Maison76
Going Out

Activities, Outings and Restaurants in and around Montreuil-Sur-Mer

Read Laura Ivill's article on eating out in Montreuil in The Sunday Times.
ACTIVITIES AND OUTINGS: The team at Maison 76 have put their heads together to propose a series of activities & outings to keep you occupied during your stay. We admit to a bias for history, horticulture and hedonism and trust our suggestions will not disappoint.
Walking
At Maison76 our walking boots are always by the front door. There are 16 well-posted routes to follow, just minutes from our entrance, with a combined distance of over 150km.
A guide is available from the Tourist Office
Sadly, owing to copyright reasons, we can't publish them on our website, but we have copies featuring the 10 best local walks, available to guests.
Cycling
A great way of discovering the region is by bicycle.
The Tourist Office recommends the following:
Tour n°1, "La Hayette" (6.2 miles), Tour n°5, "La Canche" (6.2 miles), Tour n°7, "La Marcadée" (5.5 miles),Tour n°8, "Le Dangermel" (5.5 miles), Tour n°9, "Extra-Muros" (2.4 miles, Tour n°11, "Hurbise" (4.9 miles), Tour n°12, "Le Robinson" (16.2 miles).
Download the maps.
If you are looking for something a little more challenging, please ask us.

If you are traveling by bicycle and have any sort of mechanical failure, we are fortunate to have the helping hand of ServiCycle, who will come from the nearby village of Sorrus (for which they make no charge) and will normally rectify your issues on-site. They are available on 06-30-15-51-90.
Tennis
Maison76 is very proud to have our very own tennis champion Our Prof-du-Sport is always up for a game, but, make no mistake, she's good! Courts are not easy to come by so it's always best to give maximum notice.
€ POA.
Golf
We have a number of courses on our front door. Our resident golfer considers St Omer to be the most sporting and Belle Dune the best maintained!

Le Touquet 15 mins, Nampont St Martin 20 mins, Hardelot 25 mins, Belle Dune 30 mins
Abbeville 35 mins, Wimereux 35 mins, St Omer 50 mins

If you feel the need for a round of golf and are in need of a partner, our all-round Prof-du-Sport will happily accompany you to Nampont for a round.
€ POA.
Markets*
Le Touquet: Monday Summer only, Thursday & Saturday
Etaples: 15 mins Tuesday & Friday
Boulogne, Place Dalton: 40 mins Wednesday & Saturday
Hesdin: 25 mins Thursday
Montreuil: Saturday
St Valery-sur-Somme: 40 mins Sunday & Wednesday

