Dunkirk & Beer Tasting
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Port
Dunkirk (Lille), France
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$140
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Explore amazing Dunkirk, whose story is a tribute to both terrible tribulation and triumph.
The church of the dunes, built soon after Dunkirk was settled in the 7th century AD, gave the city its Norse name. Although it was originally a fishing settlement, Dunkirk was soon fortified with a defensive wall and built its Town Hall in 1233. The herring industry was king at the time, and the port became key to this and to other avenues of trade.
By now the third-largest port in France, Dunkirk was heavily involved in both World Wars, bombed in 1915 and 1917 and again in May of 1940. Widescale destruction made it unrecognizable. In 1940, Operation Dynamo -- an incredible civilian effort -- saw a huge flotilla of private yachts, fishing boats and steamers from England evacuate 300,000 Allied soldiers trapped on the beach at Dunkirk. Under siege by the Germans for the next five long years, Dunkirk finally saw liberation at the hands of the Allies on May 9, 1945. This astonishing history will be at the forefront of your visit, with key landmarks and poignant reminders bringing it all to life.
A much lighter note is offered at Esquelbecq, just 10 miles from Dunkirk. The brewery here, located in the very heart of this charming Flanders village, has retained its original buildings -- a relic of the old Poidevin farm-brewery that was in operation until 1945. After the war, the somber village was seemingly done with beer production, but good times were lying in wait and, a half-century later, Daniel Thiriez settled here and re-opened the brewery with beer on his mind. Meet Daniel and taste his beer, deciding for yourself whether the brewery's history adds a little je ne sais quoi to its complex character.
Please note: Wear comfortable walking shoes.