"Boulogne: an internat ..." a Boulogne-sur-Mer Travel Page by Mikebond

Although Boulogne-sur-Mer is quite a small town (44,200 inhabitants), it has played an important role in the French and Brisith history.
Founded by the Romans with the name of Bononia, it was contested by the English and the French in the 16th century.
It's from there that Napoleon had planned to invade Britain at the beginning of the 19th century; since then, Boulogne has always had ties with the opposite side of the Channel (La Manche in French). Today, it is twinned with Folkestone, which many ferries connect all day long to Boulogne. This explains why you will often hear someone speak English while you are going for a walk in the downtown.
Also, the first Esperanto Universal Congress was held there in 1905.
Today Boulogne is a lively town with a great cultural heritage. It offers much to visitors (museums, concerts, and so on), but I think it is not as known as it should be.