France – Calais (En)

Caláis is the first passenger port in France. It’s known for being located on the coast of the Pas of Calais, or what is the same, the narrowest point of the English Channel. Therefore, it is the closest French city to England, precisely about 34 kilometres away, thus, on the clearest days, it is possible to see the rocks of the Dover cliffs without difficulty. Its rich historical and cultural heritage makes this city on the Opal Coast an unmissable visit. It was also a fighting zone during World War II. A history told through objects and photos in the Museum of Memory.

We stayed at Camping Le Grand Gravlot (50.959427, 1.832509 lat, long) which is near the promenade and the beach. Now in high season, it is a little expensive, 27 euros per day all included, but it is really good with big grass plots, good facilities to shower and wash dishes, and a game room with a ping pong table and a table football. There is a door to go to the promenade and at the camping entrance there is a free bus to take you to the city centre. If you do not want to pay for the camping, you can stay outside in paid parking.

The first thing we did was go to the promenade, where we saw a dragon carrying people along the esplanade that borders the beach, The dragon poured water bathing everyone in the surroundings, pretty impressive! This long beach stretches to the spectacular Cape of the White Nose.

We took the free bus and went to see the city. In Calais, there are many things to see. For example, the Town Hall of Calais is a spectacular building built in the 20th century in a Flemish style from the 15th century. It draws attention for its ornamentation and for the large 75-meter tower. Inside was an exhibition of toy trains. In front of the Town Hall, you can across the famous statue of the Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin which was inaugurated in 1895 and stands out, among other things, for being the only one that was exhibited while the artist was alive.

Crossing the road from the Town Hall you will find St Pierre’s Park, opened in 1863 during the Second Empire. One hundred-year-old trees give shade to the bronze-made statue representing the Three Graces which is identical to the one in the Gardens of Versailles. On one of the grass areas since 1954 sits the Crepuscule made by the sculpture Mougin, and also inside the park you will find the War Museum.

The Old Town of this city, Calais-Nord, is located on an artificial island surrounded by canals, with a main street lined with shops and statues of Winston Churchill in various places. The Museum of Fine Arts has a large collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures from the 16th and 21st centuries.

We also highlight the Church of Notre Dame, built in the 14th century, during the English occupation, and the Watchtower, from the 13th century, an old defensive system 35 meters high, which is also the oldest monument in Calais.

We finished our visit watching the Calais Lighthouse from the 19th century which resisted the two war worlds and has 271 steps. We saw the statue of Rodin the burghers of Calais (women) and on our way back we saw the Fortress which is outside of the city.

And we left France and took the ferry to England, where we are now and which you can see in the next post.