Ale Drink to That ; Bbeenn Tthhoorrnnlleeyy Eennjjooyyss Ffiinnee Ddrriinnkkiinngg Aanndd Ddiinniinngg Tthhaatt Mmaakkeess Aa Mockery of Nord Pas de Calais' Tag As the Poor Rreellaattiioonn Ooff Ffrraannccee Peak Practice: Roger Jones,

Daily Post › January 01, 2011

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Summary

FROM the Dunkirk evacuation to booze cruises, Brits have rarely tended to linger in Nord Pas de Calais. France"s northern most region is often overlooked by holidaymakers passing through on their way to Paris or the south, but it is one well worth exploring.

Looked down upon by the rest of the country and known colloquially as les Ch"tis (the Sticks), it is an area enjoying something of a renaissance after its depiction in the nation"s most successful ever film, Bienvenue chez les Ch"ti (Welcome to the Sticks).

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Ale Drink to That ; Bbeenn Tthhoorrnnlleeyy Eennjjooyyss Ffiinnee Ddrriinnkkiinngg Aanndd Ddiinniinngg Tthhaatt Mmaakkeess Aa Mockery of Nord Pas de Calais' Tag As the Poor Rreellaattiioonn Ooff Ffrraannccee Peak Practice: Roger Jones,

Essentially, it"s the French Billy Elliot or Fully Monty, a celebration of all things northern, only with smelly cheese and strong beer instead of male strippers and ballet-dancing Geordie schoolboys.

The comedy, which has grossed $250m worldwide, follows the story of a southern post office manager who is sent up north as punishment for attempting to enhance his job prospects by pretending to be disabled.

Predictably, he comes to fall in love with his new surroundings and its inhabitants, Ch"tis - also the name given to the thick local dialect (a Gallic Scouse) ...

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