Camping La Petite Forêt

An early stop when holidaying here should be the old town of Aire-sur-la-Lys, sitting pretty on both banks of the Lys. Visit on a Friday if at all poss, for the splendid little market on the cobblestones beside the UNESCO-listed belfry tower; after that (and particularly if you've indulged somewhat on market produce), a climb to the top of the tower is in order for views over the town. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site is at the Audomarois marshes between Flanders and Artois, the only wetlands in France still cultivated in these modern times. The best way to traverse their waterways is via a bacôve or flat-bottomed boat, bookable on a cruise from Saint-Omer or on a self-guided trip – look out for the smallholdings still producing food among the marshlands. As well as a look around the museums and memorials of Dunkirk, sightseers in northern France on a World War II remembrance trail should also take time for La Coupole (10 minutes' drive), the war museum inside a huge disused bunker.