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Calais day-trip - Foot Passengers

Many people go to Calais for a day-trip on foot, and therefore don't have the advantage of a car or coach to carry their wine and beer. This page is designed for you – below is a list of restaurants, shops and museums in the centre of Calais or close by a bus ride.

BUS to Town centre

Take a train from London to Calais. Trains leave from London Victoria Station and Charing Cross every 30 minutes. Journey times are approximately 2 hours.

There is a courtesy bus operated by PO Ferries to the port terminal which costs £2.00 a journey and runs about every 20 minutes. Allow 65 minutes after arrival to catch your ferry. The buses leave the port terminal for the ferry 45 minutes before sailing. Always allow extra time if travelling as a foot passenger.

The free bus service from Calais port is no more – however the local bus company are running a service from the port now, which costs 1.50 euro or £1.00 to the centre of town (for the moment pay in Sterling).

The new ramp from the terminal into the town centre for foot passengers is now open! (June 2007).

Great news, there is now a minibus taking people from the Calais to Adinkerke in Belgium – more

A lot of money is currently being spent renewing the pavements in the main pedestrian areas.

Note that not all sailings are available to foot passengers. The last bus from Dover Priory is at 8.50pm.

The new United Kingdom Border Force, whose role seems to be to keep an eye on United Kingdom citizens and tax payers within our borders, rather than protect them, is out in force. Expect police, and lots of HMRC's Officers when you LEAVE these shores keeping an eye on you, as well as on your return.

Enjoy your stay as a foreigner in other European member states where you are very unlikely to be stopped, searched, asked ridiculous and very personal questions, or sneared at.

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.

Tips

If buying tobacco try Cafe Tabac Le Mercure at 221 Bd. Lafayette (opposite Match Supermarket) or Le Brazza near the Theatre. They offer a very good exchange rate and will get your order ready before you come.

Day-trips from London by coach

(Victoria Coach Station) – With National Express and P and O Ferries. The cost in June 2009 was £34 return and includes the cost of the ferry crossing with PO Ferries. To makle the most of your day you will need to leave from Victoria Station at 7.00am which gets to Calais at 1.15pm. Leaving at 6.25pm you will be in London at 10.20pm. www.nationalexpress.com

Tel: 08705 80 80 80. More on coach companies

Day-trips from London by rail (Victoria and Charing Cross Station)

Take a train from Charing Cross or Victoria, trains leave every hour. The train stops at the Dover Priory Station where a courtesy bus which runs every 20 minutes will take you to the port terminal. Remember to catch the right courtesy bus when you arrive in Dover, which operate between 7.00am and 10.30pm and cost £2.00 each way. More on rail companies

Up until 1994 you could take the train direct to the port. You now need to use ordinary domestic trains on each side of the English Channel and make your own way by bus or taxi between town centre stations and the ferry terminals in both Dover and Calais.

Can't wait for the bus in Calais?

Here's how to walk in quickly (if you're up to a brisk 8-10 minute walk).

June 2007 – The new ramp from the terminal into town is now open. This advice is from a fellow shopper.

When leaving 'Passport Control' in Calais go out to the shuttle bus departure point (i.e. towards the Town Centre) turn a sharp right and you will see a ramp. Walk up the ramp which will bring you into a car park. Head straight ahead off the ramp and follow the pavement round and down the other side – this takes about 2 minutes walk – it's about 6 minutes on the bus while it messes about with going right to the end of the dock enclosure and coming back on itself. Then simply follow straight on from the ramp ahead, over the lifting bridge. You then have to carry on ahead crossing two roads and you come to a bar on the right – it's easily spotted, there's a roundabout opposite with a beautiful oak tree in the middle, then follow the road round to the right and ahead and you'll be in Place d'Armes. I've done it in 6 minutes before and have been sat outside the 'London Bridge' with a pint before my mates have even arrived on the bus! The return journey is exactly the same and saves having to mess about with waiting on the bus at the Railway Station for 10-15 minutes too.

Restaurants for foot passengers – all restaurants in Calais

In Town

Le Channel. Tel: 0033 321 34 42 30

La Brasérade. Tel: 0033 321 97 02 59

Le 1900. Tel: 0033 321 97 58 41

La Diligence (Hotel Meurice). Tel: 0033 321 34 57 03

Au Coq d'sOr. Tel: 0033 321 34 79 05

Le Saint Malo. Tel: 0033 321 19 30 80

Au Pied du Phare. Tel: 0033 321 97 34 34

Café de Champagne. Tel: 0033 321

Cafe de Paris. Tel: 0033 321 34 76 84

Holiday Inn Hotel. Tel: 0033 321 34 69 69

La Goulue Grill. Tel: 0033 321 96 16 52

La Houblonnière, Café – Brasserie. Tel: 0033 321 34 49 04

La Touquets. Tel: 0033 321 97 11 55

La Mer. Tel: 0033 321 96 17 72

Le Brazza. Tel: 0033 321 34 33 11

Le Détroit. Tel: 0033 321 34 43 10

Le Marmouset. Tel: 0033 321 34 67 50

Le Saint Charles. Tel: 0033 321 96 02 96

Le Milano. Tel: 0033 321 34 41 20

Le Moulin à Biére. Tel: 0033 321

Le Paquebot. Tel: 0033 321 97 00 01

Le Sabayon. Tel: 0033 321 35 27 10

Petite George. Tel: 0033 321 34 68 07

SAM American Grill. Tel: 0033 321 96 16 65

at Cité Europe

Flunch Cité Europe. Tel: 0033 321 35 50 13

Restaurant Romaine. Tel: 0033 321 36 40 36

Quick Cité Europe. Tel: 0033 321 82 88 90

– 10 Restaurants in and around Calais have come together to promote themselves and regional dishes. All provide a 25 to 30 euro menu called the "Toques d'Opale". www.toquesdopale.com

