What in Calais is worth visiting?

[BelleSerene]

Sailing may be more about the journey than the destination... but if the destination for a short weekend is Calais, does anyone know what's worth visiting? The usual tourist websites don't look hugely inspiring.

We're a family of four. Restaurants, outdoor activities, cultural experiences and anything out of the ordinary are usually our 'thing'.

Thank you for a any local knowledge!

 

[pissativlypossed]

The ferry port home.

 

[chinita]

I had an unscheduled stop there waiting for Eurotunnel booking last year.

Very pleasantly surprised. Found a lovely restaurant, saw several nice bars, walked in a park with the dog.

I would be happy to go back and explore.

 

[Gwylan]

If you go into the Port de Plaisance [oxymoron] make sure you are moored on the same side as the office and facilities, not the 'town' side.

Was very poor [no] security on the town side.

Also check the hours of the bridge opening if you have a tide window to neogtiate. Or leave when you can and use one of the waiting buoys on the seaward side.

On balance Boulogne is altogether nicer, in my opinion.

 

[jerrytug]

Dunkerque has a maritime museum with ship tours of a square rigger and a lightship, and an excellent Operation Dynamo museum, interesting old docks, and is a beach resort, I have a feeling they do sand yachting on the beach as well.
It's a piece of cake to get in as well, Calais can be choppy as hell and has a naughty sandbank on the way in.
So I would recommend D over C to be honest.
Or Boulogne, definitely has sand yachting, nicer and more to see than C, museum, cathedral etc.
Not that Calais is a bad place, but next door, either way along the coast, offers more for a wknd.

 

[bendyone]

There's more to Calais than the ferry port, but you need a little local knowledge. Lace manufacturing museum for starters, old forts and plenty of restaurants but go to ones off the beaten track. If the weather is good the beach is nice but wander along away from the main area. The town square has/ is being done up over winter and in general much neater than it has been in the past.
The marina is good and the lock gates are due to be put back into action in April which will keep the water level up.
Bastille day is good.
The only way to know is to come and have a look.

 

[bendyone]

The ferry port home.

Bit like Plymouth then.

 

[NickRobinson]

http://www.leblockhaus.com/en/ and http://www.france-voyage.com/tourisme/ascenseur-bateaux-fontinettes-640.htm

If you have transport, about 15km? The bunker was a V2 factory and you can move (electrically) the 400 tonne door.

Fontinette IIRC, was the next one after Anderton. Rather larger-

Nick

 

[AndrewB]

Two definitely worth seeing, within easy walking of the marina:

- The Town Hall, with the clock tower to climb, the statue of Rodin's burghers outside, and often an exhibition either inside or out that may amuse the kids.
- The lace museum at the Cité Internationale de la Dentelle.

Also, but less interesting,
- Musee de Beaux Arts, minor works by Rodin, Picasso and others.
- Notre Dame church, where De Gaulle was married.
- War Museum in the park by the railway station.

Walks: my favourite is to take the bus (no. 5, from the railway station) to Cap Blanc Nez and walk back along the beach (7 miles). You can also walk round the forts in Calais (Risban, Citadel, Nieully), I think they are all now open access since recent restorations.

Further afield there is the world-class aquarium "Nausicaa" at Boulogne (regular train service from Calais, about 10€ day return). Also various sights at St Omer, specially La Coupole (launch site for German flying bombs in WWII), the cathedral, and the canal lift "Ascenseur des Fontinettes", but getting there really means hiring a car.

For the truly desperate, there's always shopping at Cité Europe.

 

[GHA]

The coq D'or restaurant in the main square is excellent.

 

[Sybarite]

Sailing may be more about the journey than the destination... but if the destination for a short weekend is Calais, does anyone know what's worth visiting? The usual tourist websites don't look hugely inspiring.

We're a family of four. Restaurants, outdoor activities, cultural experiences and anything out of the ordinary are usually our 'thing'.

Thank you for a any local knowledge!

If you hire a car to see Boulogne (and its Aquarium) about 20 miles further on you have Le Touquet which is worth visiting. It has one of the oldest golf courses in France, some real gastronomic restaurants, priced accordingly, and also a nearby fun park :"Bagatelle".

 

[westhinder]

There is a new museum of modern art in Dunkerque, which I haven't visited yet, but which reportedly is very good.

 

[[2574]]

Bit like Plymouth then.

I disagree with that. Having kept the boat there for five years there is merit in Plymouth if you know where to go. I like the place, it's setting and the immediate hinterland are wonderful. It's an excellent place to base the boat.

Rob

 

[Tomahawk]

By way of bars, Club du Yachting next to the marina... very friendly though he keeps odd hours
The Soul Menuire just opposite the marina is very good. They apparently keep an Armanac for your birthday year. Warning, some are eye wateringly expensive.
There is a Pizza a Feu d Bois, (pizza cooked in a wood burning oven) in the Place .

Calais may be a bit down but it has a special place in our hearts.

 

[bendyone]

I disagree with that. Having kept the boat there for five years there is merit in Plymouth if you know where to go. I like the place, it's setting and the immediate hinterland are wonderful. It's an excellent place to base the boat.

Rob

Bit like Calais then.

 

[BelleSerene]

Nous ici à Calais. Merci l'escargot, Tomahawk, AndrewB et à tous.

 

[david_bagshaw]

Great beaches

Bleriot Plage near by (first channel flight etc)

cycling or long walk, or bus do the coast roads to Bolougne, great views.

 

[Daydream believer]

Calais always sound like hassle to get in & out so I have never ventured there. I usually go to Boulogne which is not bad.
I always remember Calais from the old days of the Royal Daffodil from Southend pier
In those days it was a toss up which was the worse - Calais or Boulogne

 

[pissativlypossed]

Bit like Plymouth then.

Not really, you don't tend to go home from Plymouth!

 

[pissativlypossed]

I disagree with that. Having kept the boat there for five years there is merit in Plymouth if you know where to go. I like the place, it's setting and the immediate hinterland are wonderful. It's an excellent place to base the boat.

Rob

+1