Wine Temple Wine Calais

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- Christmas

- Dates to remember

- Easter

- Holidays

- Making the most of your day - our advice

- Suggested Gifts

- Sunday Shopping

- Where to save money

- Whose Open?

- Xmas Markets

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Related site pages

What you can buy

TOBACCO - 3,200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 Kg smoking tobacco.

ALCOHOL - 110 lts beer, 90 lts wine, 10 lts spirits, 20 lts fortified wine.

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Half term and Bank Holiday shopping tips for day trippers & visitors to Calais, France - day-tripper.net, the web magazine for channel shoppers.

Holiday Shopping in France

Popping across the channel to stock up on items not normally available in the U.K., or just plain cheaper than at home, is a popular activity for most of us near enough to the channel ports to pop across on a day-trip. Even where items are not cheaper, the range and quality is certainly better. If you can, travel during the week - Saturday are very busy.

We get a lot of e-mails on many different aspects of shopping in France and Belgium during half terms, school holidays, Bank Holiday weekends and of course before Christmas. This page will try and keep up to date with opening times and advice for channel shoppers.

In general shops tend to open on all but the most important Public holidays. It seems that Auchan / Sainsbury's take it in turns with Carrefour Cite Europe / Tesco when deciding whether to open or not. Either way, there tends to be somewhere to shop.

The next sales in France in NORD (59), Pas de Calais (62) and Aube (10 - Troyes) will start early January 2009 and run for about 6 weeks. In Belgium they will take place in January 2009.

CREDIT CARDS - we suggest you ring your credit card company before shopping in France - increased fraud means they are turning down shoppers cards if their spending deviates from the norm. Take your mobile - you can often sort the problem out over the phone.

Xmas shopping (Sunday openings) - About Public Holidays in France

   

 


Book a ferry to France

OFFER 1 - 20% off daytrips to Boulogne with Speedferries. 50 minute crossing. From £20 return (Offer available on this site only)

OFFER 2 - Cheapest ferry fares to Calais with P O Ferry. Cheap daytrips starting at £20 only (No fuel surcharge, subject to availability)

OFFER 3 - DFDS Seaways Ferries - travel outside of the peak summer period of July and August on our Newcastle-Amsterdam (IJmuiden) cruise ferry route and you could save over 10%.

Direct Booking links

Transmanche Ferries DieppeLD Lines Ferry Le HavreTranseuropa Ferries
Norfolkline Dover to DunkirkSpeedFerries BoulogneDFDS Ferries Newcastle
click hereclick here
eurostar trainEurotunnel to Calaisraileurope

Book a Hotel in France, Belgium and Europe

Useful outside links

www.sabradou.com - excellent site full of events and braderie held in Nord Pas de Calais.

www.viafrance.com

www.lechineur.fr - Useful site for events in French Towns.

www.normandy-tourism.org - Events listings

www.portsmouth-port.co.uk - Excellent events listings.

www.education.gouv.fr - French Education Ministry

www.peep.asso.fr

www.fcpe.asso.fr

www.dfes.gov.uk - U.K. term dates

Seasonal (holiday time) shopping in France and Belgium

We know from our logs that people refer to this site before going on a shopping trip - the number of people visiting day-tripper.net increases quite dramatically before half terms for example, and the number of pages looked at by each visitor increases.

Xmas Shopping (Sunday openings)

Shop

Cite Europe

Cite EuropeCentre AuchanMi-voix
CarrefourTescoAuchanSainsburyCarrefour

Key; Fr - Public Holiday or Religious day (some shops may be closed) in France. Otherwise U.K.so may be busy on ferries and Eurotunnel. There are 10 Public Holidays in France.

1st January - New Year's Day - Tuesday

Fr (1) - Jour de l'an

ClosedClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed
March 21st - Good Friday

Easter openings

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpen-
March 24th - Easter Monday

Fr (2) - Lundi de Pâques

OpenOpenOpenClosedOpen-
1st May - May Day - Thursday

Fr (3) - Fête du premier mai

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Ascention - Thursday

Fr (5) - l'Ascencion

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
8th May - WWII Victory Day - Thursday

Fr (4) - Fête de la Victoire 1945

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
11th May - Whit Sunday

FR - la Pentecôte

ClosedClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed
May 12th - Whit Monday

Fr - Lundi de Pentecôte

Likely to restored in 2009

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
26th May - Spring Bank Holiday Monday (U.K.)OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
July 11th - Friday

(Belgium - Flemmish Community Holiday)

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
14th July - Bastille Day - Monday

Fr (6) - Fête national

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpen-
July 21st - Monday

(Belgium - National day)

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
15th August - Assumption - Friday

Fr (7) - Assomption

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpen-
25th August - Summer Bank Holiday Monday (U.K.)OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
September 27th - Saturday

(Belgium - French Community Holiday)

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen
1st November - All Saints Day Saturday

Fr (8) - La Toussain

Open-----
11th November - Armistice Day Tuesday

Fr (9) - Jour d'armistice

Open-----

November 15th

(Belgium - King's Birthday. www.monarchie.be

OpenOpenOpenOpenOpenOpen

25th December - Xmas Day Thursday

Fr (10) - Noël

Xmas Shopping

ClosedClosedClosedClosedClosedClosed
26th December - Boxing Day Friday

Fr - Alsace and Lorraine only

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January 1st 2009 - Thursday

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At Cite Europe, Carrefour Hypermarket and Tesco are open on Sundays from the 25th November 2007. (2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd December). The shops in Cite Europe open from the 2nd December as well.

