1. Stay as long as possible in your location and then bomb back to the ferry port in a mild state of panic.
2. Get back to the port really early and have half a day to kill.
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| Hardelot Plage |
We've tried both and have come down on the side of number 2. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that we tend to use the P&O Dover-Calais crossing as it is such good value and very reliable. Depending on how busy they are, if you turn up early at the port, they will often let you on to an earlier crossing without having to pay extra. So if you are really not in the mood for killing time, try your luck!
The second reason, is that there are so many interesting places to visit that are within an hour or two of Calais, that you can happily spend half a day. We have ended up getting to know the coastline of northern France really well simply because we have the time to explore it on the last day of the holiday.
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| Le Touquet |
Starting at the bay of the Somme and working your way north, there are dozens of coastal towns and fishing villages that are worth a visit. Obviously these get busy in the summer months and you will find that parking is restricted in the towns themselves. Out of season, it's fantastic!
The following is a list of places that we have happily spent a few hours:
Cayeux sur Mer: Lovely little holiday town with long pebble beach and hundreds of beach huts.
Le Crotoy: Smack bang on the Somme Bay so ideal for walking on the sands, bird and seal watching.
Fort Mahon Plage: Large sandy beach and dunes.
Berck: Feels like an English Victorian seaside resort with massive nineteenth century houses and long sandy beach.
Le Touquet: the favoured coastal resort for rich Parisians in its heyday. Lots of expensive shops. Very popular and you will have to park out of town even in low season.
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| Calais Town Hall |
Boulogne: Perhaps a little bit more pleasant than Calais now that the ferries have stopped running. UNESCO listed belfry and also a castle. Also has Nausicaa the national sea centre.
Europe City: If you like duty-free shopping and want to do lots of it, then this is your best bet. It's basically a big out-of-town shopping centre. There is dedicated motorhome parking.
Calais: Often overlooked, there are actually some nice bits of Calais!The sea front is the main attraction but there are also some interesting museums. At the right time of year, the flowers at the town hall gardens are amazing.
