Boulonge sur Mer

"If one started now one could breakfast in France, at Boulogne…” Oscar Wilde Well over a century ago, in the 1860’s to be exact, a fierce rivalry developed between two small ports on the northern French coastline. Both sought to capitalise on a burgeoning tourism industry, and both were well positioned to do so. The prize was England’s wealthy travellers, the towns concerned were Calais and Boulogne, and the battle was waged on the choppy seas of the English Channel. To the victor went all the spoils; and there are certainly no prizes for guessing who lost the final battle. Boulogne’s traders mourned, on the day the final Hovercraft pulled out to ...  Read the complete review