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JupiJaunt to Baie de la Somme
Sunday 17th - Saturday 23rd June 2012
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This Tour will take us into Northern France, just above Normandy - you may already be familiar with some of the places mentioned but it will be an opportunity to celebrate the Jupiter's 50th anniversary and enjoy exploring interesting places.
The Baie de Somme is wild with an abundance of sea birds, colonies of
seals and fauna ; We will have the opportunity to visit the bay at low
tide on Thursday morning with a guide (for those who wish to). Next to
it is the Marquenterre Park which is a 260 ha preserved area between
land and sea, with its unique landscapes of dunes, forests and marshes.
In winter, the meadows are purposely flooded and host spectacular
flocks of birds.
From the hotel,you will also be able to hire a bike to cycle along the shore /bay.
Saint Valery S/Somme is a small unsophisticated fishing
place which gets busy with tourists in Summer. Parking is difficult and
always fee-paying which is why we are staying in one of the only hotels
close to the town with a safe and free car park.
St Valery also has a preserved steam railway.
The weather can be unpredictable...misty and chilly even in June, so be prepared !
All
the different events and visits mentioned below are only suggestions
(although a couple are pre-booked such as the Mine but only to be paid
for on the day) and you are entirely free to explore and do as and when
you wish .
SUNDAY 17TH JUNE
Morning add-on event :" Aux Marches du Palais" (on the Palace steps)
In
the morning between 10.00 am and 12.30 some of us will
attend the Classic Car gathering at Le Touquet, an hour's drive from
Calais, in front of the Casino and Congress Palace.
Even if you are not
taking part in the JupiJaunt and you are reading these lines, you are most welcome to join us there
with your Jowett. It is free and an add-on to our JupiJaunt.There could
be as many as 100 classic cars there depending on the weather and it
will be an opportunity to show off our Jupiters. The possibility of a
group meal at the Casino for 17 euros and a free glass of champagne
sounds very convivial. The local press will be there.
After the event
and group lunch we will drive to Arras as planned (60 miles from Le Touquet) for the start of our Jaunt.
ARRAS
Afternoon/evening:
Meet in our Arras hotel for the initial gathering of our jaunt. We will stay in that hotel for 2 nights.
Hotel price with evening meal included. It is 70 miles from Shuttle exit and about the same from the Calais ferry port.
single 125
Double 134 Dinner/Bed & Breakfast (D/B/B)
MONDAY 18TH JUNE
ARRAS
Morning: We drive towards
the outskirts of Douai to visit an interesting mine museum.
Arras Hotel to the mine museum is 22 miles no more than 1 hour.
Cost of visit: 13.50 pp. Visit with English audio guide lasts about 1½ hour.
Lunch there (but cost not included) before the visit.
Evening meal at our Arras hotel
Single 125
Double 134 Dinner/Bed & Breakfast (D/B/B) - Private parking : 9
TUESDAY 19TH JUNE
SAINT VALERY- SUR- SOMME
On Tuesday morning we leave our hotel in Arras and head to St Valery-sur-Somme.
On the way, we visit the gardens and Cloister of Valloires. (48 miles, 1 ½ hour)
Gardens & Abbey visit: 12
Lunch at Valloires (pre-booked)
From the Gardens of Valloires to our next hotel in Saint Valery; it is a scenic drive of 20 miles, about 1 hour.
Gardens of Valloires
We then reach St Valery-sur-Somme...after a leisurely drive.
Our
hotel is situated in St Valery so the centre where we stay for 2 nights. Town is easily
accessible on foot (about 3 minutes via small steep road).
Single/Double 180 B/B
Images
of St
Valery-sur-Somme
Main street in Summer
WEDNESDAY 20TH JUNE
SAINT VALERY- SUR- SOMME
This loco once saw service at the Suez canal!
St Valery-sur-Somme is a small seaside town with a medieval quarter on the edge of the very scenic Baie de la Somme famous for its wild life.
A preserved steam railway operates
all around the bay.
Single/Double 180 B/B (same hotel as Tuesday)
THURSDAY 21ST JUNE
SAINT VALERY- SUR- SOMME
We relocate to another hotel just outside St Valery, closer into the bay, distance of not more than 2 miles.
Single 91
Double 164 B/B
We can eat ΰ la carte in the hotel restaurant. Evening meal reserved.
One can hire bicycles from the hotel to tour the bay.
A guided walk in the bay is programmed in the morning, so depending on the weather, bring warm clothing and suitable footwear.
If
preferred, you can visit an interesting clock museum at St Nicolas
Aliermont, which is 33 miles from our hotel, not much more than an hour's
driving time.
Seals
can be seen at the tip of the
bay
Jupitourists cycling around the bay ? ? !
FRIDAY 22ND JUNE
HARDELOT-PLAGE
Today, we head north towards Hardelot-Plage south of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Distance 45 to 50 miles depending upon route chosen.
Driving
time no more than 2 hours.
Hardelot castle
Our hotel is in Hardelot-Plage, 1½ miles from the sea-front
Near Hardelot there is an interesting Anglo-French castle which is a highly
regarded cultural centre.
It has a small museum dedicated to Louis Blιriot. It is close to Condette less than 2 miles north of our hotel.
Evening:Farewell
dinner at the hotel
Single 159
Double :210 D/B/B
SATURDAY 23rd JUNE
End of our JupiJaunt.
Our hotel is 32 miles, about 1 hour, from Calais/Coquelles.
The