Kites colour the sky at the 35th International Kite Meeting at Berck-sur-Mer, a little seaside resort town on the Opal Coast in Pas-de-Calais in northern  France.

The annual kite festival – reputedly the best in the world – had been on hold for the past two years, but is now back in its full splendour, drawing teams from all over the world to compete for the title of champion.

When not competing, kite teams, enthusiasts and associations will demonstrate their art of kite choreography, wowing viewers as they make their kites perform a ballet in the sky.

Besides the kite festival, Berck-sur-Mer has plenty of other things to offer, such as its 12km sandy beach, which draws sun worshippers and sand yachters – people speeding across the sand in a wheeled, wind-powered vehicle. 

There is also Baie d’Authie, a large ocean bay which is a sanctuary for fauna – such as its large seal colonies – and flora. 

People with a penchant for history and architecture will also find themselves distracted.

The more- than-a-century-old Notre-Dame-des-Sables church sports a unique construction, while the town’s Lhomel district is home to late-19th- and early-20th-century villas with a distinctive architectural style.

Those who live to eat, meanwhile, will have a field day at the markets of Berck-Ville and Berck-Plage, which tout a diversity of fresh local products such as mackerel, strawberries and beer.

The tourist season at Berck-sur-Mer starts this month and the kite festival runs until Sunday. 

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