Boulogne-sur-Mer is a sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais, on the Côte d'Opale, and the leading fishing port of France. The town reads on two levels: the Ville Haute, ringed by ramparts on the heights, around the Notre-Dame basilica, the counts' castle and the belfry; and the Ville Basse, below, which spreads around the harbour, the river Liane and the shopping streets.
The history of the town is that of a great port, of fishing and of maritime trade. The seafront, the beach and the marina shape the north-west, around Gambetta, while Nausicaá, the national sea centre, anchors the tourist appeal of the Côte d'Opale. Marked by the destruction of the Second World War, notably at Saint-Pierre, a former fishermen's district since rebuilt, Boulogne keeps a dense heritage in its Ville Haute.
The geography of prices follows that structure. The seafront and the beach, around Gambetta, command the highest values, ahead of the old town and the centre. The residential areas of the south and the east, such as Bréquerecque and Beaurepaire, make up the mid-range, while Liane-Daunou and Saint-Pierre remain the most affordable.
