Certainly the most beautiful monument of Calais. This building is the symbol of the union beetween the two towns of Calais and Saint Pierre in 1885.
Built in a neo flemish style, the town hall proudly raises its 75 meters high belfry, a part of UNESCO worldwide patrimony since 2005.The town hall contains many glass windows and is the place where Charles de Gaulle gets married on a civil manier with Miss Yvonne Vendroux (1921)
Les Bourgeois de Calais
Facing the town hall, this bronze six figures group is one of the most famous masterpiece of Auguste Rodin. This sculpture remains the sacrifice of 6 notables ending the 11 months siege of Calais by the army of King Edward III (1346 - 1347). They surrendered themselves to the King to spare the rest of the population.
Ready to death, they were saved by Philippa de Hainaut (King Edward's wife), who asked him to exercise mercy.
L'église Notre-Dame
The current edifice is the result of several periods of construction beetween the 13th and 17th century. English architects took over giving it an interesting Flemish/Gothic look. Notre Dame is now considered as the only English styled church in France. In 1691, the engineer Vauban built on the north side a tank to collect rainwater in case of siege. Notorious event happened in Notre Dame is the wedding of Charles de Gaulle with a young Calaisian woman called Yvonne Vendroux (1921)
Le théâtre
French Président Emile Loubet has layed the foundation stone in april 1903. Four hign statues stand on the front side (Louis XIV's style). They illustrate the major lyrics arts : Poetry, Comedy, Dance and Music. The room is built with a horse shoe style and proposes an excellent acoustic.
Le phare
The Calais lighthouse stands 58 meters high above the town. It was built in 1848 to succeed to the lantern of the watch tower. A spiral staircase (271steps) leads to the top, to discover a superb panoramic view over Calais, its harbour and the countryside, the Channel. An exhibition room presents the history of the lighthouses and the maritim signalling.
Courgain Maritime is the fishermen part of Calais, the real fief where local seadogs meet. Many generations of seamen, fishermen, rescuers (and corsairs too !) have grown up there. Local fairs (15th August, herring festival)stand in Courgain Maritime, a distric attached to its traditions. On mornings, fishermen directly sell their seafoods and fishes.
La tour du Guet
The Watch Tower
Certainly the oldest construction of Calais, this tower was built end of 13th century. The watch tower has suffered many damages after an earthquake (16th century), a fire (17th century). Several differents functions were assigned to the tower such as telegraph relay station or lighthouse until 1848. The watch tower has escaped to the huge destructions caused by WWII.
CULTURAL EQUIPMENTS
Situated in one of the last big factories of Calais, over 5000 m² of exhibition area devoted to lace and its environment.
Cité de la dentelle et de la mode will be closed from 1st to 15 January 2010 included
Tariffs :
Expo permanente ou expo temporaire : 5 € / adult, 2,5 € / family (1 or 2 parents + 3 children), 2,5 € school group (max 25 pupils), 4 € adults group (10 to 25 pers), 60 € prestations (10 to 25 pers). Free – 5 years old
Pass 1 day : 8 € / adult, 4 € / family, 4 € school group, 6 € adults group
Yearly Pass : 25 €
Pass 1 week 2 museums (Cité de la dentelle + musée des Beaux Arts) : 10 € / adult, 5 € / family, 5 € school group, 8 € adults group
From 1 April to 31 October : Museum opened during the week from tuestay to saturday from 10 am to 12 am and from 2 pm to 6 pm. On sunday from 2 pm to 6 pm.
From 2 November to 31 March : museum opened during the week from tuesday to saturday from 10 am to 12 am and from 2 pm to 5 pm. On saturday from 2 pm to 5 pm.
Closed on Monday and bank holidays.
Tariffs
4 € or 2 €, week pass for cité internationale de la dentelle et de la mode and musée des beaux-arts ; year pass.
Museum free the first sunday of september, december, march and june.
Free entrance for less than years old children. Informations : 03 21 46 48 40.
Access
Groups guided visits for schools, associations, teachers, disabled
persons (booking : 03 21 46 43 16/48 41).
Guided visits for individuals at 3.30 pm the first and third sunday each month.
The whole museum has got a disabled access.
Memorial Museum 1939-1945, Calais
The Memorial Museum is located in the town, in an authentic bunker. It presents uniforms, photographs, newspapers...
The sailing basis of Calais : Tom Souville is opened since lasty spring. You can go sailing : windsurfing, optimist, catamaran. It can ba a discovery training, training, competition...
90 beds (individual bedrooms, most are bedrooms with 6 beds)
restauration : 80 couverts
Club House 300 m²
Meeting room : 5 rooms, max capacity 80 pers
Tariffs
Night in individual bedroom : 20 €
Night (per person) in group bedroom : 10 € per person.
Breakfast : 3 €
Lunch or diner meal : 5 €
Light meal : 3 €
Infos : 03 21 17 70 60 or 03 21 17 70 61
Base de char à voile du Calaisis
Located at Hemmes de Marck beach, the sailing and leisure basis of Calais and its area let you disvover the sandyacht.
You can also discover archery, mini-golf. You've got also an area for young people (with the campsite). Possibility of a ballade with horse at the equestrian center nearby.
