What to See & Do in Dunkirk
Sights Dunkirk has a number of restored buildings that are worth taking a look at, including the fifteenth century Church of St-Éloi, and the Flemish Hôtel de Ville in Place Charles-Valentin, which is very similar to the one in Calais. For a small price you can climb to the top of the medieval red-brick belfry, the town’s main feature, and enjoy a panoramic view. The tourist office is situated inside the town hall, and you can pick up a guide there to the town’s many museums. The Musée des Beaux-Arts, on the place du Général-de-Gaulle, has a fine selection of Flemish, Dutch and French paintings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Musée Portuaire, at 9 Quai de la Citadelle on the Bassin du Commerce, tells the history of Dunkirk using models of boats and tools, from its early beginnings as a fishing hamlet to its present status as France’s third largest port. Accommodation The standard of hotels in Calais is decent rather than outstanding. The three-star Hôtel Borel on rue Hermitte overlooks the fishing boats on the Bassin du Commerce. The more central Best Western Welcome is to be found at 37 rue Poincaré. Where to eat For good seafood try La Sirène, 65 rue de l’Amiral-Ronarc’h with its lost menu, or Le Corsaire, 6 rue de la Citadelle, with its even cheaper menu and view of the port and Duchesse Anne ship. Nearby, Malo-les-Bains has a better selection of restaurants, including the Hirondelle, 46 Avenue Faidherbe, which has a similar low cost menu and serves excellent seafood. The town of Cassel, 30km southeast of Dunkirk, where the Grand Old Duke of York marched his 10,000 men in 1793, has a distinctly Flemish feel to it A number of restaurants there serve traditional Flemish fare, such as Kasteel Hof, 8 Rue St Nicolas, situated near the landmark windmill. This establishment has full meals and local beer to accompany the food. Back To Dunkirk
