The Nord-Pas de Calais region isn't yet considered "truly French," because the weather is similar to ours in the Netherlands and it's also quite flat. But this area does have its advantages: it's close to the sea, steeped in history, abundant fish on the menu, and easy to do in a weekend. So, give it a try.

This is the first of two surprising tours close to home, both of which can also be used as an approach route or as part of a tour further south.

The approach route for both routes can be via the highway from Ghent if you want to speed up, but there are also better alternatives via the more scenic N and D roads, which I have included in the original routes.

It's a bit of a mix of Flanders and France; we encounter windmills and canals, but also rugged coastlines and fortified towns. Along these routes, you'll also find traces and reminders of World War II everywhere, such as a series of fortified towns, some still completely intact, like Bergues on the first route.

The starting point is the McDonalds at the R4-N456 interchange near Ghent.
From here, we'll drive through the villages of Belzele and Ursel towards Tielt. In the center of this small town, there are several cafés where you can stop for a delicious cup of coffee. The Halletoren (Belfort of Tielt) stands on the town square.

Then we drive via Lichtervelde and Diksmuide on the N35 and N364 to Hondschoote in France. This is a very pleasant route, especially after Diksmuide, where you enter France on a very small, rural road. There are some long stretches with resounding concrete slabs, so a kidney belt is recommended.

Just outside the village of Hoogschoote stands the Moulin du Nord (North Mill), a post mill that was used as a corn mill. Dating back to at least 1547, the Moulin du Nord is the oldest windmill in northern France and is said to be the oldest in Europe. Its foundations date back to 1127.
Once you arrive in Hondschoote, you will also find yourself at the starting point of the original route as described in the French Motor Tour Guide Part 2.

The next town is Bergues. This is a fortified town with beautiful ramparts, gates, and a spacious square. So it's definitely worth stopping here to stretch your legs and do some sightseeing. As you leave the town, you'll pass through the Gates of Dunkirk, part of the old city walls.

After this, we follow the Colme Canal, and you'll almost feel like you're in the Northern Netherlands, amidst the fields, farms, and straight roads and canals. Not only does the landscape evoke the Netherlands, but the place names are also more Dutch than French; such as Kapellebroek, Sint Pietersbroek, and Ouderwijk (Audruicq).

We continue along a winding road towards Audruicq and Ardres. The latter town has a beautiful avenue lined with shady lime trees that you approach directly. There's also a lovely triangular square with old houses, and several restaurants in the town center are ideal for planning lunch.

The last, and also the most beautiful, section of the journey towards Cap Blanc-Nez begins in Gumes. This section is also clearly signposted after the village. We'll drive along winding roads through the northern part of the Parc Naturel Régional des Caps et Marais d'Opale via Landrethun-de-Nord to St. Inglevert.

Anyone interested in World War II can visit Fort Mimoyecques. Located exactly 150 kilometers from London, it was intended as a base for the V3 rocket, the successor to the V1 and V2. This rocket was intended to wipe London off the map. For this purpose, the Germans had invented immense cannons, 130 meters long, which had to be installed underground. The enormous structure was literally shot to pieces by an Allied "Tallboy" bomb in July 1944. The complex is now open to visitors.

After this, we continue on to drive a bit further along the Côte Opal (Opal Coast) to Cap Blanc-Nez on the English Channel. Its summit rises 134 meters above sea level. Cap Blanc-Nez is located 16 kilometers northeast of Cap Gris-Nez. The cape is accessible on foot or by car. There's a hiking trail from the top of the cape to the beach. From here, the view is expansive! On a clear day, you can easily see the English coast and the numerous ferries that operate the scheduled services. This cape owes its name (Cape White Nose) to the white chalk cliffs and the fact that it resembles a nose.

We drive to our final destination, Wissant, one of the nicer towns on the Opal Coast. It truly still exudes the atmosphere of a small, old fishing village. There's a huge beach, which has also been discovered by windsurfers. The atmosphere is friendly and peaceful. Here you can relax on the beach after this beautiful day before spending the night in one of the many hotels or at a campsite.