Calais

France

Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a city in the Hauts-de-France region of France.

Calais pier. It is the closest point on the European mainland to England; Dover lies across the English Channel (La Manche) just 32 km (20 miles) away. The town has a major cross-Channel ferry port, and the French entrance to the Channel Tunnel is nearby. Calais is popular with British day-trippers arriving by ferry or on Channel Tunnel shuttle trains one reason being because France has lower taxes on alcohol and tobacco. Large warehouse supermarkets have sprung up on the outskirts of Calais just to serve these British "booze cruisers" who return to the UK with their suspensions groaning under the weight of cheap alcohol and cigarettes. While most tourists view the town as simply a port, there is much more to Calais than just that.

Tour du Guet

  • Les Bourgeois de Calais, Place du Soldat Inconnu (outside the town hall. Rodin's sculpture
  • Parc Saint-Pierre.
  • Hôtel de Ville, Place du Soldat Inconnu. Get in, and go upstairs through the majestic staircase to the first floor and the wedding room, the ballroom, and the "parliament" room. Self visit (signs to read) or guided tour by Opale Tour. It is possible to access the belfry via a lift.
  • Light Tower. Visit and climb up to the light. Wonderful view. Little museum.
  • Cité Internationale de la dentelles et de la mode, +33 3 21 00 42 30. An old factory refurbished into a "living" museum about the story of lace, and especially the lace made in Calais on levers. You can see two machines working for real. Restaurant, bar and lace shop. Really worthwhile. Allow at least 2 hours.
  • Modern Art museum, 25 rue Richelieu. Permanent and temporary exhibitions. Sculpture, paintings.
  • War museum, Parc Saint Pierre (in front the Town Hall, located in a real bunker.
  • Theater, Place Albert Ier. Guided tours by Opale Tour.
  • Le Channel, Scène Nationale. Shows, library, restaurant, in a former slaughterhouse. Really worth a visit for the architecture..
  • Notre Dame Church. Restorations are ongoing and the church is frequently closed, but in any case, you can still see the exterior. In 2017, the church was open for visits in July and August.
  • Courgain Maritime and fish market. A former fishermen's quarter outside the walls of the city. Rebuilt after the war, but a nice place to buy fresh fish and have a drink.
  • The beach and the jetty. To have a look on the ferries plying the route between France and Britain.
  • The White Cliffs of Dover. Visible in the distance.
  • Citadelle and Fort Nieulay. Renaissance fort with guided tours.
  • La cours d'artistes, 294 grande rue du petit courghain, +33 660846363. Exhibition
  • Mondiavision, rue du Vauxhall. Photo gallery.

Les Bourgeois de Calais, Place du Soldat Inconnu (outside the town hall. Rodin's sculpture

Parc Saint-Pierre.

Hôtel de Ville, Place du Soldat Inconnu. Get in, and go upstairs through the majestic staircase to the first floor and the wedding room, the ballroom, and the "parliament" room. Self visit (signs to read) or guided tour by Opale Tour. It is possible to access the belfry via a lift.

Light Tower. Visit and climb up to the light. Wonderful view. Little museum.

Cité Internationale de la dentelles et de la mode, +33 3 21 00 42 30. An old factory refurbished into a "living" museum about the story of lace, and especially the lace made in Calais on levers. You can see two machines working for real. Restaurant, bar and lace shop. Really worthwhile. Allow at least 2 hours.

Modern Art museum, 25 rue Richelieu. Permanent and temporary exhibitions. Sculpture, paintings.

War museum, Parc Saint Pierre (in front the Town Hall, located in a real bunker.

Theater, Place Albert Ier. Guided tours by Opale Tour.

Le Channel, Scène Nationale. Shows, library, restaurant, in a former slaughterhouse. Really worth a visit for the architecture..

Notre Dame Church. Restorations are ongoing and the church is frequently closed, but in any case, you can still see the exterior. In 2017, the church was open for visits in July and August.

Courgain Maritime and fish market. A former fishermen's quarter outside the walls of the city. Rebuilt after the war, but a nice place to buy fresh fish and have a drink.

The beach and the jetty. To have a look on the ferries plying the route between France and Britain.

The White Cliffs of Dover. Visible in the distance.

Citadelle and Fort Nieulay. Renaissance fort with guided tours.

La cours d'artistes, 294 grande rue du petit courghain, +33 660846363. Exhibition

Mondiavision, rue du Vauxhall. Photo gallery.

