28/02/2010
La Brenarde - Audruicq
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 15 - 25 - 45 (Depart : 9h00)


06/02/2010 - 07/02/2010
Enduropale Motorbike Race – Le Touquet
In February each year, over 1,000 motorbikes and around 400 quadbikes set off on an impressive race and try not to get stuck in the sand dunes.

../02/2010
Dunkerque Carnival
The most lively carnival of all sees the people of Dunkerque dressed in gaudy costumes (with men in drag), and waving gaily-decorated umbrellas.

04/04/2010
Rando de la TERRE DES 2 CAPS - Wierre Effroy
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 15 - 30 - 45 (Depart : 8:h30 - 9h00)

../04/2010 - ../08/2010
Sand Sculpture Exhibition  - Le Touquet Paris-Plage

11/04/2010
Rando la Blanche Jument - Samer
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 25 - 38 - 50 (Depart : 8h30 - 9h00)

28/04/2010 - 01/05/2010
Pro Am International Côte d'Opale
The Pro Am is above all a sporting occasion enriched by the warmth and good humour of the 400 participants. All are delighted to gather for four days on outstanding golf courses (Hardelot les Pins, Le Touquet Mer, Belle Dune and Wimereux) superbly prepared for this great get-together which highlights the start of the golfing season.

10/04/2010 - 18/04/2010
Rencontres Internationales de Cerfs-volants
(International Kite Festival) – Berck-sur-Mer
Not to be missed under any circumstances, one of the world’s major events for these strange “flying birds”, otherwise known as kites.

25/04/2010
L'Ardresienne - Ardres
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 15 - 30 - 45 (Depart : 9h00 -9h15)

24/04/2010 - 25/04/2010
Euroregional Days of Fortified Towns and the Belfry festival
A weekend of walks and special events in the fortified towns of Northen France.

../05/2010
Fête de la rose - Neufchâtel Hardelot

../05/2010
Les Naturalies du Touquet - Le Touquet

../05/2010
Fête du crabe - Audresselles
Feest van de krab. Er kan krab geproefd en gekocht worden. Op de markt zijn er optredens van lokale dans- en muziekgroepen.

../04/2010 - ../08/2010
Sand Sculpture Exhibition  - Le Touquet Paris-Plage

05/05/2010 - 09/05/2010
Les 4 Jours de Dunkerque
Major cycle race along the roads of Northern France. Check the daily itinerary on the website if you are thinking of touring, or you might get delayed while the race passes !

08/05/2010
Décatopale - Décathlon St. Martin Boulogne
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 15 - 30 - 45 - 60 (Depart : 8h30 - 9h00)

19/05/2010 - 23/05/2010
Fête de la nature

15/05/2010 - 16/05/2010
Museum night
On this particular night, museums open their doors to the public. This is the occasion to visit and rediscover these places in a completely different atmosphere and enjoy story telling, guided tours, concerts and many other entertaining surprises ! Admission is free.

08/05/2010 - 09/05/2010
Trophée Vauban - Gravelines
Strandzeilrace

01/05/2010
Rando Family - Mont Lambert
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 15 (Depart : 10h00)

15/05/2010
Rando Opale Night - Marquise
MTB ride
Distance : 25 - 35 (Depart : 20h30)

16/05/2010
La Wissantaise - Wissant
MTB ride
Distance (km): 25 - 38 - 60 - 80 -100 (Depart: 8h00 - 9h00)

23/05/2010
La Ronde des Marcassins - Tournehem sur Hem
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 25 - 40 - 50 - 65 (Depart : 8h00 - 9h00)

../06/2010
Strawberry festival - Samer
Chaque année, la fête de la fraise est un événement important
pour sa capitale : Samer. Traditionnellement, ils sont environ une
quarantaine à exposer le fruit ... de leur travail !

../06/2010
"Parc de la falaise" festival - Le Portel
Le Parc de la Falaise, une terrasse sur la mer ! Entre le style
“jardins publics” et celui “campagnard”, vous pourrez contempler la nature et la mer qui vous entourent.De nombreuses animations vous attendent et les associations porteloises vous feront découvrir leurs savoir-faire.

../04/2010 - ../08/2010
Sand Sculpture Exhibition  - Le Touquet Paris-Plage

../06/2010 - ../06/2010
Parks and Gardens Festival
Each year in June, a weekend long programme of events takes place in public and private Parks and Gardens throughout France. The owners of the "Parcs et Jardins" association open the doors of their private gardens to the public !

14/06/2010 - 20/06/2010
Golf Open de Saint Omer - Lumbres
Part of the prestigious PGA European Tour, this is France’s second-largest golf tournament attracting more than 150 players from 22 different countries.