Other shops

McArthur Glen Factory Shopping Centres - open on Easter Bank Holiday: Monday 9th of April from 10 a.m to 7 p.m

Public Holidays and Dates to remember - all the dates

Public Holidays see many shops closed. However as in Britain, many shops are now opening.

Half Terms - always busy - if you can go another time we suggest you do.

Remember that French time is one hour ahead of British time. Summer time starts on the last Sunday in March at 2.00am, and ends on the last Sunday in October at 3.00am. More

Valentines Day - 14th February.

Mother's Day - Sunday 6th March - never forget Mummy.

Halloween - 31st October.

January - it is traditional in France for shops to close for the winter break. Even shop keepers need to get away!

September - after the busy summer holiday period many shops, hotels and restaurants close in September.

We strongly advice you to telephone and check if your favoured shop, hotel or restaurant is open if travelling or shopping in January or September (in areas where people traditionally holiday). August will be a bad month in areas such as Calais, as smaller shops will take their holidays then.

Christian holidays (Dates change each year) - French School Holidays

Ski Season (dates to watch) - 2008 (France and the U.K.)

Other shopping times

Monday to Friday - shops are open all day. Many shops close on Monday morning.

Saturday - shops close at 1.00pm. Cite Europe is open until 8.00pm.

Sunday - Quiet - check before going that the shop you wish to visit is open.

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Christmas Shopping.

All shops are closed on Christmas Day & New Years Day. Most of the shops are open on Sunday in the run up to Xmas. Here are the times for the main shops frequented by U.K. shoppers, which we have phoned around for ourselves (they differ from the advice others are giving).

From November we update a page devoted to Xmas shopping. More

Christmas Markets

On the first weekend of December, a traditional Christmas market takes place in the main shopping streets of Calais. They are; Bd. Lafayette, Bd. Jacquard and in the Town centre by the Theatre. Usually more than 100 exhibitors display their crafts as well as local products.

During the rest of the month there is a Christmas Market by the Theatre. More

Don't overload!

A case of beer weights 17kg, a case (12) of wine weighs 15kg, and a case of champagne 22 kg. In France on the spot fines of £100 are levied for overloaded vehicles, in England the penalty is £40 plus 3 penalty points. In addition the Police will issue a PG9 notice which prohibits you from moving the vehicle until the excess weight is removed. You also must have a new MOT done before the PG9 is lifted.

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Making the most of your day

Go early.

Pay by credit card - Although all the shops and supermarkets are keen to get you to pay with sterling the rates are rarely to your advantage.

Fill up with petrol in the afternoon - you will save about 15% on U.K. prices.

Check our prices page before you go - print the page or make a note of the things you want which are cheaper.

Prepare your shopping list - if you know what you want to buy (nuts etc.) make a note of the U.K. price before you go.

Boulogne (Auchan) and Dunkirk (Auchan) are good places to go to avoid the crowds - just 25 minutes up and down the A16 autoroute (free).

Don't buy boxes of chocolates in the U.K. You get better quality and value in France. Even better go to Belgium (Adinkerke) and stock up on good value cheap chocolates. If you are buying tobacco in Adinkerke, Belgium we suggest you try Confiserie Dalipan in De Panne itself or D & O Alexander Chocolates for chocolate treats.

Champagne is very good value in France. For non-brand bubbly (if you are having lots of visitors go to the hypermarkets. For better quality stuff go to Le Chais, Bottles or Perardel.

Markets are often good places to find unusual gifts.

Suggested gifts

Perfumes and skin care products (prices) are very good value. Giving tobacco as a present will save you even more (prices). Remember however that they must be part of your purchases.

What to Buy - where to save money

Best Value items

Alcohol - buy it in France - the duty is so much less so most alcohol is cheaper. Beer prices / Sprit prices / Champagne etc. - best value is champagne. SAVE up to 75%

Household- soap powder softeners, baby wipes, CD's, cat litter, DIY products, toothpaste, shampoo, cordless kettles, kitchenware, mens and womens shaving products, aluminium foil, car stereo's, camcorder film, coffins, printing paper. Prices. SAVE up to 50%

Children - push chairs, car seats, travel cots, bike seats, baby clothes, toys, mountain bikes. Prices

We hear that "Doliprane paracetamol Suppositoires" are much cheaper in France. SAVE up to 30%

Clothes - Levi 501's, branded shoes, clothes. Scuba gear (Go Sport, cite Europe). SAVE up to 30%

Food - Anchovies, baby food, biscuits, cheese, chicory (Endives - 85% less in France), chocolate, Coca Cola, cous cous, dry dog food, dry packet soups, fromage frais, ground coffee, jams, mashed potato, mayonnaise, mineral water, mustard, olive oil, orange juice, nesquick, nutella spread, pasta, pasta sauces, rice, salad dressings, tinned sweetcorn, salt, smoked salmon, UHT milk, yoghurt. Prices

The town of Licques is famous for its turkey's - SAVE up to 60%. www.licques-volailles.fr

Perfumes & Cosmetics - Biggest savings on Skin Care particularly CLARINS. Ferry good value for perfumes. SAVE up to 30%

Eyewear. SAVE up to 20%

Tobacco - price survey results - one of the best buys in France and Belgium. Pouch tobacco very much cheaper in Belgium as are cigarette papers. Save £1,000 in France, £1,220 in Belgium and stay within the limits!. SAVE up to 50%

Diesel - price survey results - worthwhile savings, if you visit France regularly worth buying a diesel car. SAVE up to 16%

Petrol - price survey results - no savings to be had due to tax rises in France.