Tourism
Calais and its surroundings
LE COURGAIN MARITIME
LE COURGAIN MARITIME
Located near the Bassin du Paradis, the Mink in Calais, Courgain Maritime is the historic fishermen's quarter.
Born around the 9th century, the Courgain maritime was located away from the city centre of Calais, and gathered many families of fishermen. As a result, many customs, traditional festivals and old stories were born there, such as that of Amélie la Courguinoise.
Even today, and for the early risers, you can see the fishermen coming back to the quay to sell the fruit of their work directly on the aubettes of the Place du Minck.
CALAIS LIGHTHOUSE
CALAIS LIGHTHOUSE
The Calais lighthouse is particularly original, notably because of its geographical location in the town, and is a must for the port and sailors. Climbing up its many steps, you will discover a 360° panorama, ideal for seeing Calais and its hinterland, but also the port, and even the cliffs of Dover in England!
But beware, the Calais lighthouse is said to be haunted...
NOTRE-DAME DE CALAIS CHURCH
NOTRE-DAME DE CALAIS CHURCH
L'Église Notre-Dame de Calais est le plus vieil édifice de la ville encore présent. Victime de nombreux bombardements pendant la Guerre, l'église fut rénovée de nombreuses fois au fil des années.
Aujourd'hui, il est possible de visiter ce vestige de l'histoire de Calais.
THE WATCHTOWER
THE WATCHTOWER
Like the Notre-Dame church, the watchtower is also one of the oldest monuments in Calais.
The watchtower was once used as a defensive system for the fortified Calais to prevent possible invasions, as a lighthouse and as a telephone link.
THE BEFFROI
THE BEFFROI
Construit début du XXème siècle, le Beffroi de Calais jouait un rôle important dans la sécurité de la ville. Du haut de ses 75 mètres, il représentait à l'époque le lieu idéal pour surveiller les environs, prévenir d'éventuels envahisseurs et mêmes des incendies.
Aujourd'hui, le Beffroi abrite les bureaux de la Mairie de Calais. Ses aiguilles ainsi que ses carillons rythment comme à l'époque la vie des Calaisiens.
Classé au patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO, il est possible de visiter le Beffroi et de profiter d'une vue panoramique de Calais.
Devant la mairie, dans ses jardins, se trouve l'œuvre du célèbre sculpteur Auguste Rodin : “Les six Bourgeois de Calais”.
CALAIS MUSEUMS
CALAIS MUSEUMS
City of Lace and Fashion:
Located near the city centre of Calais, in an authentic 19th century lace factory, the Cité de la dentelle et de la mode is the place to go to find out more about lace woven on looms.
The different galleries linking a fashion side to an industrial side allow you to discover unique fashion pieces, but also to understand how they were made thanks to the operation of lace looms.
Museum of Fine Arts:
A few steps from the town hall is the Fine Arts Museum. The two-storey, 1,600m2 Fine Arts Museum houses numerous collections of paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs.
On the first floor there is a room dedicated to the famous sculptor Auguste Rodin, where you can discover some of the artist's works, but also some of his studies devoted to the six Burghers of Calais.
Museum of memories :
To better immerse yourself in the history of Calais, the Musée des mémoires du Parc Saint-Pierre; Formerly serving as a command post of the Navy for the port of Calais, it is now a museum of memories offering an exhibition of objects, uniforms, weapons and more.
DISCOVERY OF THE REGION
Cap Blanc Nez
DISCOVERY OF THE REGION
Cap Blanc Nez
A few minutes from the town centre is the great site of the Deux Caps. Certainly one of the most touristic places of the Pas-de-Calais, the Cap Blanc Nez and the Cap Gris nez represent the beauty of the Opal Coast. The various walks, mountain bike rides and horse riding are a great way to discover the different landscapes made up of dunes, cliffs, beaches, towns and villages. When the weather is good, the cliffs of Dover are visible from the beach!
THE BEACH AND THE DRAGON
THE BEACH AND THE DRAGON
Discovered on the first of November 2019, a mysterious dragon has settled in Calais, and more precisely on the seafront. It was during the work carried out to enlarge the port that the beast escaped from the land of worlds buried beneath the surface of the Earth...
Thanks to the development work on the new waterfront, the 1.3 km long promenade has been completely redesigned to the delight of locals and visitors to Calais. As a result of this work, a special path has been created for the dragon. It is now possible to ride on the back of the machine for a 45-minute ride.
