We sent two writers from Dover to France to discover the joy and freedom of ferry travel. Taking to the open road, they both fell in love with Northern France for very different reasonsβ¦.
Calais is often seen as a stopping-off point, and the region around it somewhere to merely pass through. A trip around the Pas-de-Calais countryside with my mate taught me not to listen to received wisdom.
The fun started on the ferry from Dover. You can wander, shop and enjoy yourself, rather than sit in a tunnel, an airport, or a hot train compartment. After a sandwich, saving room for French food, we explored and changed our money. So much of being in transit normally involves rushing before, then having time to kill. Here, I could get most of my errands done while already moving, and enjoying myself to boot.
By the time we had docked, we already had our car. We were in road-trip mode, ready to take control of our holiday. The sandy beaches round here are perfect for it. We tried their delicious foie gras saucisson, laced with pistachios, and left with more. Heading south again, we basked in the sun-drenched beauty of the countryside. The Pas-de-Calais region has a reputation for being heavily industrialised.
A northern climate not being ideal for vineyards, the locals have always come up with unique ways around this. We stocked up for people at home. Valerie Magniez, who started the farm in with a single goat to provide milk for her family, brought out a plate of their cheese and apple juice which we ate on a bench in the late evening light.
