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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

CALAIS - what to do?

17 replies

fairydust · 07/10/2006 11:07

what is there to do in calais,

We're staying next yr 20mins from dover so are thinking of gonig across to calais for the day but wondered what is actually there?

OP posts:
KellyKrueger1978 · 07/10/2006 11:08

sod all in calais apart from the shopping. I think it is citie d'europe or something, a bit shopping center. We went to Bolougne, about 20 minutes drive. A lovely town with town walls, church and a great beach.

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 07/10/2006 13:13

Theres a Maccy Ds LOL

Marina · 07/10/2006 13:40

Calais actually has a decent beach on the outskirts and some very good restaurants in the town, but agree the main draw is the Cite d'Europe down the road at Coquelles/Sangatte.
If you go across on the Tunnel you emerge next to the Cite d'Europe.
If you take the Speedferries seacat from Dover to Boulogne, you can bypass poor old Calais altogether and spend the day in Boulogne. If the weather is bad it has an excellent aquarium, a really good town beach, and, just off the new access road up to the motorway, a smart big Leclerc Hypermarket.

puffling · 08/10/2006 13:01

There's a small walled town not far from Calais called Montreiul sur Mer which would while away am afternoon.
I agree with marina. Boulogne is a lovely old French town with much more to see and do.

Blandmum · 08/10/2006 13:12

There is a bowling ally in Cite Europe, where the kids can bowl whil you shop?

Bolougne is very nice, with some great, real, family friendy resturants.

Marina · 08/10/2006 20:16

Chez Jules, Place Dalton, in Boulogne, is central, bustling and lovely
Montreuil is very nice too puffing!
Our top thing to do in the Boulonnais if the weather is nice is to head out of town, it only takes 20 mins max, east to either the ferme auberge La Raterie in Wierre Effroy, or to the Hostellerie Le Wast de Tourelles, both of which have gorgeous gardens with children's stuff to play on and serve wonderful food.

Marina · 08/10/2006 20:17

Did NOT know about the bowling in the Cite, MB. Ds is really very pleased to hear this .

Blandmum · 09/10/2006 17:58

Bowling is not supervised though, so you will need to have an adult with the kids unless they are old enough to leave on their own IYSWIM.

We went with friends 2 weeks ago. the fathers took the kids bowling and the mums did the shop!

There are lots of place in Cite europe to get an 'easy' lunch. We went to the Bolounge for dinner, which was very nice.

The next day we went to the beach at Cap Gris, which was excellent .....fantastic rock pools. We had a moule and frite lunch in a near by town, can't remember the name

Marina · 09/10/2006 19:38

If it was Cap Gris Nez it will have been Wimereux, or Audresselles, or maybe Ambleteuse
Ours are way too small to leave bowling unsupervised. Keen though.

moaningpaper · 09/10/2006 19:39

I thought this was about the anti-impotence drug Cialis

sigh

Blandmum · 09/10/2006 19:40

so are mine. You were right it was Wimereux, and it was great

The carrefour is doing a special on Frexinet Cava. A case of 6 works out at £20 [hic]

Alibaldi · 09/10/2006 19:42

I'm sure there's some kind of Sea Life centre in Boulogne too. Would second going there rather than Calais which I have memories of as being rather gloomy although that could have changed!

Blandmum · 09/10/2006 19:43

We were going to go there, but in the end it was a nice 'blowy' day and we went to the beach instead. Stunning geology btw

sleepthruthenite · 09/10/2006 20:20

Hi - defo recommend Cite Europe (we went last month via Euro Tunnel)!! Lots of bargains to be had (check out Toys R Us there (especially if you know anyone who is 'Dora' crazy!!), and there is a massive supermarket there called Carrefour.
Lots of nice places to eat, both snacks and meals.
Not sure what there is there for kids though, as we didn't take ours (although I did notice a couple of merry go rounds etc).
Have fun!

Furball · 09/10/2006 20:33

We did similar in August. We paid £15 return for all three of us to go Dover Calais with P & O. We got off the ferry, got on the bus to calais stepped off in town, walked straight into the nearest restaurant had a fantastic meal walked around calais for about an hour - not alot to do but go in the different shops. then caught the bus back to the ferry and went home.

A really good day out, very enjoyable!

mummyincharge · 26/10/2006 23:15

Shop Shop Shop.

We went with the kids last month and they loved it.
Disney store, trying food and obviously the ferry. Also visi Weimeron (not sure if its spelt right) near Boulogne.

well worth a day trip. we plan to go every 6 months now. 100% better than tesco.

mummyincharge · 26/10/2006 23:16

Shop Shop Shop.

We went with the kids last month and they loved it.
Disney store, trying food and obviously the ferry. Also visi Weimeron (not sure if its spelt right) near Boulogne.

well worth a day trip. we plan to go every 6 months now. 100% better than tesco.

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