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.
Pre -order by internet from the Wine Beer Warehouse and if you spend £400 or more get a free daytrip with Seafrance or £30 cash back if you travel with Eurotunnel.
Parasite - French designed
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Information on shopping for eye wear, glasses and contact lenses, in Calais, France - day-tripper.net, the web magazine which saves you money when crossing the channel to Calais, to buy wine, beer, spirits and food, travelling by ferry or Eurotunnel.
Glasses and Contact Lenses
We understand that you can save about 20% if you buy your eye wear in France. We have found it difficult surveying the price of frames (there are so many to choose from), although there is clearly a better choice of attractive frames in French shops at lower prices than in London.
We have also been told that prescription disposable contact lenses are about half price if made up in France. Just take your prescription to a French supplier who will make them up for you. We hope to list those shops willing to help English shoppers soon.
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.
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)
Direct Booking links
| Transmanche Ferries Dieppe | LD Lines Ferry Le Havre | Transeuropa Ferries |
| Norfolkline Dover to Dunkirk | SpeedFerries Boulogne | DFDS Ferries Newcastle |
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| Eurotunnel to Calais |  |
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www.lynx-optique.fr - One of the larger chains in France. |
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Opticians in Calais (French eyewear chains) Centre Commercial (Auchan)
They suggested you choose a frame and lenses whilst in Calais, and fax your prescription to them (you may feel happier having the test done in England). They will then post them to you in England (plus 40 euro postage). They also says that sunglasses are 20% cheaper in France. If you have the test done in France and buy glasses the test is free. www.vision-originale.com Grand Optical, Tel: 0033 321 85 20 48.
1 - Centre Commercial Continent (now Carrefour) (Lanoy), Tel: 0033 321 96 73 35. 2 - In Calais; Optique 2000 (Lanoy), 55, rue Royale. Tel: 0033 321 96 79 19.
DESTREZ OPTIC, 4Bd. Jacquard. 62100. Calais. Tel: 0033 321 34 76 13. Fax: 0033 321 97 61 66.
If any of our visitors have experience (good or bad) in buying glasses in France please let us know and we will publish your advice. |
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Parasite is a new French brand. The team behind the scenes is composed of 9 young, competent enthusiasts with various types of expertise (design, communication, management, selling, R&D / processing…), and a lot of ambition! The head office is in "la Plaine de l'Ain" near Lyon, in France. Parasite design has to be small, be supple and independent, in a way that support freedom of creation and innovation. Parasite glasses were actually launched in October 2002 at the Silmo Optical exhibition in Paris. They have attained a promising commercial success that has continued. The Parasite team plans to design products other than eyewear. Parasite's active holding design has been designed for mountain-climbing, to allow the frame to hold on the face in every position. Parasite frames wrap around the upper cranium, using their double arms to rest just above and below the temple (painless zones of the face). The 4 points of holding prevent the frame from horizontal and vertical movements. You never have this feeling of ‘hardly’ wearing glasses, since you are not really wear them: they stay in position by themselves. This comfort is down to the frame’s pliant material, and to the possibility of adjusting the glasses to each wearer’s specific shape.
KRYS, 69 boulevard Jacquard. 62100 Calais. Tel: 0033 321 34 41 07. www.krys.com Other French eyewear brands;
Mikli - www.mikli.fr Designers - Anne et Valentin, Beausoleil, Eye ’DC, Face à Face, François Pinton, Harry Lary’s (Maudal), Karavan (Prestige Optique), Lafont, Oga, Oxibis, and Yves Cogan. |
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Counterfeit products. More at www.a-cg.com Sunglasses The dangers: Sunglasses are seen as an easy target by counterfeiters, as consumers are attracted by the promise of 'designer' versions at ‘bargain’ prices. However, fake sunglasses may not provide any protection at all against ultra-violet rays, leaving the wearer at risk to eye damage. Brian Burgh, Principal Trading Standards Officer at City of Sunderland Council, says: “They might look good, but they offer you no protection at all. They’re lethal.” How to spot a fake: Watch out for 'designer' sunglasses sold unpackaged, or in flimsy unmarked plastic sleeves. Test the hinges. They will be inferior in fake versions. A lack of peel-off certificate - usually a small label affixed to one of the lenses - proving UV protection is another pointer. Brian Burgh comments: “The big giveaway with fake sunglasses is you can just scratch off the name. I’ve done that with a few pairs in front of retailers, and they weren’t impressed!” |
- Vision Originale. Tel: 0033 321 19 05 20. Fax: 0033 321 96 87 43.
- Lynx Optique, Tel: 0033 321 85 50 05. Fax: 0033 321 36 69 16. 
- Optique 2000. 
- ALAIN AFFLELOU, 41, Bd. Jacquard. Tel: 0033 321 96 98 84. Fax: 0033 321 97 69 60. 
- BEST OPTIQUE, 22, Bd. Gambetta. Tel: 0033 321 36 57 87. Fax: 0033 321 85 42 50. 
- CLO OPTIC, 2, rue Antoine Bénard. Tel: 0033 321 36 23 40. Fax: 0033 321 85 00 55. 
- GUERY OPTIQUE, 69, Bd. Jacquard. Tel: 0033 321 34 41 07. Fax: 0033 321 34 52 04. 
- Parasite Eyewear. Astonishingly attractive designs (see below and follow website link). Happily there is a shop in Calais selling this brand. 
- Axebo - 
- Cébé - 
- L'Amy - 
- Marcolin - 
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