Day trip to France

[jamiejamiejamie]

Hi going to France on the euro tunnel for a day's trip tomorrow. Looking to shop and wander around a pretty town within 1.5 hours of Calais. Planning to do a big hypermarket shop before travelling home at 10pm, any suggestions of where you to go?

Boulogne and Arras are nice. There's a big supermarket at Cite Europe.

Ditto Boulogne

As well as Cite Europe, I believe there's also an Auchan hypermarket near Boulogne itself, though I don't know how good it is.

Boulogne is nice.

Oo lucky you! I’m a wet lettuce and just go straight to Cité Europe to avoid parking up, missing lunch or finding a duff restaurant so unless you’d like advice as to how to access the cut through from ce to the port (via the animal quarantine since you ask) I can’t help.
But what ticket have you got? I used to go several times a year pre covid for £50 or less but last time I checked couldn’t see any good deals.

The hypermarket at cité Europe is carrefour which is up to 10% dearer than Intermarché. Auchan at St Martin de Boulogne is better. There are several restaurants in the shopping centre, including Flunch.

If you like wine from SW France go to le Chais in rue des deux ponts in Boulogne - closed for lunch and Mondays. Smoked garlic is a speciality from Nord/pas de Calais and you can find 1kg tresses - it's very good in pork dishes.

The cheese poivre d'âne is good, but an acquired taste - mixed with tarragon, in a pear shape and covered in paprika.

Have a lovely trip.

Thank you all, we had a great day, tiring but so worth it. We went to Boulogne then on to Arras had a big shop at Auchen and local boulangerie. Stocked the car with all my favourites, copious amounts of butter, cheese, French soap, pharmacy, skincare, sirop and house products.

The weather was warm 20, Arras square full of people eating and drinking the pre summer vibe.

Had a great time my French shopping itch has been scratched for a short while. Arras is magical. Thanks again got your recommendations.

We paid £85 return day trip eurotunnel.

Glad you had a good day. Sounds like you packed in a lot and I'm not referring just to your shopping haul :-)
Just had a look at photos of Arras online. Must add it to my list of places to visit as I've only been on the outskirts of it before.

Through the animal quarantine you say?!! So you don’t do the big needy road and join the fast road and then do the road with all the animal tusks streetlights then?! Tell me more!!!

Needy?!! Bendy. Obviously.

@Wellwhatalovelyday from CE car park you turn left not right and drive along a service road then right into Eurotunnel terminal. Other direction- leave terminal then follow signs back to it- Eurotunnel/ Angleterre. But before you check in there’s an animal quarantine sign to your right- it takes you to the aforementioned service road.

How long did it take to get to arras ?

Thankyou!!!