If you’re considering cycling holidays in France this year here are five reasons why Calais shouldn’t simply be discarded from your list of potential destinations.

Calais

Just 21 miles from the cliffs of Dover, Calais itself is home to several historical attractions, including La Forteresse de Mimoyecques. The fortress is what remains of a German bunker constructed to fire shells at London during the Second World War. Comprising a maze of tunnels and chambers which can be accessed from the hillside it’s here that Joseph Kennedy – the brother of US President John F Kennedy died during an air raid in 1944.

Before leaving Calais itself, pay a visit to the oldest building in Calais, the Watch Tower. Constructed in the 13th century it suffered from an earthquake in the 16th century, a fire in the 17th century and the ravages of the Second World War in the 20th century.

Tower in Calais / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Nick

Montreuil

Steeped in history, the cobbled streets of this quaint village were apparently the inspiration for Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. For those of you with an interest in battlefields, there is of course the battle site of Agincourt close to Montreuil. The Battle of Agincourt took place in 1415. Around 6,000 English soldiers took up arms against a French army comprised of highly skilled noblemen who outnumbered them by approximately five to one. Even if you’re not a history buff, there are no prizes for guessing who won the day.

Further afield you’ll find the site of the Field of the Cloth of Gold which commemorates the much vaunted meeting between Henry VIII and King Francis I of France in 1520.

There’s also a stunning chocolatier in Montreuil. After a hard day’s cycling you deserve it.

Montreuil-sur-Mer / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by openroads.com

La Coupoule (Eperlecques)

Continuing the war theme, the World War Two concrete bunker – or blockhaus- can also be found close to Calais. Eperlecques was the German bunker where Hitler intended to launch his deadly V2 rockets on London. Thankfully, the European Allies bombed it before he had a chance to carry out his deadly plans. Now known as La Coupoule you can still see the huge crater caused by one of the Allied bombs and gaze in disbelief at the door to the bunker – it’s a hefty seven feet thick.

St Omer

Away from the stark reminders of modern and not so modern history lies the elegant town of St Omer with its iconic Gothic cathedral. With hundreds of miles of waterways, 150 homes are located in an area named Audomarois and can only be reached by boat. Time to park the bike for a short while and explore the surrounding rivers and woodlands.

For lovers of wildlife there are over 200 species of birdlife. As you ride you may notice a distinct aroma of cauliflower. If you do, you’re not imagining it. The marsh surrounding Audomarois produces five million heads of cauliflower every year. If an overdose of cauliflower is your version of gastronomic hell there are plenty of cheese cellars throughout the region and if you head back to Montreuil you’ll find a specialist winery. You can pop back in and see the chocolatier while you’re there.

St-Omer, France / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by openroads.com

The Beaches

The region of Calais also conceals a number of beaches for you to linger on after your cycling efforts. Head to Wimereux where you’ll be able to join the locals hunting for shrimps or you can continue along the coast to the Bay of Wissant.  The resort of Le Tuquet has countless grass-covered dunes with a cycle track leading the way around them.

Wherever you travel in France, you’ll find acres of rolling hillside, welcoming vineyards, ancient castles and gastronomic delights. Perhaps as you begin your adventures this year you might consider a brief stop at an often forgotten town.

Kate Smedley recommends stopping off at Calais during your cycling holidays in France

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by DAVID ILIFF

The London Eye

This attraction is a really great way to see the city (and a lot cheaper than a helicopter ride) and on a clear day you can see as far as 25 miles, but even on a not so clear day the views over London are still stunning. It’s the world’s largest observation wheel and takes about 30 minutes to do one revolution. If tickets are booked in advance they cost from £15.00 per adult but concessions are available for children and OAPs. If you turn up on the day expect to pay from £25.00 per adult, no concessions, and if you fancy it you can either hire an entire capsule, which can hold up to about 25 people.

