Subprefecture and commune in Hauts-de-France, France
Photo: Welleschik, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque, Dutch: Duinkerke) is a town in the region of Hauts-de-France in France. The town is a historic resort, 10 km from the border with Belgium. If you're coming from the UK, it's a great place to start your journey further into the Continent, but also a great holiday destination on its own, featuring historic beaches, shopping locations, and many places to eat local food, which is an interesting fusion of traditional Flemish cooking and seafood. It is famous as the site of the Dunkirk Evacuation during World War II, when, over eight days, a fleet of British, Canadian and French Navy and a huge assortment of civilian vessels — 900 boats in all — evacuated 338,000 British and French soldiers who had been encircled on land by German armies.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Musée Portuaire
The Port Museum is housed in a former 19th-century tobacco warehouse. The museum provides insights into the nautical world of a large port from historical and contemporary perspectives.
.
Musée Dunkerque 1940 – Opération Dynamo
LAAC, Lieu D'art et Action Contemporaine
This museum is at the heart of a sculpture garden. It presents an exhibition of art from 1950s to today.
Musée des Beaux-Arts
This museum closed in 2015. It is hoped that the collection can have a home in the future.
Build your own sandwich
French cuisine
French
By train
SNCF high-speed trains (TGV) serve Dunkirk from Lille (Europe), Lens, Arras and Paris (Nord). Local trains operated by TER Hauts-de-France come in from nearby towns such as Calais (Ville).
By road
Dunkirk is served by two motorways.
By plane
The closest airport receiving scheduled flights is Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST), which primarily caters for locals travelling to resorts in southern Europe.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Oostende · International · OST
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Dunkirk and France.
Understand travel insurance for a Schengen visa in 2026. Learn mandatory €30,000 medical coverage, zero deductible rules, and embassy-approved policies.
7 min read
Estimate your Europe trip cost for 2 weeks in 2026. Compare realistic budgets for lodging, Eurail trains, dining, and sightseeing across three styles.
8 min read
Spot and avoid common tourist scams in Paris, including Montmartre string bracelets, petition clipboards, fake airport taxis, and metro fare traps.
9 min read
Plan the best day trips from Paris by train. Discover travel times, stations, fares, and tips for Versailles, Giverny, Reims, and Mont-Saint-Michel.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.