Dunkirk

When you get to Dunkirk you don’t need to travel far to find a host of things to do, whether you’re looking for a romantic break, a golf break or some shopping therapy!

The port has museums, an aquarium and a zoo, and there are the famous dunes (Dunkerque means ‘Church of the Dunes’) with 15 kilometres of sandy beaches.

For shop-a-holics there’s a large shopping centre in the middle of the city with over 400 shops and free parking for 1,000 cars.

Quaint villages offer beautiful churches and fascinating museums set in wonderful countryside. The architecture takes on a more Flemish feel than French, which is one noticeable difference compared to Calais.

But the food is still very French, with numerous bars and cafes where you can enjoy some amazing French cuisine.

A short drive away is the Belgium border, so if you like chocolate, and who doesn’t, it shouldn't be missed. There are chocolate tours as well as shops all offering some great offers and some truly different choices.

The other thing that Belgium offers is good deals on tobacco with many travellers driving the few miles to the border to make some savings.

Markets in Dunkirk
Place Général De Gaulle. Wednesday & Saturday from 8.00am until 4.00pm.
Place Turenne, Tuesday mornings.

Events in Dunkirk
Events in NORD, Pas de Calais

Dunkirk Marathon (annual). www.marathon-dunkerque.com
- Port of Dunkirk. www.portdedunkerque.fr
- Port of Dover. www.doverport.co.uk
Dunkirk Tourist Office map (PDF file). www.ot-dunkerque.fr

Calais

Calais is France’s busiest passenger port, although it only has a population of about 90,000. The city's proximity to England and the English Channel has made it a major port for centuries. It is the main ferry crossing point between England and France, with the vast majority of channel crossings being made between Dover Calais compared to Dover Dunkirk.

Dover Calais is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world with car ferries providing more than 60 services a day, moving freight and passengers between England and France. This makes it an important link for Europe from both a business and leisure perspective.

Calais is situated on the north coast of France and has excellent rail and road links to all parts of France and Western Europe. Calais is 3 hours away from Paris along the A16 motorway and 2 hours from Brussels.

Attractions include the Fine Art and Lace Museum on rue Richelieu, and the German wartime headquarters situated to the south of the town. It’s a busy port steeped in history. A few miles out of town is the shopping complex Cité Europe, famous for its cheap alcohol. But the offers don’t stop there. Cité Europe is a shopping mall where you can spend the day getting all sorts of bargains, from grocery shopping to just about anything. And, with all the bars and restaurants you could spend the day there!

Photographs of Calais - www.ville-calais.fr

Markets in CalaisM
Place d'Armes; Wednesday & Saturday mornings

Port of Calais
Tides / Air quality / Sailing information

Port de Calais (Capitainerie). Tel: 0033 321 96 31 20. www.calais-port.com

Link to French site giving information on tides in Calais. www.shom.fr