The perfect Calais day trip : sights, shopping and savings

I've lived in Calais long enough to lose count of the number of times someone's asked me "is it really worth a day trip?" — so let me save you the small talk : yes, and here's exactly how I'd spend it. A UNESCO belfry, a fire-breathing mechanical dragon, a Rodin sculpture I still stop to look at, a renovated beachfront, and a stop for duty-free wine before the ferry back. This is the day I'd actually plan, not the postcard version.

Getting to Calais : ferries, timing and planning your day trip

Crossing the channel in under two hours

P&O Ferries operates 10 to 15 sailings a day between Dover and Calais , covering the 32 nautical miles in around 90 minutes . DFDS and Irish Ferries add extra crossings across the day , but P&O Ferries remains the only operator accepting foot passengers , which matters if you're coming without a car . Add roughly 90 minutes for check-in and around 20 minutes for disembarkation , and the whole crossing still fits comfortably within a single morning — I've done it on a whim before a Saturday market run .

If you're travelling from Folkestone instead , LeShuttle runs a 35-minute train crossing , though it's reserved for vehicles only . Whichever way you cross , having your own car is genuinely worth it here : it opens up the Opal Coast beyond the port , and honestly some of my favourite spots are a short drive out towards Cap Blanc-Nez , which our guide to the Côte d'Opale covers properly if you have an extra hour to spare .

Duty-free allowances apply per person

UK customs allowances apply per adult , not per vehicle : each traveller may bring back 42 litres of beer and 18 litres of still wine , with a further 4 litres of spirits or 9 litres of sparkling and fortified wine . I always tell British friends visiting to travel as a group if they can — the allowance stacks per person , and it's the difference between "a nice bottle" and genuinely restocking the cellar .

A free crossing when you order with us

Here's the bit locals actually use , because it's ours : place a €300 online pre-order with Calais Vins or Olivier Vins et Compagnie and we cover your return ferry crossing for the day . Jérôme and Olivier , who run the two stores , put it simply :

"We're thrilled to offer British travellers the opportunity to experience the beauty of France while enjoying fine wines and saving money ," says Jérôme . "With our exclusive offer , travellers can embark on a wine-fuelled adventure without worrying about travel expenses ," adds Olivier .

The numbers back it up : Global Blue recorded a 49 % year-on-year increase in our duty-free transactions in Q1 2025 , with 99 % of those made by British customers , while Olivier Vins , our sister store near the Eurotunnel terminal , saw a 36 % rise in tax-free transaction volumes over the same period . It's not a quiet corner of town anymore on a Saturday morning .

Timing your day right

• Take an early morning sailing to maximise time on the ground
• Reserve the late morning and early afternoon for sightseeing
• Save duty-free shopping for the final hours before boarding the return crossing

Must-see sights to fit into one day in Calais

A morning of heritage and heights

Start where I'd start : the Belfry of the Hôtel de Ville , listed as UNESCO World Heritage , rises 75 metres above the town and rewards the climb with a view over the sea and the Saint-Pierre district that still gets me , even after years of walking past it . A short walk away , the Calais Lighthouse has guided ships since 1848 ; climbing its 271 steps reveals the white cliffs of Dover on a clear day , and on the rare crisp winter morning it's genuinely one of the best views on this coast .

Rodin, dragons and lace

Auguste Rodin's Burghers of Calais , sculpted in 1889 , stands in the town hall gardens against the neo-Flemish belfry facade — I'd argue it's the most photographed spot in the city , and for good reason . Nearby , the Calais Dragon , a mechanical creature 12.5 metres high and 25 metres long created by François Delarozière's Compagnie du Dragon , offers a 45-minute guided walk along the seafront ; my kids still ask to go every time it's out .

On a wet day — and this is Calais , so it happens — I'd send you here instead :

• Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode – live demonstrations on original mechanical looms tracing the story of Calais lace
• Musée Mémoire – wartime history housed inside a former German bunker , a sobering but essential visit

Local streets locals actually walk

After the belfry and the dragon , I'd cut through Rue Royale , Boulevard Jacquard and Boulevard Lafayette for cheese , chocolate and a proper lunch around Place d'Armes , where the medieval Watch Tower still stands watch over the café terraces . Down by the old fishing quarter , the fish market is worth ten minutes even if you're not buying — it's where the town actually sounds like itself in the morning . If you're around the waterfront afterwards , Calaisfornia has set up a small collection of casual, skate-inspired clothing right by the beach ; not for everyone, but it's become a bit of a local curiosity .