* All the above normally start packing their wares between 12.30-13.00
Brocantes
There are literally hundreds of brocantes or flea-markets every weekend throughout the region, from Easter to the end of September.
This website will tell you what's on and what's coming up.
Montreuil hosts the premier event of the season with almost 1000 stalls on the 14th of July.
Don't forget to barter!!
Le Touquet 25 mins
The town came into being with the arrival of the railways, and being the closest to the capital, became Le Touquet Paris Plage.
A virtual British outpost in the 1920's and 1930's, it cemented its relationship with the rich and famous of the day. The Prince of Wales played golf on its links in the the 1920's, Ian Fleming knew it before the war and visited its many casinos. PG Woodhouse was interned there in 1940.
It has a very lively night-time scene and we recommend a designated driver to get you home safely, as taxis are very rare and expensive. Visit the Saturday market at the marche couvert at 31 Rue Jean Monnet, with a coffee and croissant in the surrounding streets.
Next door to the city is the little fishing port of Etaples. We advocate a visit to the military cemetery there, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
A very moving and humbling experience where the brain can only fail to assimilate the details of those buried there.
Abbaye et Jardins de Valloires 30 mins
Beautifully laid out over nine hectares and visually stunning with the Abbaye as a backdrop. Discover some 5000 species and varieties of old roses and rare shrubs. Nestled in the valley, gardens hug the terrain with a vertical drop of over 25 metres between the highest part and the lowest part.
We love it enough to have bought a season ticket!
Check out either Le Clos de la Prarie at Gouy Staint Andre or L'Estaminet at Douriez once you have built up an appetite.
Le Crotoy 30 mins
If your brain says seaside walk, step back in time and visit this charming little town that seems to be locked in a time capsule. Delight in its beach which stretches away for miles into a national park and follow in the footsteps of Jules Verne who wrote Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea whilst living there.
The beach itself is highly unusual for northern France, in that it faces south. Enjoy the uninterrupted panorama of the Baie de la Somme with its big skies.
Be mindful of the tides, as they sweep in and cover the beach to its very extremities.
Fancy a mini Hamptons experience? Then drop into les Tourelles after your walk and enjoy afternoon tea or aperitifs.
St Valery-sur-Somme 40 mins
Really an unmissable seaside town comprising three separate experiences.
Park on the outskirts, ( take a couple of euros, as the parking is no longer free ) and take in the harbour, the town, with its beautifully restored promenade, then wander up to the medieval cathedral to visit the remains of the castle that once held Joan of Arc.
Whilst a 5-star destination for us, sadly we feel unable to make an culinary recommendation, apart from the excellent soups at the Velicopede. We suggest you take a picnic or return to Montreuil.
Le Bois de Cise 60 mins
This is an unusual little hamlet just 20 minutes further on from St Valery and has a treasure trove of early 20th century beachside architecture.
We always marvel at why on earth it ended up there!
The approach roads are unconvincing, but we think that on arrival, you will understand why we sent you there. There is also a lovely restaurant perched on the cliff top. Lunch in the garden on a sunny day. Bliss.
Le Louvre Lens 60 mins
A few words can't do justice to this recent cultural addition but we are very excited that we now have an outpost of the Louvre on our doorstep. Check the website for details of current exhibitions.
The Ring of Remembrance, Notre Dame de Lorette 65 mins
From the imposing Thiepval Memorial also designed by Lutyens, to the tiny cemeteries that dot the countryside, there are many exceptional places to visit that tell an extraordinary story of the history of our early 20th century.
This is one of the most recent. Opened in 2014, here you will find a 328-metre ring consisting 500 sheets of bronzed stainless steel, listing the 579,606 names of those who died in Northern France, without care for nationality or creed.
It’s hard to believe that the surrounding farmland, poppy-strewn in summer, was once churned into an ooze of mud and blood by literally tens of millions of artillery shells.
We applaud all those who tend to these fragments of history to keep them alive for future generations.
Add it to your visit to the Louvre
The Floating gardens of Amiens 70 mins
We love visiting Amiens because a close friend of Maison 76 has the largest motorcycle dealership in France close to its centre.
We love nothing better than building up an appetite by spending a morning looking at two-wheeled treasures.
However for you, dear reader, we recommend, from personal experience, the hortillonages or “floating gardens” that cover some 300 hectares and have been cultivated since the Middle Ages. They are interlaced with 65km of small canals and can be discovered in special boats known as “barques à cornet”.
Gerberoy 90 mins
This has been voted one of the most beautiful villages in France and is another treasure trove for lovers of roses.
Whilst straight from the 'chocolate box', its undeniable charm, cobbled streets, 17th and 18th century 'dolls houses', hollyhocks and fragrant flowers have always captivated visitors, including us.
Abbaye de Jumieges 100 mins
A recent discovery by Maison 76. Since the guidebook says it much better than we can, we will quote it pretty much verbatim.
One of the most ancient and important monasteries in the western world, the abbey was founded in 654 by Saint Philiber. Turned into a quarry after the revolution, and despite its subsequent wounds, the great silhouette seems engraved forever in the landscape.
The park and its ancient trees give the measure of what Victor Hugo called, "the most beautiful ruin in France".
We're not sure we would choose to go at the weekend.
It has a fabulous restaurant where we suggest you ignore the gimmicks ( menu on an i-pad amongst them ) and focus on the food.
Honfleur 120 mins
The little maritime city with its harbour, cobbled streets and galleries at the mouth of the Seine inspired Courbet, Monet and Boudin. It makes a good day trip.
We love it. Regrettably, it has become one of the most visited towns in France, but is a gem and well worth a visit. A glass or two of something by the waterfront is well worth the time spent getting there, though probably not at weekends.
Paris 140 mins
We love a day out in Paris or an overnight trip. Take your car or order a cab ( 06-69-38-01-00) to the station at Rang-du-Fliers just 20 minutes away from Maison 76, and two hours later you will be at the Gare du Nord.
Maison 76 has its own food spy in the city. We can direct you a whole host of memorable culinary experiences.
Please check opening days and times on the web links, where possible.
Maison 76 is not liable for the content of external websites.
Maison76: 76, Rue Pierre Ledent
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Restaurants in Montreuil-Sur-Mer

