Plenty of people arrive in France by way of the port of Calais, but then can’t wait to travel further inland. They are missing a fascinating and historic town with plenty to see and do. It’s a great place for a weekend trip, and because it’s so close you can have plenty of time to enjoy it. Here are some ideas:
Climb the Lighthouse
Calais Lighthouse has 271 spiral stairs on the way to the top, but once you get there you will find a great view, around the town and out to sea.
Visit the Town Hall
You can see the tower of Calais Town Hall from the Dover cliffs, and with binoculars even tell the time from the clock, but by getting close up you are able to appreciate the scale and magnificence of this building.
See the Burghers
The famous statue in front of the Town Hall was sculpted by Rodin. It depicts the six Calais men who offered themselves to be hanged by the English in 1347, in order to spare the rest of the town, which was beseiged. In the end, everybody was spared, thanks to an appeal by the English Queen Philippa.
Lunch at the Beach
Calais has a wonderful sandy beach with plenty of cafes and ice cream shops along the promenade, which is a good place to eat your lunch whilst watching the ships come and go. Just behind the beach is the network of canals and walls which was built to protect the town against attack from the sea.
Shopping Malls in Calais
If you’ve arrived in Calais via Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, you will have passed the Cite de l’Europe, a huge indoor shopping mall with lots of famous names. You could easily spend a whole day exploring its 147 stores, and for some real bargains there’s a factory outlet mall along the road.
Calais Lace
Lace has been made in Calais for two hundred years. There’s a fascinating lace museum on the Quai du Commerce with some fabulous lace clothes on show, and you can spend a little or a lot on a lace souvenir.
Fish Food
For a special meal cooked the French way, try one of the many Calais restaurants which specialise in seafood; a good example is La Brasserie de la Mer on the Rue de la Mer, which serves wonderfully fresh fish in a friendly but intimate atmosphere. It’s open all day, every day.
Wine and Cheese to Go
You can’t leave France without a few samples of its famous products. There are plenty of places to buy wine and cheese, including some giant hypermarkets, but one advantage of La Maison du Fromage et des Vins, in Rue Andre Gerschell, is that they will let you try before you buy, and it’s open on Sunday mornings too.