../06/2010 - ../06/2010
Round Britain Race - Calais
Single hull yacht race over 1850 miles in a double loop around the British Isles.

../06/2010
Journee nationale des moulins
Events, displays and talks at many of the numerous windmills and watermills in the north of France.

27/06/2009
Rando du Lac - Condette (Chateau d'Hardelot)
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 20 - 40 (Depart : 21h30)

28/06/2009
Rando du Lac - Condette (Chateau d'Hardelot)
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 25 - 38 - 50 (Depart: 8h30 - 9h00)

../07/2009
The mussels Festival - Wimereux
Mussel sampling in the town’s restaurants and plenty of street entertainement. Look out for the « bouchot », a tender mussel which proliferates on the rocks of the Opal Coast.

../07/2009
Fête de la faience - Desvres
The town of Desvres has been famous for its ceramics since the 11th Century. Whilst works of art created here are exported to Japan and the USA, the greatest fans are the people of Desvres themselves. Demonstration of decoration and modelling are on the menu for visitors to this great market of antique and second-hand ceramic objects.

11/04/2009 - 30/08/2009
Sand Sculpture Exhibition "Le Touquet Royal" - Le Touquet Paris-Plage
A team of 20 sand artists are at work on Le Touquet’s seafront, creating sculptures on the theme of “royalty” from tons of sand imported from Belgium.

04/07/2010
La Peuplinguette - Peuplingues
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 20 - 30 - 50 (Depart : 8h30 - 9h00)

10/07/2009 - 26/07/2009
Opal Coast festival
Music festival gathering the great names of jazz; word music, etc ...

11/07/2009 - 14/07/2009
La Côte d'Opale fête la mer - Boulogne sur Mer
Come and enjoy visits from and a gathering together of traditional boats, sea shanties and sea food tastings at this amazing festival.

13/07/2009 - 16/07/2009
Skippers d'Islande - Gravelines
A yacht race open to multihulls or to Open 40s or 60s. It is contested over three legs: Paimpol (Brittany) to Reykjavik (Iceland); Reykjavik to Gravelines (near Dunkerque); Gravelines to Paimpol.

14/07/2010
Bastille Day - French National holiday
Firework displays and dance.

18/07/2009 - 19/07/2009
Multi-era historical festival /Camp de Boulogne - Boulogne sur Mer
Commemoration of the Camp de Boulogne: celebrate one of the great Napoleonic sagas, with re-enactments, bivouacs, and troop parades on the Tour d’Odre site.

18/07/2010
L'eperlecquoise - Eperlecques
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 25 - 38  - 55 (Depart : 8h00 - 9h00)

24/07/2009 - 31/07/2009
Les Misérables - Montreuil sur Mer
Victor Hugo was inspired to write "Les Misérables" whilst staying in Montreuil and indeed based many of his characters on local people. Dominique Maertens directs around 250 volunteers in an impressive and moving sound and light show.

01/08/2010
L'estivale - Wimereux
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 20 - 35 - 45 - 60 - 80 (Depart : 8h00 - 9h00)

../08/2010 - ../08/2010
Festival Les Malins Plaisirs - Montreuil sur Mer
Festival of open theatre, with operetta, plays and street entertainment. Locals light the town by candlelight on the last day of the festival. Translators are on hand to help tourists.

../08/2010
Boulonnais Horse Festival - Wimereux
The Boulogne horse is very elegant, which is why people call it "the thoroughbred horse among draught horses". The Boulogne horse is big and strong, shaped during the XIXth century for the work of beet fields and the transport of beets. Some smaller and lighter Boulogne horses can be found, heirs of the fish wholesaler mares which were very much appreciated until the end of the XIXth century for the transport of fish from the Channel ports to Paris. Parade of horses in the morning, carriage rides in the afternoon.

25/07/2010
Cortège nautique du Haut Pont - Saint Omer
Waterfestival and boat procession.

../04/2010 - ../08/2010
Sand Sculpture Exhibition  - Le Touquet Paris-Plage

../08/2010 - ../08/2010
Les Misérables - Montreuil sur Mer
Victor Hugo was inspired to write "Les Misérables" whilst staying in Montreuil and indeed based many of his characters on local people. Dominique Maertens directs around 250 volunteers in an impressive and moving sound and light show.

25/07/2010
La Ballade du Grizzly - Berck sur Mer
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 25 - 40 - 50 (Depart : 9h00)

../08/2010
Fête des animaux - Saint Tricat

../08/2010
Summer cavalcades - Boulogne sur Mer
Spectacular street parade.

