Unprepossessing place, eh? The cement works at Dannes is cut ino the chalk downs just south of Boulogne, and seems to have been wound down recently and will hopefully be left to rewild into a valuable habitat.
Just up the hill, though, is a ridge that is already a precious gem, managed by the local wildfife group and being extended into neighbouring farmland.
It's in view of England on a clear day, but has a good range of species that we don't get in Kent - including three that I'd never seen before:
Veronica prostrata scheereri - prostrate or rock speedwell, with a stunning shade of blue. Not very prostrate though.
And on a visit later in the year ("you must seeee this place"), field erygno dotting the pastures and causing an understandable nuisance to the farmer.
Chiltern gentian
Gentianella germanica, known in France as gentianelle d'Allemagne. It's noticalbly more robust than the autumn gentians we see here.
Let's go down the coast a bit, to the Somme - and just along the river to the lovely village of Long there's a quiet valley that is bridged by the motorway, and there you can take a beautiful walk up the hill through crowds of military and lady orchids. And of course their hybrids.
Nobody around apart from a small herd of drowsy cattle, and no sign that anyone had been there for weeks. Marvellous.
For a change of habitat, by the ponds of Condette there's plenty of nodding burr-marigold, a charming plant.
And all within sight of Dover castle:
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