The local what's-on guide for the Opal Coast
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Hello! Tell me what you feel like — “a concert this weekend”, “a family outing near Calais” — and I'll suggest events on the Opal Coast.
Wisques, Opal Coast
Saint-Aubin
A covered wayside shrine made of brick, featuring a small gate with blue wrought-ironwork. It is set within a small enclosure containing two other shrines and a tree. A remarkable tree stands opposite it, marking the crossroads.
Bourbourg
Featuring 50 bells, the instrument plays automatically or when struck by the carillonneur. Today, it is one of the most beautiful carillons in France.
Gravelines
The chapel stands proudly amid the dunes of Petit-Fort-Philippe. Built in the 18th century and destroyed in 1789, it was rebuilt on the seashore in 1829. The 18th-century statue of the Virgin Mary is brought out onto the forecourt—an exceptional occurrence—for a Mass in memory of those lost at sea and for the Icelanders every September.
Saint-Aubin
A square-plan chapel built of brick and blue stone (base and facade).
Calais
Having survived bombings and several construction projects, Calais’s oldest building now stands on Rue de Croy. When construction began in the 13th century, Adrien de Wissant had the church built on the site of the current transept. Extensive expansion projects were then undertaken through the 16th century, and it was during the English occupation that the upper sections of the nave, the choir, and the bell tower were built. Built in the Tudor style, this church drew on its British influences to reach its final form in the 17th century; a chapel and a Baroque altarpiece were added at that time. A testament to medieval architecture, the Church of Notre-Dame de Calais also features a massive tower supporting the bell tower at the intersection of the transept and the nave. As you head toward the north side of the nave, you’ll notice a cistern with a capacity of 1,800 m³ that was used to collect rainwater; it was built by Vauban in 1691 to meet the population’s needs in the event of a siege. It was in this building that General de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux were married in 1921. Nothing could prevent the Allied bombings during World War II, which occurred one week before the city’s liberation; as a result, the bell tower collapsed onto the transept, and the altarpiece sustained severe damage. Since then, the church has undergone extensive restoration, which will allow visitors to appreciate the full originality of its architecture.
Bourbourg
Built in the Gothic style, construction of this church began in the 13th century on the site of the former convent. Altered several times, it collapsed following a fire during World War II. Its restoration took a long time and remains unfinished. The best-preserved part is, without a doubt, the trefoil-arched portal, its small columns, and its 12th-century Romanesque nave. The decorative elements of the 13th-century Gothic choir, such as the sculptures on the capitals and the keystone bearing the effigy of Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of the parish, are exceptionally delicate. The pointed-arch choir was designated a Historic Monument in 1920. Located at the crossing of the transept, the massive tower houses a carillon. The church also features magnificent stained-glass windows by Art des Gobelins. The large stained-glass window at the rear of the church, located above the portal, depicts the baptism of our Lord by Saint John the Baptist. Twelve stained-glass windows depict events from Bourbourg’s religious history, such as the attack on the statue of Our Lady of Bourbourg in 1383, the fire at the church on May 25, 1940, and the founding of the St. John Hospice to welcome pilgrims to Notre Dame de Bourbourg. You can explore all of these features during a guided tour.