General Information about Montreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil is a town of about 2,600 inhabitants in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. Despite its name, which translates to "Montreuil-on-the-sea," it's actually located about 10km from the sea on a hill above the river Canche. In the middle ages, the Canche was easily navigable from the sea and Montreuil was an important port; nowadays, however, the river winds through marshland and is only navigable by kayaks and small fishing boats.
From the 13th to the 16th centuries, Montreuil occupied a position of strategic importance and was a heavily fortified garrison town. The medieval ramparts circling the Upper Town are one of the biggest local tourist attractions, and are well worth a visit--set aside an hour or two to make the complete circuit.
In addition to its medieval history and connection to Les Misérables, Montreuil's attractions include its picturesque streets, the Church of Saint-Saulve and the Hôtel-Dieu chapel, nature walks in the surrounding region, canoeing on the Canche, award-winning citywide flower displays, local cuisine, and the Malins Plaisirs festival in August, devoted to opera, music, and theatre.
Official Montreuil-sur-Mer tourism site (French and English)
Montreuil's Les Misérables show (French)