discovering dunkirk

The French coastal town will be hot news this summer as a blockbuster war movie opens in cinemas

Nestled on the French coast of the English Channel between Calais and the Belgian border, Dunkirk combines France’s third largest port with glorious sandy beaches, a rich maritime heritage, and tempting restaurants to satisfy any taste and budget.

This summer, the town will be in the international spotlight following the launch of a new epic movie from Christopher Nolan, director of The Dark Knight trilogy.

Released on July 21, Dunkirk tells the story of the heroic evacuation in May 1940 of British and Allied troops trapped by the advancing German Army. It is, Nolan promises, a film about survival rather than war, and stars Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Mark Rylance, with a screen debut from One Direction heart-throb Harry Styles.

Planned in the war tunnels beneath Dover Castle, the Dunkirk evacuation – codenamed Operation Dynamo – hoped to rescue stranded members of the British Expeditionary Forces. The crossing was treacherous, taking anything from five to eight hours through treacherous sandbanks and under heavy bombardment, but more than 338,000 men were eventually landed in Dover, Ramsgate and Margate.

Key to the success was the flotilla of privately owned “little ships” which made the dangerous crossing beside the naval vessels and Nolan tells the story through the eyes of a soldier (Styles), a pilot (Hardy) and the commander of a little ship (Rylance).

The film crew spent over three weeks in Dunkirk, filming on the beaches and beneath the period buildings of Malo-les-Bains where the real action took place 77 years ago. Today, Malo’s fine sands are a favourite with families and sports enthusiasts, the promenade lined with cafés and restaurants.

Starting in July, visitors will be able to take Operation Dynamo tours by minibus around key sites associated with the evacuation. Or you can drive yourself, with the help of a free leaflet in English. See the British Memorial and Cemetery which honour the fallen; the wrecks of two paddlesteamers at Zuydcoote; and coastal stronghold of Fort des Dunes, captured from the French by German forces.