All the fruits of the Opal Coast at Boulogne-sur-Mer market

You can’t take two paces in Boulogne-sur-Mer without a reminder that fishing is king and there’s no greater manifestation than the glistening hauls at the daily fish market on Quai Gambetta. Chirpy family-run stallholders heap their just-landed, eyes-wide catch of every form on steaming crates of ice, with mountains of crab, lobster, langoustines, scallops and mussels alongside. You needn’t worry about how fresh it all is – it’s always fish-to-dish in superfast time around here. 

 

For all the sights, sounds, scents and flavours of a more typical market event this summer, trundle along to Place Dalton on Wednesday and Saturday mornings for market magic in the shade of Sainte-Marie-Star-of-the-Sea church. With fresh local produce prices chalked up on blackboards (and bellowed across the cobbles), you’ll see it’s all about the value and variety. With six of tomato alone, you can try something new, and knowing Boulogne’s convivial stallholders, you’ll get recipe, ripeness and prep tips thrown into the bargain too. 

 

Buy your picnic for an Opal Coast walk (warm bread, Fort d’Ambleteuse cheese, fresh fruit, craquelin cream puff, local bières for later) or watch the world go by with Northern France specialty moules-frites at one of Boulogne’s marketside bistros.

 

Tourist Board Information of Boulogne-sur-Mer