St. Omer is in northern France, in the Nord Pas-de-Calais, not that far from the Dutch border. It's a peaceful place with a refined feel, and the north part of the town features yellow, Flemish style houses. Car hire from St. Omer will suit independent travellers, but you can also explore parts of the area by boat. As the town is surrounded by marshes – people in St. Omer are used to getting their post by boat. Hiring a car from St. Omer is vital if you want to see other sites, from 17th century buildings, to brilliant shopping areas – and even a crystal factory.
The Nord Pas-de-Calais is an interesting region because of its influence from the Netherlands. Car hire from St. Omer is the fastest route to Bergues, a city known as ‘little Bruges of the north'. It featured in the film Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, which has driven up tourism. This grand city is a mix of winding streets and big, open squares. Fans of smaller towns should rent a car from St. Omer and head to Cassel – just half an hour away. The town looks over both Belgium and the Netherlands, and has a gorgeous cobbled central square, as well as a still functioning authentic windmill.