Welcome! If you didn't know it already, you have stumbled upon a slice of foodie heaven in this historic, gastronomic and bucolic slice of Northern France.
We make no apologies for our ‘over-the-top’ language to propose to you some of Maison76’s favourite spots. We are not professional food critics. But know what we like and appreciate the efforts of all our neighbours in making Montreuil-sur-Mer such a wonderful destination. With a population of just over 2,000 inhabitants, we know nowhere within a 150km radius that can compete with the choices available at our door-step! These are the personal choices ( in alphabetical order ) of the team at Maison76 - all distances in MINUTES are by foot from our front door ….
Anecdote: A new opening from Chef Alexander Gauthier which reminds us why the world raved about French cooking in the early 1980’s, with recipes from his Michelin-starred father Roland brought to you in a contemporary setting. For a fabulous culinary trip down memory lane.
€€€€
03-21-86-65-80
5 MINS
Le Bistronome: Chef Francois likes adding the Asian touch to classic bistro food But for our money, this is where you’ll sink your teeth into the best steak in Montreuil
€€€
03-21-06-04-23
4 MINS
Le Caveau: A warm welcome awaits from the jovial patron Francois with over 50 varieties of personally chosen wine by the glass. He’s a wine buff so enjoy ! Perfect for an aperitif or two on his terrace, try nibbling away at his famous flammeküeche if the kitchen is open.
€€
03-21-06-05-21
5 MINS
Le Chateau de Montreuil: This is classic French cooking in a traditional setting, with a beautiful garden in summer. Christian Germain knows his compresses from his soufflés. Take your parents, they will love it.
€€€€€
03-21-81-53-04
4 MINS
Le Clos: We love lunch or early evening drinks on this neighbouring terrace, watching the world go by. Many British visitors turn their noses up at offal however this is the best place to indulge a well-thought-out menu. Can’t face it? Go for the Turbot, and say Tim sent you!
€€€
03-21-06-08-85
5 MINS
Le Darnetal: Step back in time and enjoy an ambiance which has remained unchanged for over 30 years. A local chef who’s adept at superb home cooking.
€€
03-21-06-04-87
3 MINS
Froggy’s: Was Alexander Gauthier's second opening. A relaxed, candle-lit, convivial space in the centre of town with communal tables, lively conversation and a menu of spit-roasted meats.
€€€
03-21-86-72-32
5 MINS
La Grenouilliere: A 15-minute stroll down to the ancient village of La Madeliane brings you to this award-winning restaurant. Alexander Gauthier has been recently recognised as one of the top 50 chefs in the world, so this is cooking to get you excited. A celebration, a birthday or any special occasion, really any excuse. Do feel free to ask us as we rarely have the wherewithal to afford it!
€€€€€
03-21-06-07-22
15 MINS
Le Patio: Anne and Olivier preside over this little gem with a lovely walled garden at the back. Sadly they no longer open for lunch apart from Sunday and I don’t want to say too much as I might lose my weekly table!
€€
03-21-05-88-88
4 MINS
Le Pot du Clape: If all this talk of food has been too much, head to this wonderful soup bar in the Rue du Clape-en-Bas. Chef Arsene knows all about soup, as he organises an annual soup festival in the region.
€€
03-21-05-46-35
6 MINS
Almost everybody on this list does a excellent value lunchtime menu during the week, and as we are looking after you in the evenings, this is where we can normally be found between 12.30-14.30.

Please double check opening times as they vary between proprietors .