15/08/2010
La Licquoise - Licques
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 18 - 32 - 46 - 60 (Depart : 8h15 - 9h00)

28/08/2010 - 29/08/2010
Grande procession - Boulogne sur Mer
The inhabitants of Boulogne, dressed in traditional costumes, cross the town celebrating the mysterious arrival of the statue of the Virgin Mary by sea.

22/08/2010
L'escallienne - Coquelle (Cité de l'Europe)
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 20 - 40 (Depart : 8h00 - 10h00)

28/08/2010 - 29/08/2010
Fête du flobart - Wissant
The people of Wissant celebrate the "Flobart", a traditional fishing boat which was put to sea by a cart horse and captained by one man, sometimes two. Parades, fish market and an opportunity to set to sea in one of these chubby little boats ... .

29/08/2010
La Forestopale - Colembert
MTB ride
Distance (km): 20 - 35 - 50 - 65 - 80 (Depart: 8h00 - 8h30 - 9h00)

26/08/2010 - 29/08/2010
Sound & light show - Gravelines
Sound & light show around the walled town.

../09/2010
La Route du Poisson
Every other year fish wholesalers hitch up their wagons to the best Boulonnais draught horses to follow the mythical route which took their ancestors from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Les Halles in Paris.

../09/2009
Fête du Parc Naturel Régional
www.parc-opale.fr

12/09/2010
Fête de l'Ane - Feest van de ezel - Boucquehault
Feestelijke aktiviteiten rond de ezel.

12/09/2010
Les coteaux Calcaires - Elnes
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 20 - 35 - 50 (Depart : 8h30 - 9h00)

../09/2010 - ../09/2010
Fête de la Beuriere - Boulogne sur Mer
This quarter is famous for having sheltered a large part of Boulogne's sea-faring population until the Second World War. During the festival, the craftspeople whose work relates to the sea display their knowledge. They set themselves up on the landings of staircases which snake between the houses. These include : net menders, ironers of traditional headdresses ... worth seeing !

../09/2010 – ../09/2010
Heritage days
Free guided tours and open days at all monuments and cultural attractions throughout the region.

19/09/2010
Defides Diables verts - Desvres
MTB ride
Distance (km) : 25 - 35 - 50 (Depart : 8h30 - 9h00)

../10/2010
Salon des antiquaires et de la joaillerie - Le Touquet Paris-Plage
Grand annual antiques and jewellery fair, with 40 top dealers, held near the town’s main tourist office.

../10/2010
Fête de la Chicorée - Audruicq
Festival of the endive and other parts of the versatile chicory family. It is used not just as a vegetable or a salad, but as a coffee flavouring and as the basis for a liqueur. Entertainment and exhibitions on the theme of chicory

../10/2010
Fete des soupes, bouillons et pains - Montreuil sur Mer
A host of stands set up inside the citadel offer a wide variety of soups, breads and broths to taste.

../10/2010
Portes ouvertes des ateliers d'artistes
Artists in the north of France throw open their doors for a weekend to visitors.

09/10/2010 - 10/10/2010 et 16/10/2010 - 17/10/2010
The Field of the Cloth of Gold feasts - Guines
Dine medieval style in the court of François 1er and Henry VIII with the villagers of Guines who are dressed for the occasion. Jesters, minstrels, dancers and peasants will present an entertaining account of the historical encounter of the kings of England and France.

NOVEMBER 2010

../11/2010 - ../11/2010
Herring festival - Boulogne sur Mer
Local fisherman in traditional dress grill herring and serve it to passers by with a glass of Beaujolais, accompanied by traditional songs and dances.

../11/2010
Fête du "Hareng Roi" - Etaples sur Mer
Etaples' Herring Festival celebrates the humble hareng, which has been caught off the coast since the 11th century. Fishermen dressed in local costume serve up delicious fish dishes and…

../12/2010
Saint Nicolas Procession - Boulogne sur Mer
A magical float parades through the town scattering sweets to children.

11/12/2010 - 13/12/2010
La Fête de la Dinde - (The Turkey Festival) - Licques
Each year on the last weekend before Christmas, Licques is invaded by Turkeys. Knights of the order of the Turkey don their regalia to parade the Turkeys they produce through the streets, egged on by the crowds of enthusiastic visitors. Regional produce market, Turkey and Capon competition, dinner dance on the Saterday evening ...

../12/2010 - ../13/2010
Christmas Market - Boulogne sur Mer
Artisanal products and local produce for sale, live crib scene, ice sculpture, musical procession, the belfry with its illuminations and a firework display.