Nausicaa and other Boulogne-sur-Mer, France Things to Do Tips

A large oceanarium with several rooms featuring different climatic zones.

The tank with sharks is facinating and it's quite spooky beeing so close to these fearsome predators that you can see their teeth. The glass is floor ro ceiling and a large viewing area ensures everone gets a good look at Jaws.

The tropical room has above and below viewing, some amazing corals and very colourful fish.

Outside is an area for sea lions - when we were there they were being fed - great fun to watch.

All the aquariums are very well maintained and the fish look very healthy and well cared for.

There is a restaurant where you can eat your seafood while looking out over a beautiful lagoon full of fish!

Expensive entrance, but worth it as you can easily spend half a day in there.

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Phone: 00 33 3 21 30 99 99
Address: Boulevard Sainte-Beuvre BP Boulogne
Directions: On the sea front of Boulogne
Website: www.nausicaa.fr

Compact and very interesting Woulrd War Two museum housed in a large bunker. which was one of the seven most important constructions by the German Army.

Models in uniforms, guns and ammunition, a small collection of tanks, mock-up of bunker rooms. Over 3000 objects in 10 rooms.

They also sell various military paraphernalia.

Outside you will see a K5 railway gun of 280mm caliber, caqpable of firing across to London! This is one of only two in existence, the other one is in the US.

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Phone: 03 21 32 97 33
Address: 62179 Audinghen Cap Gris-Nez
Directions: On the coast road between Calais and Boulogne

An enormous bunker houses a V1 and a V2 amonst other exhibits. A very well laid out museum with every explanation in English, Dutch and French. Headphones are also available.

Clever models show how the bombs were constructed and assembled here, and there are clear explanations on all aspects of the war.

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Address: 5km outside St Omer. Well signposted.

I know most Brits don't go to Boulogne for the beach, but the sand is fine and there is a wide stretch of it. You can leave the kids making sand-castles while you go off shopping. There are trampolines and playground for their amuseument.

One end of the beach is an enormous ugly rusting metal plant - just make sure you're facing the other way.

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Directions: On the coast!!!!!

There is a very interesting tour available of the crypt of the cathedral. Some of these are crypts of earlier churches discovered during construction of the cathedral in 1827. Some of these crypts date back as far as the 7th century and of interest is also pile of stone cannon balls from when Henry VIII besieged Boulogne in 1544.

The cathedral has the biggest dome in Europe after St Peter's in Rome.

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Directions: Inside the old town in the upper part of Boulogne
Website: http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/visit/visit-boulogne-oldtown.htm

As part of the Egyption exhibition in the castle, a replica of the boat unearthed by the pyramids in Giza, Egypt, has been constructed outside the walls of the old town.

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Boulogne's Old Town was built in the 13th century within the original Roman walls. A few years ago this area was quiet and dull, since the recent restoration the area has been regenerated and is now a lively place with many bars, restaurants and shops.

You can walk all around the ramparts, and a castle was built on one corner of the walls to strengthen the fortifications. The castle houses a museum - I haven't been there yet, but have been told it is very interesting.

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