  • Swimming pool, Piscine Ranson or ICEO complex.
  • Skating rink.
  • Char à voile. base des Hemmes de Marck
  • Sailing school, Base de voile, Blériot-Plage (coast road to Sangatte.
  • Cinemas, Alhambra. (beside Town Hall, VOSTF films !) or Gaumont Multiplex (Cité Europe)
  • Bowling Alley. Bowling de Calais, avecnue de St6exupéry or Bowling quai 121, (Cité Europe)
  • Visit the Coast up to "Cap Blanc Nez" (White Nose Cap), Unesco Classified site. If you have no car, you can take the bus (double-decker) at the theater or the station for 1 € there along the see road. Really cool.

Swimming pool, Piscine Ranson or ICEO complex.

Skating rink.

Char à voile. base des Hemmes de Marck

Sailing school, Base de voile, Blériot-Plage (coast road to Sangatte.

Cinemas, Alhambra. (beside Town Hall, VOSTF films !) or Gaumont Multiplex (Cité Europe)

Bowling Alley. Bowling de Calais, avecnue de St6exupéry or Bowling quai 121, (Cité Europe)

  • Alcohol- since France has slightly lower taxes on alcohol than the UK various establishments have set up to cater for day trippers, although often it is a little cheaper to go to a local hypermarket (and you can pick up other stuff). The main hypermarkets are Auchan and Carrefour, the latter within the Cité Europe shopping centre and can both be reached on bus 5. In the town centre, there is a smaller Carrefour located at the back of the Quatre Boulevards shopping centre (near the Opéra).
  • Cite Europe, 1001 Boulevard du Kent (Located next to the Channel Tunnel terminal. Junction 41 or 42 on the A16. Large shopping centre containing 147 shops, 20 restaurants, and a cinema.Note that the shops are closed on Sundays and none of them sells tobacco.
  • Place Crevecœur Market. on Thursdays and Saturdays.
  • Place d'Armes Market. on Saturdays.
  • Lace : three places worth a visit:

Alcohol- since France has slightly lower taxes on alcohol than the UK various establishments have set up to cater for day trippers, although often it is a little cheaper to go to a local hypermarket (and you can pick up other stuff). The main hypermarkets are Auchan and Carrefour, the latter within the Cité Europe shopping centre and can both be reached on bus 5. In the town centre, there is a smaller Carrefour located at the back of the Quatre Boulevards shopping centre (near the Opéra).

Cite Europe, 1001 Boulevard du Kent (Located next to the Channel Tunnel terminal. Junction 41 or 42 on the A16. Large shopping centre containing 147 shops, 20 restaurants, and a cinema.Note that the shops are closed on Sundays and none of them sells tobacco.

Place Crevecœur Market. on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Place d'Armes Market. on Saturdays.

Lace : three places worth a visit:

  • Lace Museum shop.
  • Boutique Noyon, 85 rue de Vic, +33 3 21 46 78 04. factory-turned-designer shop.
  • Les dessous de Calais, Boulevard Lafayette, +33 3 21 97 59 16. outlet design shop for lingery and clothes with great discounts!

Lace : three places worth a visit:

  • Lace Museum shop.
  • Boutique Noyon, 85 rue de Vic, +33 3 21 46 78 04. factory-turned-designer shop.
  • Les dessous de Calais, Boulevard Lafayette, +33 3 21 97 59 16. outlet design shop for lingery and clothes with great discounts!

Lace : three places worth a visit:

  • Lace Museum shop.
  • Boutique Noyon, 85 rue de Vic, +33 3 21 46 78 04. factory-turned-designer shop.
  • Les dessous de Calais, Boulevard Lafayette, +33 3 21 97 59 16. outlet design shop for lingery and clothes with great discounts!

  • Au Cadre Vert, 3 Rue André Gerschell, +33 321 34 69 44. For people who are really hungry, best quantity/quality value. Worth a visit for Christiane
  • La Guinguette, 17 rue Félix Cadras, +33 321 36 96 95. Home Food, family atmosphere, best quantity/quality value. Open 7/7.
  • L'Ambrosia, 14 Rue de la Mer, +33 321 36 09 89. Wok specialist but not Asiatic with good value and price.
  • L'Hovercraft, 11 Place du Maréchal Foch, +33 321 34 59 73. Bar and brasserie - The largest choice of "welsh" dishes (speciality from Calais/Boulogne) - Open late - Big terrace.
  • Chocolat'Thé, 53 rue Royale, +33 321 34 34 85. great home made food and excellent place for a Tea/coffee break in the afternoon
  • Friterie des Nations, Digue Gaston Berthe. Some chips in front of the sea
  • Friterie Wilson, Avenue Wilson, Parc Saint-Pierre (near Town Hall and railways Station. may be the best chips in town
  • New Way, 3 rue Babinet (Place Crevecoeur, +33 321 85 02 13. resh Sandwiches, Soups, Pastas and salads you can create by your own
  • Café de la Tour, 5 Place d'Armes, +33 3 21 34 50 14. Great omelettes

