info@opalcoastfoodtours.com
About us
We are Paddy and Sarah Daly and we moved to Montreuil-sur-Mer in 2018 from the Welsh Borders.
Sarah is a freelance travel writer (and museum curator) and Paddy works in travel PR and event management (and was, for seven years, the restaurant critic for French /French Entrée magazines).
Since moving here we have fallen in love with Montreuil and with the area as a whole. We will be your guides to the history of the town, its excellent foodie scene and to the food and drink of the wider Opal Coast.
There’s so much to explore so we can also point you in the right direction to continue your discovery of this fascinating part of France and its cuisine.
Our Service to You
We will act as informal guides on a gentle walk around Montreuil-sur-Mer, offering local, impartial advice on where to eat, what to see and possible things to do. The tour is all in English to help anglophone visitors get a real understanding of the town, its food and French life in general. The walk starts with a coffee and we'll stop for an aperitif/tasting late morning before moving on for lunch in a local French restaurant. All tastings, food and guide costs are included in the tour fee. Once you've bought your ticket, all you need to do is turn up!
Fascinating history
Montreuil-Sur-Mer has had a rich and varied history and its architecture is testament to this. The imposing citadel originally protected the ancient port of Quentovic. Besieged by many, including the Spanish and English it was later heavily reinforced by Vauban at the request of King Louis XIV. More recently it was used as the GHQ for the British forces and their supply chain in World War One.
Inside the town there's a diverse collection of buildings, three churches, three 'squares' and looking imperiously over the main square (Place Général de Gaulle) is the statue of Field Marshal Douglas Haig, with the French Tricolor flying alongside the Union flag every day. But all is not what it seems with this statue. Let us tell you why.
Much of the town's streets are still cobbled and there are narrow but well maintained covered pathways that link the town's squares and the ramparts. The ramparts surround the town and make for a very pleasant, albeit potentially perilous, stroll of about an hour.
One of the most iconic, half timbered buildings, dating from the 1500s is currently a hotel, with a grand restaurant. It's one of many excelllent hotels in the town.
So much to see in a relatively compact area!
Interesting food
There's a rich food history in the area surrounding Montreuil-Sur-Mer. You won't get far before you encounter mentions of a Welsh (sometimes Welsch), a robust dish with many different histories. The fabulous Carbonade, a beef dish using local beer and thickened with spiced bread, is also well worth trying.
More locally, one of the town's most well known bakeries produces a loaf of bread that is named after Jean Valjean, one of the lead characters in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It's so big that you can buy a half, a quarter or even just a slice. For sourdough lovers it's heaven.
Those with a sweeter tooth should try a Calais (coffee based cake) or try the lovely dessert simply called 'Pudding', a fascinating hangover from the days of English rule.
Beers lovers will be in heaven too, with microbreweries galore, and how about a wine produced in the same way as Champagne, but made from redcurrants (the also offer cherry and raspberry) and finally, although not one of France's greatest wine producing areas, you can also find some excellent low volume still wines produced in the immediate area.
Easy to visit
Montreuil-sur-Mer is just off the A16 autoroute (this runs past Dunkirk and Calais ports and Eurotunnel/Le Shuttle exit at Coquelle). Leave at junction 25 or 26.
There are plenty of hotels across all budgets and parking in the town is free.
If you are arriving by camping car/campervan there's a dedicated car park - and a campsite just outside the walls if you prefer sleeping under canvas.
We also have a railway station that was re-opened in 2022, with the line running from Etaples-Le Touquet to Arras (via St-Pol-sur-Ternoise, which was where the body of the unknown soldier* started his final journey to Westminster Cathedral).
The town is also well served by bus routes and it's very easy to cycle this area.
*If you don't know the full, very moving, story have a read of this old BBC article https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-11710660
Cycling and walking
Cycling: Montreuil-Sur-Mer is bike friendly and a pleasant detour off the Eurovelo No4 cycle route. Veloroute No 362 connects Montreuil-sur-Mer and the Eurovelo No4 . See our local tourist office's website for more on the itineraries and facilities (English language button top right if needed)
Walking: The GR 121 walking route skirts the walls of the citadel.
Other places to visit
If you are staying for longer, use Montreuil-sur-Mer as your base to visit places like the cosmopolitan Le Touquet (also referred to as Paris Plage due to the number of Parisian visitors/second home owners)or the fishing port of Étaples with two large fishmongers and fresh catch sold direct from small boats.
For military history enthusiasts there are numerous bunkers and museums along the coast and there's also the very large military cemetery just outside Étaples.
If you like Belle Époque architecture, head up the coast to Wimereux. This is a thriving town with great shops and restaurants and a picturesque seafront.
Life's a beach
Although Montreuil-sur-Mer is no longer 'sur-Mer' the sea isn't far away and there is a gloriously long, sandy beach that runs from Le Touquet to Berck-sur-Mer. It's perfect for walking the dogs, swimming (there are life-guards on the main beaches) or just relaxing with an icecream. In summer most of the resorts on this stretch (Le Touquet, Stella Plage, Merlimont and Berck-sur-Mer) have bars and restaurants on the beach and with a west-facing coast it's the ideal spot for a sundowner!
If you prefer to get an all-over tan, there's also a section dedicated to naturists (which we inadvertently happened upon when walking from Merlimont to Berck-sur-Mer one sunny August afternoon).
And if you do make it to Berck-sur-Mer, you need to go and see the large colony of seals that often rest on the sandbanks at low tide.