Nord Pas de Calais Attractions  This area of France gets rushed past by hordes heading south, but has some gems that can be enjoyed both  for a holiday close to home, as well as day trips to experience French culture rather than having a booze cruise!  Plan your day well and there will be time not only to stock up on wine and spirits, but also to visit a local attraction and to top the day off with a meal in a French restaurant.

Nausicaa:

Location: At the west end of Boulogne. Approach from the north on the D940 to avoid the town centre.  Free parking adjacent.
General Info: Open every day from 26th January until end of December. In July/August times are 9.30-7.30. Peak season prices are adults €16.50, 3-18’s €10.80.  Tel No: 0(3) 21 30 99 99.  Website.
Description: The aquarium is well worth visiting as it appeals to all ages and is well laid out, with information in English as well as French, which is especially a great help for children. The exhibition starts with information on plankton and then moves on through studies of all sorts of salt water fish and sea mammals – the colours and varieties of fish are huge. Among other exhibits there is a beautiful tropical lagoon, a shark tank and the opportunity to see sea-lions. This can easily entertain the family for the best part of a day if you watch some of the shows. 
Our recommendations: Take lunch in the excellent restaurant (which is overseen by the chef of La Matelote, Boulogne’s Michelin starred restaurant located just across the road at 80 Boulevard Sainte Beuve), or stop for a drink by the tropical lagoon.

     - We are still looking for good ones....so far we have only found booze cruise sites and ferry sites (the latter can be found elsewhere on this site).  If you have any good suggestions, please let us know.