Holiday short drive from Calais

[tasmaniandevilchaser]

Hi, can anyone recommend a town around 1 hr drive max from Calais for a week's holiday? We've got 2 teenagers, we don't want anywhere too hectic. A lodge type accommodation in a quiet campsite would be fine. Or a b&b. We would probably be able to persuade the teenagers to go to some nature parks, some shopping, beaches, Go ape type places. Any ideas?

Boulogne-sur-Mer? It has a beach (with water sports if that appeals), lots of historical things to see, some lovely parks and Acro'Liane - Parc éco-aventure de Boulogne-sur-Mer, which is similar to Go-Ape. It's 30 mins from Calais. We stayed here, it's near the old town and they do family rooms Bucciali, Boulogne-sur-Mer (updated prices 2025). There's also an Ibis Budget hotel in the town too.

Le Touquet is lovely with a huge beach. Lots of Beach bars, a market, good shops & restaurants.

Cabourg, Fort Mahon. Look at Belle Dune which is a Pierre et Vacances complex with activities onsite near the sandy beach, with kite surfing. Baie de Somme is a local nature reserve.

Thanks, I'll have a look at those places. I have a preconception about Boulogne being very grotty, possibly from a school trip. But that would be over 30 years ago, so it's probably changed a lot. Does anyone know about St Valery?

Bruges is about an hour and a half from Calais

Le Touquet is lovely, great for cycling (you can hire bikes), sand sailing, horse riding, long beach. St Valery and Le Crotoy are a pleasant day out (get the little train), but probably not enough to do for teenagers for a long stay. Bolougne has a lovely castle to walk around and an amazing aquarium. Lille is beautiful, lots do see and do. Calais itself is actually quite pleasant!

@Coali is Le Touquet very busy? We prefer chilled out places.

Also another one for Belle Dune. Golf, beach, water park with a fantastic wave machine. At least, there was when we went.

It’s pretty chilled off season. The beach is huge though so there is always room. There is a long walk to the sea though!!

During Covid we spent a week in a campsite in Gravelines, right on the beach but protected by the dunes. The beach is enormous. Gravelines is a walled town with canals - you can rent a boat. There was also an interesting museum where they are building a wooden warship. There were some nice places to eat. We did days out to Calais and Dunkirk - interesting museum there about the evacuation and another huge sandy beach. https://www.camping-des-dunes.com/en/ There was a shop and a snack bar but place was generally very quiet. I think we just looked for something close by for us (live in Brussels) and were desperate to escape the house, but we had a lovely week.

https://www.roompot.com/destinations/belgium/west-flanders/breeduyn-village/accommodations/?fh_location=//roompot/en_GB/region%3E{3_5486661}/park_filter=559556

Into Belgium but we also stayed here. Close to beach - easy to get up and down the coast by tram. Ostende has the Atlantic Wall Museum and some nice shops. There's also Plopsaland and various attractions https://www.belgiancoast.co.uk/ A lot of the Belgian coast is sadly built up - but the beaches are amazing. There's a big campsite at Bray Dunes as well, but haven't been there. My daughter has worked the last 5 years in the summer at a Kid's camp in Koksijde / St Idesbald and loves it.

Roompot have some fab places on the coast in NL, but I imagine that might be a bit far. The Water Village in Zeeland is lovely.

@MissAmbrosia do they speak Flemish or French in that area? Both kids are learning French at school so part of the reason for going was to practise a bit of French.

On the Belgian coast - Flemish and English. Not a good idea to speak French. Gravelines and Bray Dunes are in France though, so no issue there.