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Subprefecture and commune in Hauts-de-France, France
Photo: The original uploader was ChrisO at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a city of 73,000 people (2019) in the Hauts-de-France region of France. 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. While most tourists view the town as simply a port, there is much more to Calais.
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Rodin's sculpture
Town Hall
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.
Phare de Calais
Visit and climb up to the light. Wonderful view. Small museum.
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. Restaurant, bar and lace shop. Worthwhile. Allow at least 2 hours.
Musée des beaux-arts
Permanent and temporary exhibitions. Sculpture, paintings.
Musée Mémoire 39-45
Collection of period photographs, press clippings and everyday objects. Admire more than 60 uniforms from different armies, a variety of authentic weapons and a collection of posters and photographs depicting life in Calais during the war in a re-enforced concrete bunker.
Guided tours by Opale Tour.
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.
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.
To have a look on the ferries plying the route between France and Britain.
Visible in the distance.
Renaissance fort with guided tours.
Iceo
base des Hemmes de Marck.
VOSTF films.
Bowling de Calais
Home food, family atmosphere, good quantity/quality value.
Wok specialist but not Asiatic with good value and price.
Bar and brasserie. The largest choice of "Welsh" dishes (speciality from Calais/Boulogne). Open late. Big terrace.
Some chips in front of the sea
may be the best chips in town
Great omelettes
Nice 1980s music.
Night bar: to carry on after Baba ou Mauvaise herbe
Le 555
Old but famous disco.
Disco.
Slot machines, blackjack.
Former slaughterhouse, refurbished in a huge cultural centre with various rooms, café, resto, bookshop. A great place.
Centre Européen De Séjour
Youth hostel, but no age limit with private room. really close to the beach. Nice place
Family owned. Guide du routard recommended
The car parking is an experience, for good drivers.
Large shopping centre containing 147 shops, 20 restaurants, and a cinema. Note that the shops are closed on Sundays and none of them sell tobacco.
factory-turned-designer shop.
By car
Running from Folkestone to the western edge of Calais (Coquelles), this car shuttle service operated by Eurotunnel takes about 35 min (although only about 20 min in the tunnel) and offers the fastest…
By train
Eurostar operates high-speed trains between Calais Fréthun station and the following destinations in the United Kingdom and Belgium:
By plane
Most people travel by car around the town, but there is a comprehensive network of buses running from the town centre to the suburbs and Cité Europe.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Oostende · International · OST
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