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In 1940, Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque; French Flemish: Duunkerke, meaning 'church of the dunes') became world famous thanks to the heroic evacuation of Allied troops. Destroyed by German attacks, it was rebuilt after the war – though, alas, during one of the most uninspired periods in the history of Western architecture. While the modern city has precious little charm, it does offer visitors worthwhile museums, a family-friendly beach and colourful pre-Lent carnivals.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Dunkirk.
Tower
Dunkirk's landmark 58m-high belfry – the bell tower of the original Église St-Éloi before it burnt to the ground in 1558 – was erected in 1440 and has been a Unesco World Heritage–listed monument since 2004. A lift takes you up to its 50 bells, which chime every 15 minutes; ascending a further 60 steps brings you to the viewing platform, from where you can see as far as Dover on a clear day.
Church
Constructed in 1560, the Église St-Éloi was refaced with a neo-Gothic façade completed in 1889. It's dubbed la cathédrale des sables (cathedral of the sand) due to the one-time proximity of the dunes. Heavily damaged in WWI and WWII, bullet holes are still visible on its exterior today. Inside it has glorious stained glass and a 54-pipe organ. The original Église St-Éloi was destroyed by fire in 1558 by the Maréchal de Thermes when the French invaded; only the belfry remains.
Museum
To learn about the 1940 evacuation of Dunkirk, stop by this non-profit museum. In addition to a 15-minute film, there are scale models, and evocative period uniforms, weapons, photos and WWII-related objects discovered in the Dunkirk area. It's housed in Bastion 32, a 1874-built coastal defence base, which was the headquarters of the French and Allied Forces during the Battle of Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo.
Museum
Set inside a 19th-century tobacco warehouse, this museum will delight fans of maritime history and, especially, model ships. During school holidays you can go aboard a lighthouse ship, a river barge and the Duchesse Anne, a three-masted training ship built for the German merchant marine in 1901 and transferred to France as WWII reparations.
Lighthouse
Rising 63m high, this automated, first order port lighthouse is the highest of its kind in France (its beam can be seen from 60km away). The lighthouse dates from 1843; you can climb 276 steps to its outdoor platform for views over the port, town and, when visibility is good, the English coast.
Memorial
Honouring over 4500 British and Commonwealth soldiers ‘with no known grave’, this memorial is next to the British War Graves Section of Dunkirk's town cemetery, 1.5km southeast of the centre. The engraved window depicts the 1940 evacuation of Dunkirk.