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Calais Vins in the Press
Over the past few years, British journalists have made the trip across the Channel to see whether the Calais booze cruise still stacks up post-Brexit — and Calais Vins keeps coming up as one of the stops worth making. Here's what they found, in their own words.
The Independent — August 2026
Writing for The Independent, Lucy Shrimpton traced the booze cruise back further than most — all the way to the Bayeux Tapestry — before setting out her three favourite ways to buy wine in Calais: the hypermarket, the specialist wine shop, and on board the ferry.
Calais Vins was her pick for shop-floor advice. She singled out the store's swap-out suggestions — trading a pricier Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Sancerre for an equally satisfying Rhône or Loire alternative at nearly half the price — and the seasonal offer that unlocks a free P&O ferry crossing on orders over €300.
"[Staff are] best to cut the pompous wine talk and get to the point." – Stéphane Comello, part of Jérôme Pont's sales team at Calais Vins, quoted in The Independent
The Sun — December 2025
By Ben McFarland & Tom Sandham, The Thinking Drinkers
From British Tradition to Modern Adventure
With Christmas approaching, British wine lovers Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham – known as The Thinking Drinkers, reviewing in The Sun– crossed the Channel on a mission: to see whether the modern-day booze cruise still makes sense.
Once known for packing cars full of wine, beer and spirits, the booze cruise has had to adapt to new regulations. But as Ben and Tom discovered, there are still plenty of savings to be made — and new joys to be found.
Photo courtesy of The Thinking Drinkers
First Stop: A Wine Lover's Paradise
After docking in Calais, their wine journey began in earnest. At the heart of it all: shelves lined with Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Sancerre and more. Prices ranged from a humble £2.46 bottle of red to over £1,200 for Premier Cru Champagne.
"It's a wine lover's paradise, with aisle after aisle of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Sancerre and rosé wines…" – The Sun
Inside Calais Vins: Trolleys, Tastings & Top-Notch Advice
Only ten minutes from the ferry, Calais Vins was the duo's first stop — and they weren't disappointed. Welcomed by Supremo Jérôme Pont, they discovered a shop offering far more than deals: English-speaking sommeliers, wine tastings in-store, and hidden gems not found in UK supermarkets.
"These aren't wines you'll find in British supermarkets — but the prices are around 40 per cent cheaper than wines of equivalent quality in the UK." – Jérôme Pont
They smiled their way in the aisles, glasses in hand, sampling and selecting wines with expert guidance. Their trolley? Overflowing with carefully chosen bottles — the result of curiosity, expertise, and plenty of laughter.
The Numbers: Big Wines, Bigger Savings
They left with 24 bottles of wine, and six bottles each of Champagne and sparkling wine. The total came to just under £390 — and then came the VAT refund.
After scanning their tax-free form at the kiosk in Calais port (a process that took less than five minutes as they said), £59.78 was refunded directly to their card, reducing their final spend to £330.
"We spent £330 at Calais Vins... by no means bargain-basement booze, but great value for money for top-notch wines." – The Sun
Photo courtesy of The Thinking Drinkers
The Grape Escape: Ferry Ticket on the House
As if the savings weren't enough, the pair also unlocked Calais Vins' seasonal offer: a free return ferry with P&O. All they had to do was spend €300 online and place a €60 deposit — the perfect excuse for a day trip filled with fine wine and festive spirit.
Is the Booze Cruise Still Worth It? Absolutely.
"So is the modern-day booze cruise worth it? Absolutely – whether you're a cork-sniffing wine buff or bargain booze hunter." – The Sun
Daily Mail — December 2024
Jeff Mills made the trip for the Daily Mail, taking his 30-something son Nick on Le Shuttle for a festive stock-up. Despite Calais' mixed reputation in the UK press, he found a city that's smartened itself up considerably — enough that a couple of young local entrepreneurs running a skate shop in town have taken to calling it "Calaisfornia."
Their first stop was Calais Vins, a few minutes from the tunnel terminal. A six-bottle case of Charles Pelletier Brut Blanc de Blancs — his pick as a Champagne substitute — came to £44.54, working out at £7.44 a bottle versus £16.88 back home. Six bottles of Maison Ropiteau Pinot Noir 2023 cost £31.34 against a UK price of £102.20, and he rounded off the trip with a case of Belgian craft beer at under half the price he'd pay in Britain.
"...are even calling it 'Calaisfornia.'" – Jeff Mills, Daily Mail
Beyond the shopping, Mills made a weekend of it: two Christmas markets running from late November to early January, a night at the Ibis Styles hotel, dinner at the seafood restaurant Oh! Mouette, and a climb up the belfry of the Hôtel de Ville — where General de Gaulle once married — for a view over the whole town. He also flagged a terminal offer of a free six-bottle case on a €200 duty-free spend, though he decided his boot was already full enough.
