Club Arnage

Booked a cheeky spur-of-the-moment crossing on Le Shuttle for this weekend. Anyone know anywhere nice to stay on the coast? I guess I'm looking south of Calais, maybe down towards Le Touquet? I'm not overly familiar with the area as I normally get the hell out when I arrive at Calais. I'm sure there must be some pleasant places somewhere!

Any advice on shopping/eating/nice hotels/things to do etc would be very welcome.

Thanks for your help.

Andy

Thought you were posting about dodgy love potions there Andy- anyone tried a Calais overnighter? ;D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreuil-sur-Mer
Well, I like it!

one place i can highly recommend is the seafood restaurants over looking the estuary at Eat apples, as our troops called it, really Etaples.

http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/towns/etaples.htm

I spent a very pleasant day in Le Touquet a few years ago.

Nice beach, good grub. That's all I can remember. Oh, the wine was good too. That's why I can't remember much.

It could have been a dump.

Hope this helps.

Thanks guys and gals, I'll let you know what I discover.

I can recommend two places not that far from Calais

http://www.picardieweb.com/hotel-argoules/gb/default.asp

and http://www.hotelducentre-wimereux.com/

The first one is in delightful countryside and the other is in a small seaside town just north of Boulogne.

I can confirm Catchpole's comments about this place

http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/visit/eat-etaples-pecheurs.htm

but be sure to book if you want to eat Sunday lunch there - it's very popular

Chris, those first two look real stunners, they're now in my book of must do's.  all the best Catchpole, Tweaks says hi too ;D

We went for an overnighter a couple of weeks ago.  The Significat Other  wanted to go to Le Touquet ,  we stopped for a Coffee in the Hotel Westminster.   The prices looked reasonable but not cheap.   Not a "Chain Hotel" and looks like it has plenty  of Character.   

Here is on of the many links to it.  Hotel Westminster (http://www.hotelspreference.com/public_en/hotels/fiche_20_presentation-Hotel_Westminster_Le_Touquet.html)

t.

in the old days, when Delboy or KPY were lads, Le Touquet was always regarded as a cheap joke as it was where English toffs took their bit of stuff for a naughty weekend.

There is a great line about Le Touquet in Genevieve ;D  That's the British film about the London to Brighton run, not the one about British Tommies digging their way out of Stalag Luft III using Red Cross boxes disguised as a vaulting horse.  ;D

I went there for a few drinks with some friends not long ago. It's the sort of place where drinks arrive in fancy glasses, served by a uniformed flunkey. A round of drinks cost a small fortune.
Depends what you're looking for.

I knew there had to be car involved somewhere. But yes you're right there.

Myself and my better half often have a day trip to Le Touquet (via Speedferries Supertickets).

Thursday and Saturday is market day and excellent for cheese, fish, meat and handbags (apparently).

Whilst we haven't stopped overnight, we have had a very leisurely lunch at the restaurant http://www.leparisplage.com/ (http://www.leparisplage.com/) on the 'high street' along from the market place and post office.
I recall they serve Leffe (but not tartiflete)  ::)

Recommended

- you could also take your bucket and spade and paddle in La Manche.

Thanks for the all advice chaps but just about every hotel worth the name is booked solid this weekend. I could go and stay in Le Havre but who wants to stay there? What kind of wretched country is it when the whole population go on holiday in the space of one month? It's sheer lunacy I tell you. Why can't they use their imaginations and go away in June or July? Is it socialist conditioning or something? Thatcher put a top to this kind of crap in the UK by closing down all the factories and "Industrial Fortnight" is pretty much finished these days.  So I've decided to turn left upon emerging from the tunnel and head up to Bruges in the land of Grimbergen. I never thought Grimberegen would be the sane option, but compared to France, it seems Belgium is beyond the asylum walls!

PS TARTIFLETTE  ??? :(

boulogne is a nice overnighter, really nice old town. Or if you are turning left why not head for champagne and reims and eperney(SP) all very pleasant and not too far.......or belgium  ::)

Had some excellent meals here: http://www.les-dunes.com/ when I've been over to top up the cellar (OK, the shelves at the back of the garage!). It has rooms, might be worth a go.

Commonly called 'Les's Place by my booze-cruise companions!