Base de char à voile
Avenue de la Mer - Calais
Tel : 03 21 85 17 46
Access A16 - exit 48 zone Transmarck and then follow "Base de char à voile"
BALADES IDEAS
Walk
The route "Histoire de la cité"
35 markers in Calais in order to discover town's history.
“Calais Côte d’Opale” is ideal destination for those who love wide-open, natural spaces. On foot, bike or on horseback, with friends or family, get away from the crowds and closer to local people as you trek through typical villages and exceptional landscapes such as the “Site des deux Caps” coastal area of outstanding natural beauty where you will see fauna and flora that you never expected to see.
Commune
Départ
Nom du sentier
Km
Durée
Ambleteuse
Estaminet Au Grand Café
Sentier du Ventu
15
3h30
Ambleteuse
..
L'Estuaire de la Slack
12
1h20
Andres
Parking après Pont de la Slack
Circuit de la Baie des Granges
10
1h20
Audinghen
Mairie
Sentier de la Haie des Granges
10
1h20
Audunghen
Cap Gris Nez
Bois d'Haringzelles
1
..
Audinghen
Cap Gris Nez
Tour du Cap Gris Nez
1
..
Audrehen
..
Sentier de la courte Dune
10
..
Audresselles
..
La Ligne d'Anvin
6
1h30
Bainghen
Rue Quenu
Sentier du pêcheur
1.5
..
Bouquehault
Mairie
Sentier de l'Abiette
12
3h
Boursin
Mairie
Sentier P de Montgardin
15
4h
Caffiers
Café de la place
Sentier de la croisette
14
3h30
Calais
..
Tour du Calaisis
71
..
Campagne les Guînes
Place de l'Eglise
Sentier des Chemins verts
10
2h30
Colembert
Mairie
Sentier des Coteaux
19
5h
Colembert
Mairie
Sentier des Mille Monts
27
7h
Colembert
Mairie
Sentier du Mont Dauphin
6
1h45
Escalles
Mairie
Sentier des Hauts Ballons d'Escalles
10
1h45
Escalles
Mont d'hubert
la Tour du Blanc Nez
6
1h15
Escalles
Mairie
Sentier des Balcons
7.5
1h45
Escalles
..
Sentier du Fond Pignon
8
1h30
Escalles
..
A la Frontière des mers
7.5
2h30
Fiennes
Eglise
Sentier du Tilleul
9
2h15
Guînes
Maison forestière
Sentier du Bois De Ballon
3
1h
Guînes
Le Tournepuis
Le Chemin de Halage
5
1h30
Guînes
Office de tourisme
Sentier des 2 moulind
8
2h
Guînes
..
Sentier de l'hermitage
10
2h30
Guînes-Marais
Marais de Guînes
Sentier des têtards
3
1h
Hardinghen
Estaminet "Au Lion d'Or"
Sentier du Colombier
10
2h30
Herbinghen
Eglise
Sentier de la Garenne
9
2h15
Hermelinghen
Place
Sentier d'Entre les Bois
..
..
Hermelinghen
Place
Sentier du Mont Condy
10
2h30
Hermelinghen
Place
Sentier de l'Eau Courte
15
3h45
Hermelinghen
Place
La Vallée Madame
19
4h45
Hermelinghen
place
Sentier des Coteaux
9
2h15
Hocquinghen
Mairie
Sentier des 3 Calvaires
9
2h15
Landrethun le Nord
Mairie
Sentier des poisonniers
12
3h30
Landrethun Les Ardres
..
Sentier dde la Vieille Motte
9.5
2h15
Leubringhen
Place
Sentier des primevères
13
3h
Licques Ecottes
Eglise
Sentier des Ecottiers
9
2h15
Licques
Abbaye
Sentier du Cah Licquo
10
2h30
Maninghen Hennes
Eglise
Mont Colembert
3
40 mn
Nortkerque
..
Sentier de la Bredenarde
16
4h
Oye plage
..
L'Ansérienne
16
3h45
Peuplingues
..
Sentier des Fonds
11
2h45
Pihen les Guînes
..
Sentier des Crêtes
8
2h
Réty
Eglise
Sentier du Rietz
12
3h30
Ruminghen
Mairie
Sentier du Fantôme de l'Aa
16
4h
Saint Tricat
..
Sentier des Marais
10
2h30
Sanghen
..
Sentier des Marais
10
2h30
Tournehem sur la Hem
place
Sentier Saint Louis
7.5
2h
Tournehem sur la Hem
..
Sentier du Bois d'Elloo
13.5
3h20
Wissant
Mairie
Sentier du Cap Blanc Nez
19
5h
Wissant
Digue Nord
Sentier de la Motte du Bourg
1
15 mn
Wissant
..
Sentier des chercheurs d'eau
2
20mn
Wissant
Place de Wissant
Sentier du Cap GrisNez
21
5h15
Wissant
Cap Gris Nez
Sentier des Crans
10
2h30
Wissant
Office de Tourisme
Sentier du Fartz
3.5
..
Wissant
..
Sentier du Marchand de sable
2
20 mn
Zutkerque
..
Sentier de la Dame aux Loups
14
3h30
Walking of Sangatte Blériot Plage
Route n°1 : beach, dune, M. Louis Blériot
Départure : Place de la République (mairie)
Lenght : 3 heures
Topo-guides available at Mairie de Blériot-plage (03 21 34 63 50)