The Drinks Business — April 2024
The Drinks Business covered the story from a trade angle: the partnership between Calais Vins, Olivier Vins and P&O Ferries offering free return crossings on pre-orders of €300 or more, with a three-day getaway unlocked at €700.
The piece noted that Calais Vins saw a 57% increase in British customers between 2022 and 2023, a rise the shop put down to a near-10% jump in UK alcohol prices over the same period — even as post-Brexit allowance changes forced rival retailer Majestic to close its own Calais stores.
"Our British clientele understands the value of purchasing wine from us." – Jérôme Pont, Calais Vins, quoted in The Drinks Business
The Telegraph — March 2024
Amber Tallon put together a detailed price breakdown for The Telegraph, comparing UK and French prices bottle by bottle to work out exactly which wines are worth the crossing — and which aren't.
Among her sharpest findings: a case of Lanson Black Label Champagne paired with a case of Calvet Sauvignon Blanc came to £342 bought in France, against £708 for the same wines in the UK — a saving of £366. On individual bottles, she found savings of 41–48% on a Languedoc-Roussillon white, a Côtes du Rhône from Paul Jaboulet Aîné, and a Crémant d'Alsace. Her advice for anyone stocking up for a wedding or party: buy in pairs to make the most of two personal allowances, since a couple travelling together can bring back 48 bottles of still wine and 24 of sparkling.
Not every bottle was worth the detour, though — she flagged that with UK supermarket promotions factored in, a bottle of Whispering Angel rosé could occasionally work out more expensive bought in Calais than on offer at home, a useful reminder to check prices both sides of the Channel before loading up the boot.
"...locals rate Calais Vins..." – Amber Tallon, The Telegraph
She also pointed readers towards the wider Calais shopping trip: Cité Europe and its Carrefour hypermarket five minutes from the terminal, the Channel Outlet for fashion and homeware discounts, and Fromagerie Philippe Olivier — right next door to Calais Vins — for stocking up on cheese before heading home.
This Is Money — November 2023
Toby Walne travelled to Calais for This Is Money, filling his trolley with two dozen bottles under the guidance of Stéphane Comello, part of Jérôme Pont's sales team at Calais Vins — Beaujolais reds alongside Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé whites.
His till total came to €298 before the VAT refund; after the 15% saving, his effective cost worked out at around £9.25 a bottle for wines he reckoned would cost closer to £15 in the UK. He also flagged a detail worth remembering for readers: the printed "Détaxe" form scanned on departure is often more reliable than app-based alternatives.
The Verdict, According to the British Press
Independent of each other, six different publications have reached the same conclusion: the Calais booze cruise has changed since Brexit, but for anyone willing to plan the trip properly, the savings on wine, Champagne and spirits are still real — and Calais Vins keeps being the shop journalists single out for the advice, the selection, and the VAT refund process made simple.
Ready to see the savings for yourself? Check your duty-free allowance and our pick of 24 bottles worth every litre of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can I save on wine and spirits in Calais?
It varies by trip, but the British press consistently reports savings in the 30–45% range once the VAT refund is factored in. The Sun's Ben and Tom saved over £59 in VAT on a £390 trolley; The Telegraph found savings of up to 64% on some individual bottles; This Is Money's Toby Walne worked out an effective cost of around £9.25 a bottle versus roughly £15 in the UK.
Is the booze cruise still legal post-Brexit?
Yes, but with new limits. You can bring back up to 18L of still wine, 9L of sparkling wine, 42L of beer, and 4L of spirits for personal use.
Can I really get a free ferry with Calais Vins?
Yes! Calais Vins offers a "Grape Escape" deal: spend €300 online, pay a €60 deposit, and receive a free return ferry booking with P&O — the same offer covered by The Sun and The Drinks Business.
How does the VAT refund work?
At checkout, you receive a tax-free form. Scan it at the kiosk at the port, and the refund is processed in under 5 minutes — money is usually back on your card within a few days.
Are the wines at Calais Vins really different from the UK?
Yes. Several journalists have made the same observation: many wines come from direct relationships with French producers and simply aren't stocked in British supermarkets.
Is every bottle cheaper in Calais than in the UK?
Not always — The Telegraph found that with UK supermarket promotions factored in, some popular Provence rosés can occasionally cost about the same or slightly more bought in France. It's worth comparing prices both sides of the Channel, which is exactly why we publish our own price comparisons.
