Discover a great variety of touristic attractions

in Calais Côte d'Opale 

HERITAGE

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)   

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. 

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)

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.

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.

Bd des Alliés – Calais Tel : 03 21 34 33 34

Site : www.pharedecalais.com

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.  

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 internationale de la dentelle et de la mode

Quai du commerce - Calais

Tel : 03 21 00 42 30

www.citedentelle.calais.fr

OPENING HOURS

• high season (1 april– 31 october) : everyday except tuesday, 10 am to 6 pm
• low season (1 november – 31 march) : everyday except tuesday, 10 am to 5 pm
• Ticket sales closed at 5 pm (high season), 4pm (low season)

Closed on tuesday

Closed : 1 May, 25 December  and 1st January

Free the first sunday of the months of March, June, September and December, la "Nuit des Musées" and Heritage days.

Groups, special tariffs : 03 21 00 42 32

Address : 135, quai du Commerce 62100 Calais

www.cite-dentelle.fr

 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

YearPass  2 museums : 40 €

 Musée des Beaux-Arts

25, rue Richelieu

62100 CALAIS

Tel : 03 21 46 48 40

musee@mairie-calais.fr

www.musee.calais.fr

Exhibitions' and activities' programm

Convenient informations

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.

The Memorial Museum is located in the town, in an authentic bunker. It presents uniforms, photographs, newspapers...

Audio guide available.

Specific access to disabled persons.

Memorial Museum 1939-1945

Parc St-Pierre - Calais

Tel/Fax : 03 21 34 21 57

www.museeguerrecalais.free.fr

Opening hours

February 1st to 30 april ans october 1st to 30 nov (closed on tuesday) : 11 am - 5 pm

May 1st spet (open every day) : 10 am - 6 pm

Tariffs :

Adults / 6 €

Children (-14 years) : 5 €

Family (2 adults + 1 or 2 children) : 14 €

Groups (mini 10 persons) : 5 € 

Ecole d'Art du Calaisis

8, rue des Soupirants 62100 Calais

Tél : 03 21 19 56 60 – Fax : 03 21 19 56 69

SPORTS EQUIPEMENTS

Swimming pool and ice rink 1200 m². 5 pools including 1 outside.

Centre nautique patinoire ICEO

rue Roger Martin du Gard - Calais

Tel : 03 21 19 56 56

To go there:

follow  A 16 exit 47

(Calais-Port, Car Ferry, Calais-Zone Industrielle Est, Centre Universitaire)

 and then follow

(Calais Centre, Zone Artisanale Marcel Doret, Centre Universitaire)

To know more:

http://www.agglo-calaisis.fr/ppal/

Timetable of "februar Holidays"

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...  

Base de voile du Calaisis

RD 940 - Calais

More information on www.agglo-calaisis.fr  and also on www.voile62.com

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

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

The route "Histoire de la cité"

35 markers in Calais in order to discover town's history.

Hiking in Calais Côte d’Opale

Welcome to our truly natural hiking trails.

“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.

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)

Walks with Jeunes et Nature

Information : 03 21 97 96 30

Email : jeunesetnature@aol.com

DIVERS

Come and discover...

Cercle Aquariophile du Calaisis

Parc Saint Pierre

06 03 59 81 86

On wednesdays, saturdays and sundays

from 3pm to 6pm

More than 3000 fishes

from all over the word.

Around 30 aquariums show in 5 rooms

Tariffs 2008 : adult : 2.50 €    

child (beetween 3 et 12 years old): 1.50 €

Casino

59, rue Royale

62100 Calais

Tel : 03 21 19 16 66

Fax : 03 21 19 16 60

www.partouche.fr