-
Britons are the largest foreign community of second-home owners in Nouvelle Aquitaine
See which other departments in the region are popular with British nationals
-
Travellers risk extra costs under new Eurotunnel ticket rule
Some fare options are less flexible and less forgiving of lateness
-
May will be difficult month for train travel in France, warns minister
Two major train unions are threatening to strike and are ‘not willing to negotiate’, he says
Dunkirk carnival ‘seagull cry’ contest has new winner
This year’s Dunkirk carnival has crowned a new winner of its annual “seagull’s cry” contest (“ cri de la mouette ”), as the unusual festivities continue throughout the month.

The distinctive and “crazy” competition asks local festival attendees to take part by imitating the sound of a sharp seagull’s cry into a microphone, in front of gathered crowds. A small team of judges notes comments and marks on clipboards before judging the overall winner.
Participants usually dress up in eccentric festival costumes, and embrace the raucous atmosphere of the carnival. The winner is rewarded with a real glass trophy, plus bragging rights and the knowledge that their seagull cry is the most realistic in the room.
Anyone - men, women, old, young - is allowed to enter. Participants say - somewhat tongue-in-cheek - that taking part requires practice and training, especially “at home to disturb the neighbours”.
This year, the winner was a Lille (Nord, Hauts-de-France) woman named Justine.
She said: “It is the result of relentless work, of weekends spent at the seaside [imitating the seagulls]...and I advise everyone to take part. There is a crazy atmosphere here!”
The competition is not the only one in France to ask participants to imitate the cry of an animal; one contest in the commune of Trie-sur-Baïse (Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie) judges competitors on none other than their best pig oink.
The Dunkirk carnival will continue until March 23, and includes a wide variety of events, parades, displays and shows throughout the city.
Apart from the seagull’s cry contest, another major event at the carnival is the “release of the herrings”, which draws huge crowds in front of the city’s Hôtel de Ville.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France
Le jet du hareng pour des milliers de carnavaleux au pied de l’hôtel de ville de Dunkerque, il y a des images dont on se lasse pas et qui font du bien 😉#carnavaldedunkerque @F3nord @Dunkerque
— Douchet Jean-Luc (@JLucDouchet) March 3, 2019
Rdvs sur France 3 Nord Pas-de-Calais ce soir 19h ! 👍 pic.twitter.com/nU4rOInhqh