French Flemish gems

Catching the ferry to France needn't be a chore. Aboard P&O Ferries' modern, comfortable ships, channel crossings are more like mini cruises - the perfect beginning to a weekend break visiting some lovely old Flemish villages in Northern France.

Tipsy cheese in Bergues

Bergues is a delightful old town surrounded by medieval city walls with a magnificent belfry at its centre. It's perfect for a wander with old streets and pretty squares, but what really sets it apart is its fromage. Bergues cheese is doused in beer during every day of its maturing period - giving it a distinctly tipsy flavour. You can usually pick some up at the town's busy market each Monday, where you'll find over 100 stalls selling all sorts of local produce. See if you can find Bergues sausage here too. The recipe for this thick, herby pork charcuterie is a carefully guarded secret handed down through generations of the same family. Once you've sampled the produce make time to visit the town museum, housed in an ornate, old pawn shop, which traces the town's turbulent history through to the present day. If you fancy staying, the tourist information office at the foot of the belfry can provide information about places to stay.               

Getting there: From the Cross Channel Ferries dock in Calais Port follow the autoroute (E15) out of town, take the E40 left towards Dunkerque. Then take the E42 south. Breques is the first left turn along the D916.

Wide, wide views from Cassel

The tiny hilltop town of Cassel looks out across the wide Flanders plains. It's a natural vantage point. Locals say it was up to the top of Cassel's hill that the Grand Old Duke of York marched his 10,000 men in 1793. And if you head for the public gardens in the upper town, you're greeted with sweeping views, with Belgium just a few miles away. Here too among the trees is 18th-century Kasteel Meulen, Cassel's only remaining wooden windmill. There used to be 29, grinding linseed and flour day and night. Along with historic streets and buildings, there's also a host of independent antique shops and galleries dotted around the town, ideal for browsing and maybe picking up something genuinely unusual. If you're planning on eating look for one of several estaminets, traditional pubs serving regional food with local brews to wash it all down. The town's tourist office is on the main square and can provide a list of places to stay.   

Getting there: From the Cross Channel Ferries dock in Calais Port follow the autoroute (E15) out of town, take the E40 towards Dunkerque. Take the E42 south. Cassel is right at the second intersection along the D948.

Fine brews in Esquelbecq

This part of France is famous for its Flemish-style beer and this little town of gabled houses and cobbled streets has its own microbrewery, perfect for quaffing fine brews. The Thiriez Brewery creates classic Flemish beers including a red brew, named after a local breed of cow. You can do guided brewery tours too. Along with other villages nearby there are strong associations with both World Wars in Esquelbecq and there's a small British and Commonwealth cemetery on the outskirts of the village. The tourist office in the centre also houses a museum and you can pick up a short walking tour booklet here. The route follows a relaxed seven-mile wander round the village and through the countryside, passing a castle on the way.

Getting there: From the Cross Channel Ferries dock in Calais Port follow the same directions for Breques, driving south down the D916 at the Breques turn off. Then take the D17.

For more information on a ferry to France and special offers visit the P&O Ferries website

26 January 2009