From 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, Calais lights up for Christmas, this year with a teddy bear theme. The town centre fills with wooden chalets, an ice rink and a 1900s carousel, just 10 minutes from the ferry terminal. Here are the dates, the best weekends to visit, and how to combine the market with a Christmas wine run at Calais Vins and Olivier Vins.
As featured in The Sun:
Two British wine experts, The Thinking Drinkers, crossed the Channel before Christmas to visit Calais Vins. Read what they found and why the modern booze cruise still pays.
Calais Christmas market: dates and locations
Calais has two Christmas markets, a few minutes' walk apart, plus an ice rink and a programme of free events.
| What | Where | When |
| Christmas Village, gourmet chalets and 1900s carousel | Place d'Armes | 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 |
| Ice rink (€2 for 30 minutes) | Under the covered market hall, Place d'Armes | 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 |
| Christmas Market: 40 chalets and Father Christmas's chalet | Place du Grand Théâtre | 5 to 20 December 2026 |
| Weekend character parades | Place d'Armes and Place du Grand Théâtre | Saturdays and Sundays, 28 November to 20 December |
| Christmas fireworks | Place Crèvecœur | Sunday 20 December, 6pm |
For the latest opening times, check the Calais tourist office programme.
The Christmas Village on Place d'Armes
Open for the whole festive season, the Christmas Village has chalets selling sweet treats to enjoy as a family. The 1900s carousel stands in the middle of the square, lit up for the holidays, at €2 a ride.
The Christmas Market on Place du Grand Théâtre
From 5 to 20 December only, 40 chalets of local producers and craftspeople fill the square in front of the theatre. It is the place for local food, small gifts and a photo with Father Christmas in his chalet.
The ice rink and the 1900s carousel
The covered market hall on Place d'Armes becomes an ice rink from 28 November to 3 January. A 30-minute session costs €2, and some time slots are reserved for people with reduced mobility. Skating under cover means the Channel weather never spoils the fun. Bring gloves: you will stay on the ice longer.
Weekend character parades
Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 28 November to 20 December, costumed characters inspired by children's favourite films walk around Place d'Armes. From 5 to 20 December, more characters join them on the theatre steps, among the market chalets: Mickey and Minnie, Scooby-Doo, the Trolls and the Minions.
| Date | Characters on Place d'Armes |
| Saturday 28 November | Children's elves parade for the opening |
| Sunday 29 November | Characters inspired by Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid |
| Saturday 5 December | Characters inspired by Toy Story |
| Sunday 6 December | Transformers and characters inspired by Mario Bros |
| Saturday 12 December | Characters inspired by Moana and SpongeBob |
| Sunday 13 December | Monsieur Noël and Father Christmas |
| Saturday 19 December | Characters inspired by Inside Out and Paw Patrol |
| Sunday 20 December | Characters inspired by Chip 'n' Dale and Zootropolis |
The best Christmas dates for a day trip
If you can only make one trip, choose a weekend between 5 and 20 December, when both markets are open at the same time.
- Sunday 20 December: the best single day. It is the last day of the theatre market, the last character parade, and the Christmas fireworks light up Place Crèvecœur at 6pm.
- Friday 4 or Friday 11 December: taste with the winemakers at our producer days (4 December at Calais Vins, 11 December at Olivier Vins), the day before a market weekend.
- Weekend of 12 and 13 December: a free Christmas concert by the Calais City Wind Orchestra in Notre-Dame Church on Saturday at 4pm, and Father Christmas on Place d'Armes on Sunday.
- Saturday 28 November: the lights are switched on with a launch show and Christmas concert outside the Town Hall, Place du Soldat Inconnu, at 6pm.
Before the lights: the Dreams of Notre-Dame
From 6 to 8 November, more than 3,000 candles light Notre-Dame Church, with candlelit concerts and free entry. In the nave hangs Gaia, a seven-metre Earth by British artist Luke Jerram, built from NASA images.
The Calais Generosity Circus
From 4 to 13 December, a big top at the Bassin Ouest hosts eleven new international circus acts. Two special evenings join the programme: a dance night with 21 local groups on Tuesday 8 December, and a Christmas cabaret on Wednesday 9 December, with seats at €9.50.
The Town Hall and the Christmas windows
Outside the Town Hall, the city's gardeners build a giant Christmas tree, light displays and a nativity scene. Inside, the traditional automated Christmas display fills the main hall until 3 January. After dark, the shop windows of Rue Royale compete in a Christmas window contest: each one becomes a small festive scene to discover on your way round.
Christmas markets around Calais
- Coulogne: 21 and 22 November, Octagon Park.
- Bonningues-lès-Calais: 21 and 22, then 28 and 29 November, Futurum complex.
- Marck: 5 and 6 December, Salle des Dryades (Saturday 10am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm).
Plan your Christmas wine stop
Calais Vins and Olivier Vins are a few minutes from the town centre and from the ferry port. Stop on your way back to the boat and fill your allowance for the festive season.
Meet the winemakers: our Christmas producer days
Before Christmas, our winemakers and producers come to the shops to pour their wines and talk you through them. It is the best moment to taste before you buy, ask what to serve with the Christmas turkey, and pick bottles you will not find in UK supermarkets.
- Friday 4 December 2026: producer day at Calais Vins.
- Friday 11 December 2026: producer day at Olivier Vins.
Champagne for Christmas
Champagne shows some of the biggest savings in pounds per bottle: Veuve Clicquot Rosé costs around £18 less at Calais Vins than at Waitrose in London.. See our best Champagnes for Christmas and our Champagne price comparison with the UK.
How much can you bring back?
Each adult can bring back 18 litres of still wine (24 bottles) and 42 litres of beer. On top of that, choose 4 litres of spirits or 9 litres of sparkling wine (12 bottles of Champagne), or a proportional mix of the two. Our guide to the 24 bottles worth every litre helps you choose.
Claim the VAT back
On purchases over €100, you can claim the VAT back. With Global Blue, our staff hand you a paper tax-free form at the till. With Skiptax, your form is digital. Either way, scan it at the PABLO kiosk at the ferry port or the Eurotunnel terminal before you leave France.
Cross the Channel for free
Pre-order €300 or more online and your return P&O crossing from Dover is free. Your order waits for you in the shop. See how the free day trip works.
Tips for your Christmas trip to Calais
Where to eat
Warm up between the market and the shops with a French meal. Try Le Channel for refined French cooking, Histoire Ancienne for classic brasserie dishes, or Terrasse Gourmande and Au Côte d'Argent for festive menus overlooking the sea. More details on our where to eat guide in Calais
Away from the market, the independent shops around Rue Royale and Boulevard Jacquard are worth a stroll. Next door to Calais Vins, the cheese shop Fromagerie Philippe Olivier is the place to stock up for the Christmas cheeseboard.
More things to do
Walk along Calais beach for sea air, or climb the lighthouse for a view over the coast and the Christmas lights. During the Christmas school holidays, you can also tour the town on the back of the Dragon of Calais or aboard its companion, the giant monitor lizard.
Curious about what British visitors actually buy? See the favourite bottles of UK customers, from Bordeaux to Whispering Angel.
Calais Christmas market: a festive day trip with free crossing
Between 28 November 2026 and 3 January 2027, Calais combines two Christmas markets, an ice rink, weekend character parades and fireworks on 20 December with the best wine prices on your way home. Pre-order €300 at Calais Vins or Olivier Vins and your crossing from Dover is free.