Duty free shopping may have become a distant memory but as every Francophile knows, prices across the Channel have not gone up and the savings are still there.
From cosmopolitan Lille to pretentious Le Touquet and secluded Wimereux to bustling Boulogne the region caters for all.
This costal area has excellent maritime, rail and road networks, but the recent industrial years have left this region with a high unemployment rate.The local architecture has a strong flemmish influence and the towns of Arras, Boulogne, Calais, Saint Omer have much military historical importance.Along the English channel, there are popular holiday resorts such as la Touquet. The large ports of Boulogne and Calais maintain a fishing industry and ferry services; plus the Chunnel from Calais to England.