Holiday rentals and lettings in Nord-Pas-de-Calais

There are many ways to spend a unique weekend in Nord-Pas-de-Calais but staying in a rental is certainly one of the most enjoyable. You will thus be guaranteed to reside in a comfortable setting, specially equipped to meet your needs, but also to benefit from total independence in the organization of your meals and your various activities. The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region has several thousand rentals, from small studios ideal for people travelling alone to large residences ready to accommodate large families and groups of friends. Some are located in the centre of large cities such as Lille, Dunkirk or Calais, others in the small seaside resorts of the Côte d'Opale or in the countryside. For a week by the sea, a weekend of sightseeing and shopping in Lille or a stay in the countryside, there is bound to be a holiday accommodation in Nord-Pas-de-Calais that is right for you.

Although Nord-Pas-de-Calais is located at the northern end of France and is therefore slightly off-centre, it is extremely advantageous in Europe. Thus, from Calais, it is very easy to reach England by taking the Eurotunnel. From Dunkirk, it takes less than an hour to reach some of the most beautiful Belgian seaside resorts such as Ostend or Zeebrugge. Similarly, from the Lille - Roubaix - Tourcoing conurbation, Belgian cities such as Kortrijk and Tournai are immediately accessible and Brussels, the capital, is only an hour away.

As its name suggests, Nord-Pas-de-Calais is composed of two departments, the Nord and Pas-de-Calais. The region is surrounded by the Belgian border, the coasts of the Channel and the North Sea and two Picardy departments, the Somme and the Aisne. Lille is the largest urban area in the region and includes two other major municipalities, Roubaix and Tourcoing. Dunkirk, Calais, Villeneuve-d'Ascq and Valenciennes are the other most populated cities in northern France. The region has a very good transport infrastructure, which makes it easily accessible. Thus, from Paris, it takes just over two and a half hours by car via the A1 to reach Lille. This same journey can even be made in just one hour by TGV, from the Gare du Nord station. The seaside resorts of the Opal Coast such as Le Touquet, less than three hours away, are popular with a large number of Parisians for their weekends by the water.

Since 2012, there is no longer any need to visit the capital to admire the Louvre's masterpieces, as some of them are now on display at the Louvre-Lens. This branch of the Parisian museum is divided into three parts: the Glass Pavilion, the Grand Gallery and the Temporary Exhibition Gallery. The principle is simple: the Louvre-Lens does not have its own collections but regularly welcomes new works from the parent company that are presented there for a few months or a few years. Since its opening, it has exhibited La liberté guidant le peuple by Eugène Delacroix, La Vierge, l'Enfant Jésus et Sainte Anne by Leonard de Vinci and Le Sarcophage des Époux, one of the most beautiful Etruscan works preserved in the world.

The region has a large number of establishments whose collections are surprisingly rich. Thus, under its modest appearance, the Château Musée de Boulogne-sur-Mer is a world reference for its Egyptian antiquities. Similarly, the Matisse Museum of the Cateau-Cambrésis is an essential stopover for lovers of modern art and the Museum of the Chartreuse de Douai presents a large number of medieval altarpieces.

There are a thousand and one things to do in Lille but if there is one event not to be missed, it is the Grand Braderie, organised every year on the first weekend of September. This event, which dates back to the twelfth century, is the largest flea market in Europe.

Since the seventeenth century, the city of Dunkirk has been renowned for its great celebration in disguise on the occasion of Mardi-Gras. For several days, parades and popular dances follow one another, all in a very lively atmosphere.

While major festivals are generally held on the outskirts of the city, Arras is committed every year to attracting the best groups to its Grand' Place. Over the years, the city centre of Arras has seen the best bands of today, from Radiohead to Queens of the Stone Age, the Chemical Brothers, Muse and the Black Keys.

The Opal Coast is home to many seaside resorts such as Boulogne-sur-Mer, Wissant, Wimereux and Le Touquet. If you can swim there in summer, they are also ideal for a typical activity, the sand yacht.

Don't miss a stop in an estaminet to taste some local specialities such as the famous fried mussels but also the fricadelle or the maroilles pie.