Ending the morning by the sea

Calais' redesigned seafront , the result of a €46 million makeover completed in 2021 , now stretches over a kilometre , with an XXL skatepark , play areas and free public transport access . It's one of the region's most beautiful urban beaches , and honestly the best place to sit down before lunch . If you've got a car and a bit more time than the strict day-trip crowd , Nausicaa and the Museum of the Atlantic Wall are both about 30 minutes away and worth the detour — our guide to things to do near Calais covers those and a few coastal villages I'd send friends to as well .

A realistic one-day itinerary

1. Belfry and lighthouse in the early morning
2. Rodin's Burghers of Calais and the Dragon walk mid-morning
3. Fish market and lunch around Place d'Armes or rue Royale
4. Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode or the beachfront in the early afternoon

Few towns of Calais' size pack a UNESCO belfry , a Rodin masterpiece and a fire-breathing mechanical dragon within a 15-minute walk of one another . I still notice it every time I show someone around .

Wine, beer and duty-free shopping : the perfect way to end your day trip

Two stores, one duty-free destination

We run two shops : Calais Vins , on Rue Gutenberg in Calais , just off the A16 at junction 44 , minutes from the port and the Eurotunnel terminal , and Olivier Vins et Compagnie , on the CD215 in Fréthun , off the A16 at junction 40 , close to the TGV terminal . Both are open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm , and Sunday from 10am to 6pm , with free parking directly outside — no circling the block looking for a space , which I appreciate more than I probably should .

• Calais Vins – Rue Gutenberg , 62100 Calais
• Olivier Vins et Compagnie – CD215 , 62185 Fréthun

UK duty-free allowances

The spirits and sparkling / fortified allowance can be split , for example 4.5 litres of fortified wine alongside 2 litres of spirits — worth knowing if you're torn between a case of Champagne and a bottle of something stronger .

Claiming the VAT back

Global Blue and Skiptax both process the roughly 15 % VAT refund on eligible purchases , and I'd genuinely recommend sorting the paperwork in store rather than at the port when you're rushing for the ferry . With Global Blue , shoppers collect a tax-free form in store , then scan its barcode at the PABLO terminal in the ferry port or the Eurotunnel passenger building , with funds arriving in 3 to 5 working days . Skiptax works through a free app : scan your passport , shop , scan the receipt , then scan the generated barcode at the departure terminal , with refunds landing within 48 hours .

1. Collect a tax-free form or download the Skiptax app
2. Shop across the 4,000+ references in store
3. Scan your barcode at the ferry port or Eurotunnel terminal
4. Receive your refund within 48 hours to 5 working days

What the savings look like

Between the two stores , we stock more than 4,000 references across wine , champagne , spirits and beer , including over 200 craft beers from local and regional microbreweries , alongside a wide range of PerfectDraft kegs favoured by British customers looking to bring the pub home . I'd pair a bottle with something from the fish market I mentioned earlier , or a plate of Welsh rarebit cheddar at one of the addresses in our guide to where to eat in Calais before heading back to the port .

A €300 online pre-order still buys more than a bottle or two : it also covers your return crossing home . It's the kind of detail that makes locals like me actually recommend the place, not just tolerate it .

Making the most of your Calais day trip

I've walked this route more times than I can count, and it still doesn't feel like a rehearsed tour : the belfry, the dragon, Rodin's sculpture, a stop at the fish market, a plate of something local, and a boot full of wine on the way out. A Calais day trip fits more into a single crossing than most visitors expect, and stopping with us at Calais Vins or Olivier Vins et Compagnie is, to me, simply how you end it properly — VAT reclaimed, ferry covered by the order itself. Come back in a different season and you'll find a different town; that's reason enough to make it a habit rather than a one-off.