Montreuil Sur Mer Hotels

I've passed through Montreuil sur Mer several times in the last twenty five years or so, on my many trips, both short and long, to France. I have some great memories of this wonderful little walled town in the Pas de Calais, so I thought I'd share a little about Montreuil sur Mer hotels, and a little about the town itself. For it is a gem, missed by so many who are heading south at speed on the autoroute from the northern ferry ports to the Vendee, Dordogne, Mediterranean and beyond.

The first thing to note when looking for Montreuil sur Mer hotels for a short stay, is that you definitely will not get a sea view! Because despite the name, this little town in Northern France is nowhere near the sea. It's about fifteen kilometres (ten miles) inland from Le Touquet, about thirty minutes drive south of Boulogne, and about an hour south of Calais. Many years ago, no doubt, this is where the Canche river ran out to sea, but the coastline has changed, and I think Montreuil is better for it – the town now stands proudly above the local countryside, surrounded by magnificent town walls from which the views over the local countryside are stunning. There are quite good footpaths around the walls. I know they're quite good because I distinctly remember pushing my daughter in her push chair (stroller) around the walls without too much difficulty about twenty years ago. Anyway, I digress, what about Montreuil sur Mer hotels?

Montreuil sur Mer is not a big town, in fact, in the UK we would probably call it a village, but it does have a reasonable number of hotels because it attracts a few tourists as it's a pretty little place and is close to the channel ports, making it ideal for a stopover before or after the ferry crossing. Most recently we stayed in one of the cheapest hotels in town, and enjoyed a really “French” experience. If you've stayed in a few small French hotels, you'll know what I mean – the floors are not quite level, the wall paper isn't quite straight, the furniture doors may or may not close, but the whole place is full of character and is totally different from the air conditioned concrete block of a modern international hotel.

We stayed in La Taverne de l'Écu de France, which is just off the main square and has a few simple rooms above the little bar and restaurant on the ground floor. The rooms are basic but adequate so long as you don't expect four star luxury, and you couldn't have a shorter walk to the restaurant. Simply go down the narrow stone stair case, with care, and it brings you out straight into the bar, which also doubles as the reception area. You won't find an elevator either; this is a small old building with no room for such luxuries. We enjoyed our meal in the little restaurant adjoining the bar area, which served an interesting range of typically French dishes at a reasonable price. And, needless to say, it didn't take long to drink a bottle of the house red! We also enjoyed a typical French breakfast of croissants, baguettes and coffee the next morning. As far as I remember, the whole stay - bed, breakfast and evening meal for two, came to about 95 euros.

(Update: La Taverne de l'Écu de France has new owners and is now Les Remparts. The price has gone up a little – I hope to stay soon to see if much has changed.)

At the other end of the hotel price and quality spectrum, if you're looking for luxurious Montreuil sur Mer hotels with corresponding prices, the Château de Montreuil may be your ideal resting place. This four star château hotel is ideally located very close to the town walls and I have no doubts about it's elegance and style. Perhaps one day I will be able to afford to stay there, but I confess that right now it's out of my price range. Small standard rooms start at 210 euros, and that is room only. Breakfast will set you back another 18 euros each. And if you decide to go for the dinner, bed and breakfast package for two, then you can expect to pay 405 euros or more depending on the size and standard of the double room. The hotel looks lovely from the outside, and has a beautiful garden, where you can just sit and enjoy the elegant atmosphere, or spend some time relaxing in the pool. There are occasional special offers available, including last minute deals, so it may be possible to enjoy the sumptuous atmosphere at greatly reduced prices if you time it right.

There are several other hotels you could consider in Montreuil. Right on the main square (Place Du Général De Gaulle) you will find Le Vauban, a brasserie with fourteen rooms upstairs. The rooms are available as standard or deluxe costing from about 70-85 euros for a double in September 09. the reviews for Le Vauban are all generally positive with most guests appreciating the position right on the square which means that there are several restaurants and brasseries a very short walk away. But also be aware that there is a superb market which sets up early on a Saturday morning. So don't expect a late start when there is the rattle and crash of stalls being assembled underneath your bedroom window!

Back towards the luxury end of Montreuil sur Mer hotels is Le Coq Hotel on Place De La Poissonnerie. This charming little tree lined square is an absolute delight and a perfect setting for a quality hotel like Le Coq. The rooms are quiet and comfortable as the hotel is just a few hundred metres from the main square but expect to pay around 120 euros for a double room including breakfast (Oct 09). There is a peaceful courtyard to relax in with a drink and the restaurant is very good but some feel it is a little expensive for what is offered. (15 euros for breakfast?)

Other hotels in Montreuil you may want to consider are:

Hotel Hermitage

Les Hauts de Montreuil

Hotel de France

Le Patio

These all appear to be very comfortable and reasonably priced Montreuil sur Mer hotels. I hope to review them soon.

Montreuil is a very attractive little town with its magnificent walls; well worth a visit and an overnight stay. Next time you're passing through the Pas de Calais, why not find time for an overnight stop?