Tower of London

Situated on the northern side of Tower Bridge (an attraction in its own right) this iconic building houses far more than just one sight for its viewer. The Tower of London is known for holding the crown jewels, but it began life as a show of power under the Norman invader, William the Conqueror. The tower then went on to become a prison to Sir Walter Raleigh and even two of Henry VIII’s wives. Entry to the tower costs from £18.00 per adult or £47.00 for family made up of two adults and up to 6 children. For those who fancy a good pint and some food afterwards cross Tower Bridge and about 50 metres down the road is a great pub on the left hand side called ‘The Draft House’; ask them for their pork scratching’s, they’re amazing!

Shopping

For those of you who love high street shopping nowhere comes as famous as Oxford Street. If you fancy more designer wear then Regent Street runs immediately across it. For those who love something a bit more alternative and niche, without having to go far, then Carnaby Street, which runs immediately parallel to the East of Regent Street is a fantastic experience; it’s Christmas decorations and lights are also always something to behold.

There are so many things you can do in London but the three above provide a good range of things you could do all in one or two days, depending on how much shopping you intend to do!

Why not spend your bank holidays 2012 seeing the sights of London; however, if you plan to go early in the year check, when do the clocks go forward? You don’t want to miss your flight!

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The centre of Richmond, situated on the bank of the river Thames, offers specialized boutiques, nice pubs at the water, rich galleries and museums with interesting collections. Richmond Theatre frequently hosts sneak previews in the West End.

The area boasts many beautiful buildings and gardens. The most famous is the palace of Henry VIII – Hampton Court, which is the oldest Tudor palace in England. There are also The Royal Botanic Kew Gardens, that are one of the world’s leading botanic gardens. They stretch on 121 hectares and are home to more than 40,000 plant species. You can also visit the Palladian villa located on the banks of the Thames called Marble Hill House. It was built in the years 1724-29 by King George II for his mistress Henrietta Howard and now it is open to the public. It is worth to visit also Twickenham Stadium and Museum, the home of the English team – the winner of Rugby World Cup.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Herry Lawford

If you prefer nature, then visit Richmond Park which is the largest royal park in London. The park is surrounded by high walls with several gates. There are also trails for horse riding and cycling.

Very interesting building is Ham House with the garden which is considered to be a unique in Europe as the most complete survival of 17th century fashion and power. If you come to Richmond, do not forget to visit also Museum of Richmond, The Royal Star & Garter Homes and Syon House. Richmond is best reached by river by boat service, which operates during the summer from Westminster Pier.

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Among the most beautiful castles – not only in Britain but also in Europe – we can find the Leeds Castle in Kent, UK. It was built back in 1119 as a Norman fortress on the spot where the manor house stood already two hundred years before.

During its long existence, Leeds Castle served as the residence (also as the refuge) for the kings, deluxe residences for six medieval English Queens, exhibition of Henry VIII. and much more. The interesting is, that the castle was inhabited up to the 80′s of the last century.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Herry Lawford

The castle is surrounded by the massive walls which protect also a huge garden full of trees, shrubs and flowers. The romantic character is supplemented by the large moats, built long ago to hide the estate from the eyes of simple villagers.

Today, it has only an aesthetic function, as well as an aviaries, that are now a home for over a hundred endangered species of birds. Curiosity of the whole area is treacherous maze of hedges, with a sort of mound in the middle.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by gailf548

At the entrance, you will receive a card, with the important facts about the castle’s history and description of everything interesting regarding the castle rooms, including the authors of pictures etc. Although the current design was influenced by many minor changes and especially by the gradual expansion, the most of the internal equipment is original.

In Leeds Castle you can see – amongst others – the royal bedroom of Catherine of Valois, or a library and room of Lady Baillie. Also noteworthy is the restaurant named after Henry VIII., who frequently visited the castle. During a visit, you can also visit the Maiden’s Tower, which was built in Tudor times as the castle’s bakery and brewhouse beer. Now the premises of the Maiden’s Tower hold various exhibitions.

The only task of Leeds Castle is to impress every visitor and I’m sure that you will be impressed as well.

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