is still there though.  I went about 6 years ago, and can't find any recent information on it on the internet.

Loads of other places spring to  mind, from farms to coal mines, but they are either either a bit farther from Calais, or don't do guided tours.

Angela

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