The fishing village of Ambleteuse is located on the Côte d’Opale in Northern France. It was discovered by Louis XIV in 1680 when he was passing through Boulogne-sur-Mer who decided to make it a military port. Coincidentally we visited the picturesque town following a stay in Boulogne which included a visit to the old town and the NAUSICAA aquarium.
When we booked our holiday to Greece with Mark Warner, at the Levante Beach Resort, we weren’t sure if we were going to utilise the childcare on offer. Mainly as we see a family trip being exactly that and because POD tends to be looked after by the same people.
Little did we know there was so much to see on the Opal Coast. From the obelisk at Cap Blanc Nez and Batterie Todt at Cap Gris Nez to Audresselles and Wimereaux. Having stayed in Boulogne-sur-Mer and explored the old town, we visited fishing village Ambleteuse before checking out the pretty seaside town of Wissant.
One of the things I love about driving abroad is that you get to discover all kinds of wonderful places that may otherwise pass you by. On exploring Northern France for example we got to see the best of what the Côte d’Opale had to offer. This French coastal region is marked by the presence of two cliffs which are situated between Calais and Boulogne. Cap Gris Nez (grey nose cape) reaches 50 metres with Cap Blanc Nez (white nose cape) 132 metres. Listed since 1987, both are part of the network of Great Sites of France along with Navacelles, the Gorges du Verdon, the city of Carcassonne and the Bay of Mont Saint Michel.
The stunning Cascade de L’Ucelluline is located on the border between the villages of Santa Maria Poggio and San Nicolao in Corsica. We’d heard about this hidden waterfall through staff at the San Lucianu Beach Resort when we stayed there. The resort is flanked by spectacular mountains so it was quite something to be beneath them and the farmhouses we passed were just beautiful. The road we walked along was relatively quiet with the exception of the odd car that sped past. It was hot walking in direct sunlight though especially with the temperature pushing thirty degrees but the scenery more than made up for that.
Mark Warner has been the topic of conversation a lot recently. But what’s the appeal of their holidays and are they right for you? We take a look at the most frequently asked questions.
The Côte d’Opale is just a 15 minute drive away when you emerge from Eurotunnel onto the continent. Named after the beautiful sea colour the area now offers visitors wonderful views back to Blighty, beautiful French seaside towns to explore and fantastic seafood sample. It was once famed as Germany’s starting point for the invasion of England, ‘Operation Sea Lion’ in World War II. Thankfully Hitler changed his mind about invading and postponed the operation indefinitely in September 1940.
The historic Cervione is a little known village in Corsica, located just half an hour from Bastia. From the magnificent bell tower to the stone houses with wooden shutters, cobbled streets and quirky cafes, it’s an enchanting place to visit. The views are so astonishing, they almost take your breath away. It’s no wonder this hidden gem was nicknamed the balcony by the sea.
Mark Warner makes everything so easy. From checking in, the BA chartered flight and the transfer the other end to the array of activities available on resort and of course the childcare. Earlier this year, we had our first family holiday with Mark Warner at the Levante Beach Resort in Rhodes, Greece. We’d never put POD in childcare on holiday before but a few hours each morning meant we could finally dust down the rackets. The POD Father even dilly dallied with sailing although it was short-lived – simply because we ran out of time.
As POD’s Great Grandparents would say we’re “good trencher-men” a phrase for hearty eaters that goes back to medieval times when the trencher was a wooden plate. Although we’ll eat pretty much anything that’s put in front of us we’ve also been known to frequent dining establishments owned by sweary and unclothed celebrity chefs so we know how good food can be.
Having upgraded to full board at the San Lucianu Beach Resort in Corsica we were ready to sample what was on offer for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were also planning to use the early kids tea so we could take advantage of the evening childcare that had proved so successful on our trip to the Levante Beach Resort in Greece, where we were twice sent back to the bar by POD so she could finish watching that evening’s DVD!
