The city of Berck-sur-Mer (kite World Championship)
Berck-sur-Mer, more commonly called Berck, is a famous city in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is located near the famous city of Le Touquet.
Situated just to the north of the estuary of the river Authie, Berck has a huge expanse of sandy beach and impressive grassy-topped dunes facing north onto the English Channel. Berck comprises two parts – to the east, the old fishing town, Berck-Ville and to the west, the seaside area, Berck-sur-Mer. Berck lies at the centre of the Marquenterre regional park.
A former fishing harbour, Berck took on a therapeutic role in the treatment of tuberculosis during the Second Empire. The Maritime hospital was inaugurated in 1869 by Empress Eugenie. Other hospitals and benevolent institutes were soon created to cater for the sick and those in need of rest and recuperation. Today, although the hospital sector remains economically important, the city has turned towards tourism. A seaside bathing station, with an immense beach of fine sand on the Opal Coast, Berck is a paradise for lovers of land yachting and surfboarding.
Each year, the city organizes a kite World Championship in April, which is always a delight for the eyes! The 24th edition (10-18 April 2010) was won by a British six man team called ‘The Scratch Bunnies’.
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