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 crossings between Dover and Calais, taking around 90 minutes at sea. DFDS and Irish Ferries also serve the route. If you are travelling without a car, check the operators' current foot-passenger policies before booking; not every sailing accepts them. Allow additional time for check-in, border controls and disembarkation, particularly during busy travel periods.

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

For travellers aged 17 or over entering Great Britain, alcohol allowances apply per person, not per vehicle: 42 litres of beer and cider combined, 18 litres of still and sparkling wine combined, and either 4 litres of spirits over 22% ABV or 9 litres of other alcoholic drinks up to 22% ABV, including fortified wine. The last two allowances can be split proportionally. Each person must stay within their own allowance; allowances cannot be pooled. Northern Ireland has different rules. I always remind British friends to check the official UK guidance before setting off.

A free crossing when you order with us

Calais Vins and Olivier Vins et Compagnie have also promoted a return-ferry offer linked to an online pre-order of €300 or more. Check the current offer terms, eligible crossings and availability with the stores before booking; the crossing is not automatically included with every order. Jérôme and Olivier, who run the two stores, described the initiative this way:

"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 have free parking directly outside — no circling the block looking for a space, which I appreciate more than I probably should. Check each store's current opening hours before travelling, especially on Sundays and public holidays.

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

UK duty-free allowances

The spirits and fortified-wine allowance can be split proportionally: for example, 4.5 litres of fortified wine alongside 2 litres of spirits. Champagne and other sparkling wines count towards the separate 18-litre combined wine allowance, not the 9-litre category. These rules apply to travellers entering Great Britain; check the official allowances before travelling.

Claiming the VAT back

Eligible UK visitors may be able to claim a 15% tax-free saving on qualifying purchases through Global Blue or Skiptax, subject to the provider's terms, a purchase exceeding €100 and customs validation when leaving the EU. I'd recommend sorting the paperwork in store rather than at the port when you're rushing for the ferry. With Global Blue, collect the tax-free form in store and validate it at the appropriate PABLO kiosk before departure. With Skiptax, follow the app's instructions to register your purchase and obtain the barcode for customs validation. Refund timing varies by provider and payment method.

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 after successful customs validation, according to your provider's processing times

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 .

An online pre-order can make the final shopping stop easier to plan. If you are interested in a return-ferry promotion, check with the stores whether it is currently running and which bookings qualify.

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 — with any eligible VAT refund arranged before departure. 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.