FLOATING TO WISSANT - a ride in a Citroën DS

FLOATING TO WISSANT

a ride in a Citroën DS

Wimereux

In my 1950s crime novel, BLOOD ON THE TIDE, I describe a journey my detective, DI Sonny Russell, makes with his friend, Inspecteur Guillaume Bruissement in a Citroën DS he has been given on trial. They travel north from Boulogne to Wissant, passing through several villages. I know that part of the coast very well and can confirm that it is a most interesting drive and the villages are well worth exploring. 

"The car all but floated over the rough roads through the town and they were soon out in the countryside. They passed through Wimereux, which showed signs of rebuilding after operation Wellhit in WW2. Then the villages of Ambleteuse, Audresselles and Audinghen before arriving twenty minutes later in the village square of Wissant. To one side was the squat bulk of the 15^th-century church of Saint Nicholas, next to it the WW1 memorial. Nearby was the half-timbered Hotel Normandy and on the other side of the road, a low stone building, with a tractor and substantial wooden fishing boat on a trailer standing outside. ‘That is a flobart, a fishing boat particular to this region,’ Bruissement  explained, as he got out of the car. ‘The tractor takes the boat down to the beach and launches it into the sea. They catch some wonderful fish that are served fresh here in Le Vivier!’ Russell, getting out of the car to stand beside him, smiled."

Ambleteuse - Fort Mahon

Audresselle

We even made up this little rhyme, to the tune of, 'Do you know the muffin man! 

Savez-vous l'homme du moule, l'homme du moule, l'homme du moule.

Savez-vous l'homme du moule, l'homme du moule, l'homme du moule

Qui habite a Audresselles.

Audinghen - church of St Pierre

I'm told the fish is indeed wonderful and fresh (although, like Sonny, I don't eat fish) and the coast has lots of other attractions - sandy beaches, lots of rock pools as well as museums dedicated to WW2. Batterie Todt at Audinghen, housed in a huge German-built blockhouse, has a fascinating collection of artifacts from the period.

Wissant - Le Vivier

The photo above shows one of the traditional Flobart fishing boats outside Le Vivier. Sadly this has gone but I believe the restaurant is as good as ever.

               "‘Ah, I am sorry my friend, you don’t eat fish. I ’ope you don’t mind if I do?’

          ‘Of course not,’ Russell replied. ‘Just as long as I don’t have to.’ His eyes twinkled.

          ‘No, no. I said there would be something special for you.’ The Frenchman was as good as his word. Once seated at a table in the cosy restaurant Russell was presented with a plate of slim asparagus spears, topped with a perfectly poached egg. He was a little baffled by the scattering of dark crumbs on the dish. ‘A-ha!’ said the Frenchman. ‘That is the surprise. Do you know what it is?’ Russell shook his head. ‘Truffles!’ Bruissement announced triumphantly. ‘The patron was out early in the woods and brought them back, just for you. Taste,’ he said, gesturing with his knife.

          Russell lifted a forkful of the egg and truffle to his mouth, chewed, then swallowed. ‘Mmm. Slightly earthy, a little like mushrooms,’ he said reflectively."