Boulogne-sur-Mer Christmas Market takes place on the weekend of 13 - 14 December 2008 - and is held in the attractive surroundings of the old walled upper town - a more atmospheric option than the more functional modern lower town centre. especially as it becomes a traffic-free zone for the weekend.
On offer are all the usual festive attractions, including mulled wine, pain d’epices, fire-dancers, puppets, jazz etc. For more info see www.tourisme-boulognesurmer.com
Sadly of course, you will no longer be able to pop over on Speedferries direct into Boulogne, but Calais and the Channel Tunnel are only about 30 minutes away by car.
Meanwhile Boulogne’s great rival further north up the coast, Calais holds its Christmas Market on the same weekend from Friday 12 - Sunday 14 December 2008 in the Place Crevecoeur/rue Mengin - see www.calais-cotedopale.com
Of course, the drop in the exchange rate against the euro does make the prospect of shopping in France a little less attractive, but you will still find wine and petrol/diesel good value in France because of different tax regimes.
Unleaded petrol is about €1.09, diesel €0.999 at a typical French hypermarket as at 4 December 2008 - tourist exchange rate is £1 = €1,12.