Au Cadre Vert, 3 Rue André Gerschell, +33 321 34 69 44. For people who are really hungry, best quantity/quality value. Worth a visit for Christiane

La Guinguette, 17 rue Félix Cadras, +33 321 36 96 95. Home Food, family atmosphere, best quantity/quality value. Open 7/7.

L'Ambrosia, 14 Rue de la Mer, +33 321 36 09 89. Wok specialist but not Asiatic with good value and price.

L'Hovercraft, 11 Place du Maréchal Foch, +33 321 34 59 73. Bar and brasserie - The largest choice of "welsh" dishes (speciality from Calais/Boulogne) - Open late - Big terrace.

Chocolat'Thé, 53 rue Royale, +33 321 34 34 85. great home made food and excellent place for a Tea/coffee break in the afternoon

Friterie des Nations, Digue Gaston Berthe. Some chips in front of the sea

Friterie Wilson, Avenue Wilson, Parc Saint-Pierre (near Town Hall and railways Station. may be the best chips in town

New Way, 3 rue Babinet (Place Crevecoeur, +33 321 85 02 13. resh Sandwiches, Soups, Pastas and salads you can create by your own

Café de la Tour, 5 Place d'Armes, +33 3 21 34 50 14. Great omelettes

  • La Mauvaise Herbe, Rue Royale.
  • L'Arsenic, Rue Royale.
  • Le bar du Yacht Club, Bassin Ouest. nice 1980s music... particular atmosphere
  • Le n'importe koi, Rue de la mer. concert every Sunday afternoon. You can borrow free games to play inside.
  • La Suite, Rue Jean Quéhen. night bar : to carry on after Baba ou Mauvaise herbe
  • Discothèque 555, 63 rue Royale. old but famous disco ...
  • La Nauvia, 16 Rue Jean Quéhen. disco
  • Le Temple, Sortie Calais ST Pierre. best disco
  • Le Casino de Calais, 59 rue Royale. slot machines, blackjack
  • Le Channel Scène Nationale, 173 Boulevard Gambetta, +33 321 467710. Former slaughter house, refurbished in a huge cultural centre with various rooms, café, resto, bookstore. This is a really great place.

La Mauvaise Herbe, Rue Royale.

L'Arsenic, Rue Royale.

Le bar du Yacht Club, Bassin Ouest. nice 1980s music... particular atmosphere

Le n'importe koi, Rue de la mer. concert every Sunday afternoon. You can borrow free games to play inside.

La Suite, Rue Jean Quéhen. night bar : to carry on after Baba ou Mauvaise herbe

Discothèque 555, 63 rue Royale. old but famous disco ...

La Nauvia, 16 Rue Jean Quéhen. disco

Le Temple, Sortie Calais ST Pierre. best disco

Le Casino de Calais, 59 rue Royale. slot machines, blackjack

Le Channel Scène Nationale, 173 Boulevard Gambetta, +33 321 467710. Former slaughter house, refurbished in a huge cultural centre with various rooms, café, resto, bookstore. This is a really great place.

  • Greece Greece, 12, Boulevard des Alliés, BP 450, +33 321-972700.

Greece Greece, 12, Boulevard des Alliés, BP 450, +33 321-972700.

To hitch-hike to Belgium or the Netherlands, if you leave the terminal, you must walk 500 m through a large car park, after which you will see roundabout and an on-ramp to the motorway. That is the place to hitch a ride: there is enough space even for a big lorry.

For a more 'traditional' experience of France, Saint-Omer is a mere 26 miles (43 kilometres) down the road from Calais. The Saturday morning market on the main square, the Place Foch, can be enjoyable. There are also good affordable restaurants and friendly bars, as well as interesting architecture.

Other options:

  • Ardres — for the old city and its lakes
  • Guines — with its marshes, forest and old tower
  • Wissant — with the Le site des 2 Caps on the seaside
  • Oye Plage — with the natural reserve of Le Platier d'Oye

[[Wissant]] — with the Le site des 2 Caps on the seaside

[[Oye Plage]] — with the natural reserve of Le Platier d'Oye