– Aquar'aile. Résidence les Ridens, 255, rue Jean Moulin. 62100. Tel: 0033 321 34 00 00. Closed Monday, Sunday evening. www.aquaraile.com

– Auberge de L'Etoile. 916 Hameau de l'Etoile. 62215 OYE PLAGE. Tel: 0033 321 35 67 71. www.auberge-deletoile.com

– Au Cote d'sArgent. 1, Digue Gaston Berthe. 62100. Sandrine et Bernard Lefebrvre. Tel: 0033 321 34 68 07. Closed Sunday evening and Monday. Closed Sunday evening, Monday and Wednesday evening from September to April. www.cotedargent.com

– Le Grande Bleu. Quai de la Colonne. 8 rue Jean-Pierre Avron. 62100. Tel: 0033 321 97 97 98. www.legrandbleu-calais.com

– L'sHistoire Ancienne. 20, rue Royale. 62100. Tel: 0033 321 34 11 20. Closed Sunday. www.histoire-ancienne.com

– La Sole Meunière. 1, Boulevarde de la Résistance. 62100. Tel: 0033 321 34 43 01. Closed Sunday evening and Monday. www.solemeuniere.com

more about restaurants in France

Supermarkets

In the centre

– Match Supermarket, Corner rue des Thermes / rue J.N. Dubout.

– Monoprix Supermarket, Bd. Jacquard. Closed down June 2007. There is a Carrefour Market Supermarket in Les 4 Boulevards Centre opposite.

Other – ALDI, Leader Price.

Hypermarkets (for bus details click on logo)

– Carrefour Hypermarket (Cité Europe). BUS 1 from Theatre (For Carrefour Mi-voix, take bus 2 (from the theatre).

– Auchan Hypermarket. BUS 1 and 3 go to Auchan.

Wine and Beer Shops

– Intercaves, 26, rue Mollien.

Le Bar a Vins, 52, place d'Armes

Le Terroir, 29, rue des Fontinettes

Auchan Centre Commercial

(Av. Roger Salengro – by No. 1 or 3 bus)

– Wine Beer World – across the road alongside Auchan and behind MacDonald's.

Other shopping centres

– Les 4 Boulevards

There is a Carrefour Market Supermarket here.

– Cite Europe Shopping Centre (No. 3 bus, or train from central station)

Wine and Beer shops in Cite Europe

– Le Chais Wine and Beer

Tobacco Shops – prices

Café "La Brazza", 149, Bd. Léon Gambetta, Calais. Tel: 0033 321 34 33 11

Cafe Tabac Le Mercure – 221 Bd. Lafayette – Tel: 0033 321 96 78 68

Le Saint Germain Café – Tabac, 51 place d'sArmes, Calais. Tel: 0033 321 97 49 90

La Persan, Bd. Léon Gambetta, Calais.

La Maison du Cadeau Civette – Tabac, 2, Bd. Jacquarde. Calais. Tel: 0033 321 34 59 79.

Museums and places to visit

(Time to walk from Place d'Armes)

Notre Dame Church (3 minutes), Municipal museum (6 mins), Town Hall / 6 Burgers Statue (8 minutes), Beach and Pier (12 minutes), War Museum and Park (8 minutes), Fort Risban (10 minutes).

Taxis in Calais (Public transport in Calais)

At Cite Europe, taxi's and buses can be taken from Porte d'Irelande.

Calais Buses

SIPAC – Calais Bus Service, 22, rue Caillette, 62102. Calais. Tel: 0033 321 00 75 75.

The fare from the port to the Train Station (Gare) is 1 euro 50. Buses are frequent.

If you are going on to Auchan Hypermarket or Cite Europe the fare is 1 euro.

Buses, Taxi's and trains in Calais

Market

Wednesday and Saturday mornings – Place d'Armes

Coach Companies who organise shopping trips to France and Belgium

By and large you get on around 11pm and get off 24 hours later, if travelling from the North.

Parking in Dover

If you want to take advantage of the cheap foot passenger ferry rates, you can park your car in the Port of Dover car parks for reasonable amounts. 6 – 12 hours costs £5.00, 12 – 24 £7.00. Tel: 01304 872 459.

– Rely on Group – private parking in Dover. Tel: 01304 201 227. www.relyongroup.co.uk

Dover site; www.dover.gov.uk/parking

Cross Channel Companies – Calais contact numbers

P and O Ferries. Tel: 0802 010 020

Eurotunnel. Tel: 0321 00 61 00

Car park shopper tickets – P and O Ferries

Drive on board, enjoy the cruise to Calais and back and stock up!