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Boulogne-sur-Mer

The Maison de la Beurière, in Boulogne-sur-Mer

An 1870 fisherman’s house, the only one left standing in its street

The narrow front of a fisherman's house in the Beurière quarter, in Boulogne

The essentials

Where
Boulogne-sur-Mer
How long
One hour
Price
Modest entry fee; check with the tourist office
  • Built in 1870
  • Beurière quarter
  • For a rainy day
  • One hour
What to do in Boulogne sur Mer?

The Beurière was Boulogne-sur-Mer's fishermen's quarter: low, tightly packed houses on the hillside above the harbour. World War II bombing wiped out most of it. This one is still standing.

It was built in 1870 by Hilaire Lays, a thirty-seven-year-old fisherman, on the site of an older house. It's now an exhibition space about the life of Boulogne fishing families from the 19th century to the early 20th.

What you’ll see

  • On the ground floor The interior is recreated as it once was: a fishing family's home, at real scale. This is the part that hits hardest, because you take in at a glance how many square metres a whole family lived in.
  • Upstairs A themed exhibition on the quarter's social context, Boulogne traditions and customs, the domestic life of fishermen — and that of the fishermen's wives, who ran everything while the boats were out.

Why it’s still there

It's an accident of the bombing. The surrounding streets were destroyed, this one wasn't, and the house has come through the century. It hasn't been rebuilt from plans, then: it's the house itself, in its quarter, in its place.

The climb up from the harbour is on foot, up steep streets. It's short, but it climbs — and that's part of the visit: fishermen climbed this same slope twice a day.

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    3 activities to book

    What activities to do in Boulogne sur Mer?

    Our favourite

    Two children sea kayaking, paddles raised

    To see the town from the water

    Kayak de mer au départ du port

    A guided outing along the coast, setting off from the harbour. The only viewpoint from which the upper town makes sense in a single glance.

    2 h · from age 8 · booking required

    A sand yacht racing across the beach, pink and blue sail

    For windy days, and there are plenty

    Char à voile sur la plage

    The main beach suits sand yachting all year round. One taster session is enough to make your first runs.

    1 h 30 · from age 10

    The old town square of Boulogne-sur-Mer, its façades and flowers

    To understand what you're looking at

    Visite guidée de la vieille ville

    The ramparts, the belfry and the basilica in one guided loop. What's just a pretty backdrop becomes a two-thousand-year story.

    1 h 30 · departs from the tourist office

    Our 3 restaurants

    Where to eat in Boulogne sur Mer?

    Our favourite

    For the fish, facing the harbour

    Fleur de Sel

    On quai Gambetta, in the row of tables watching the boats come in. The menu follows what the fish market landed that morning.

    Fish and seafood · €€ · 90 quai Gambetta

    For a simple, hearty lunch

    Mon cousin belge

    A brasserie on place de la République, a couple of minutes from the centre. The kind of place you sit down at without booking.

    Brasserie · € · Place de la République

    For the evening, a favourite with locals

    Le Châtillon

    An institution in the harbour quarter, known to every Boulonnais. Best to call ahead if you're coming at the weekend.

    Traditional cuisine · €€ · 6 rue Charles Tellier

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