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If you’re looking for a great travel destination, it’s tough to go wrong with France’s North Coast. From Bretagne’s pink granite coast to the famed beaches of Normandy to the medieval streets of Honfleur, you can find unforgettable experiences. One of the best destinations, however, is Boulogne-sur-Mer, a hilly seaside city of about 40,000 people that offers friendly (and often English-speaking) locals, incredible seafood, and Europe’s largest (and best) aquarium.
Must-See: Nausicaa, Europe’s largest aquarium
Named after the mythical princess in The Odyssey who saves Odysseus after he washes up on the shores of her island, Nausicaa (the aquarium) is one of the most entertaining family destinations in Europe.
Set in a massive, sprawling building nestled against Boulogne-sur-Mer’s largest sand beach (which makes for an amazing two-fer during the summer), Nausicaa’s so-called ‘Big Tank’ holds as much water as four Olympic-sized swimming pools. It also holds more than 24,000 living creatures, including sharks, stingrays, fish of all kinds, and a magnificently massive manta ray that looks like something magical approaching when it swims toward the two-story glass viewing wall where adults and children alike stand in awe.
But Nausicaa is so much more than just the Big Tank. It contains a plethora of marine life – from tropical Caiman alligators and massive catfish to penguins, jellyfish, anemones, spotted grass eels (which look like someone planted a garden of water snakes) – in other displays. It also has a hyper-realistic fishing boat simulator, in which you can see and feel what’s it like to sail stormy seas on a fishing boat (not recommended for those who get seasick easily.
Families, especially, can easily a spend a day here. Advance tickets can be purchased online, and reduced rates are available for children under 12, families, and seniors.
More info at https://www.nausicaa.fr/en
Boulogne-sur-Mer’s Old Town: A walled city to end walled cities
It’s probable that many of you reading this article have been to Rothenburg ob der Tauber at least once. If you have, then you’ve likely walked along (the very excellent) wooden wall that surrounds the town.
Imagine if that wall were made from stone that was a dozen times thicker two stories taller, three times as long, and then mounted with wide tree-lined walking paths, and without any low-lying medieval German ceiling joists to smash the heads of tall modern Americans. In short, it is an epic fortification.
The wall is just the beginning, though. Boulogne-sur-Mer’s Old Town is truly a marvel. The Notre Dame basilica is jaw-droppingly beautiful. At night, it’s like something out of a dream. The basilica makes for a brilliant visit, too. Intrepid travelers can go way, way up to the cupola, where the views of the English channel are incredible. One of the best parts of the basilica, though, lies below it, in the form of a Roman crypt. One of the largest in France, this somber, labyrinthine crypt is well worth the €6 admission fee.
Wandering the Old Town is recommended. Wander into the courtyard of the Chateau Museum and marvel at the fantastically preserved castle with an honest-to-goodness moat around it. The cobblestone streets are lined with restaurants, shops, and bars. Stopping for a meal is highly recommended.
Outstanding seafood
Given its location, it is no surprise that Boulogne-sur-Mer is well known as a seafood destination. But you don’t have to pony up for fancy French dining (though you can find that, too). In fact, one of the best seafood spots in the city is right by the harbor, in the form of a daily seafood market, in which grizzled fishermen (and their families, quite often) sling the day’s catch, with the water right behind them. If you’ve got a place to cook, especially, this is the spot to try.
Worth a visit: Chez Sandrine, which is located just across the street from the daily seafood market. It offers huge amounts of fresh-caught and fresh prepared seafood at reasonable prices, and feels like a small-town American diner. It’s open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., so if you’re feeling like fish for breakfast, get after it.
Boulogne-sur-Mer: The essentials
Because it lies so close to England (which is just across the channel, after all), you’ll have no trouble finding English speakers in Boulogne-sur-Mer (especially if you open with “Parlez-vous anglais?”). Loads of parking is available, and most parking near the Old Town is free during the off season.
How to get to Boulogne-sur-Mer
By car, Boulogne-sur-Mer is just over 5 hours from Kaiserslautern and just under 7 hours from Stuttgart.
