Discover the

Discover the Northern Riviera Fabulous beaches, an historic past, chic towns and easy access to the UK. Welcome to the Northern Riviera...

The French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, is world famous for good reason. But there’s another Riviera in France that is far easier to reach for both British buyers and Parisians, and one that has much to offer in its own right says Liz Rowlinson… The nearest part of France to the UK, the Northern Riviera - or Côte d’ Opale - offers layers of history, from prehistory to the two world wars, including the Great War, Added to this is over 120km of beautiful fine sandy beaches, chic seaside towns and, at times, even better weather than it’s glitzier southern counterpart. “This is a fabulous area, popular with French, British and Belgian home buyers, because of its proximity to both the UK and northern European cities,” says Tim Sage, Leggett’s coordinator for the area. “It’s easy to reach by ferry or Le Shuttle for the British - and numbers commute back to the UK weekly - and it’s much more affordable than other French coastal areas, including the Charente- Maritime and the Côte d’Azur.” With buoyant tourism due to the historic locations - the battle sites of Agincourt and later World War One, the Commonwealth War Cemeteries, and rocket launch sites - it can also be good for holiday rentals with the offering of a full range of outdoor activities. So where are the popular spots for buyers? Starting at the Belgian border - the Riviera spans from there to Berck-sur- Mer in the Pas-de-Calais department - the stretch between Dunkirk and Calais is popular with French buyers, yet less so with the British.