Montreuil-sur-Mer

Montreuil sits on a hill above the Canche about fifteen kilometres inland, and the sea part of the name is a leftover: the estuary silted up centuries ago and the port went with it, but the name stayed. The town is ringed by around three kilometres of ramparts, medieval in origin and reworked by Vauban, walkable in a full circuit with views over the valley. A citadel stands at one end. Victor Hugo passed through in 1837 and set part of Les Miserables here, with Valjean as the town's mayor, and an outdoor production of the novel is staged in the citadel each summer by hundreds of local volunteers.

History

The town has been called Montreuil-sur-Mer since at least the twelfth century, though its legal name was simply Montreuil until 31 December 2022, and the sea it refers to now lies some distance away. Its brick ramparts were built after troops of the Emperor Charles V destroyed the town in June 1537, before Vauban's great fortifications of northern French towns in the 17th century, and they include a separate citadel (Wikipedia, Montreuil-sur-Mer).

Highlights

• The rampart circuit - three kilometres of walls walked right round the town.
• The citadel - Vauban-era fortifications at the western end.
• The cobbled streets - the old town inside the walls, including the Cavee Saint-Firmin.
• The Les Miserables production - a volunteer summer staging in the citadel.

When to go

April to October; the Les Miserables performances run in summer over a few nights and book out. The rampart walk is best in the evening. Winter is quiet with limited opening.

Practical notes

The sea is no longer there despite the name. The town is small and quiet, with the ramparts the main attraction. The summer production is in French and sells out well ahead.

Nearby

Le Touquet lies west; Arras is southeast.

Key facts