Stretch your cash further with a shopping trip to Calais
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What with the recession and the pound now almost neck and
neck with the euro, shopping trips to Calais in the build-up
to the festive season may not seem to have the same appeal as in
the past. But Norman Smith found you can float your currency
because the English Channel is awash with bargains.
Get on board a P&O ferry, even just for a day trip costing
£25 for a car and up to nine passengers, and you can save the cost
of the fare, and more, with a bit of superb on-board retail
therapy.
For example, six bottles of very drinkable Californian wine at
£12 can’t be bad. And you can pick up six bottles of Australian
Jacob’s Creek for £15. Wine boxes are going for £16 for two and
there are offers on whisky – with an excellent deal on single malts
– gin and other spirits.
For beer drinkers, two 24 x 50cl packs for £22 might go down
nicely, or there is a similar offer on Grolsch. It’s not too
difficult to sniff out the bargains in perfumes and cosmetics
either. You are spoiled for choice.
You can even take the car for all those goodies on a non-landing
trip. For £10, park on the vehicle deck, go and do your shopping
and then members of the crew will deliver it to your car, leaving
plenty of time to relax and enjoy a meal on board before arriving
back in Dover. Visit to www.poferries.com to find out more.
However, if you can make those travel savings, it’s worth
recalling that Calais and the surrounding area still have lots to
offer the budget-conscious and the discerning. Bargains may be
harder to find, but they’re there, amid that special ambiance and
some delights that you would not readily find in the UK.
Hypermarkets such as Carrefour in Cite Europe and Auchan always
have special promotions with great deals in wines, spirits and
party fare. The fresh seafood areas are spectacular, and tempting,
so take a cool box or car fridge. Glassware, olive oil, detergents
and bottled water are among the many items that are still cheaper
than at home.
Calais town centre’s shopping mall and beautifully presented
small shops also have plenty to offer, with many specialities to
whet the appetite. One of my favourites is La Maison du
Fromage et des Vins, just off the market square of La Place
d’Armes. It has an unrivalled selection of cheeses, a range of fine
wines and gourmet treats that could see diet caution thrown to the
winds.
If you have time to do a spot of sight-seeing the recently
opened lace museum is worth a visit. It’s a spectacular combination
of modern architecture and a 19th century lace-making factory,
housing machinery, exhibits and special displays to illustrate the
history – and the future – of the town’s famous lace industry,
which actually had its origins in Nottingham.
Shopping and doing the tourist bit calls for refreshment, and
there are plenty of cafes and bistros where you might get the
chance to sample one of the locally produced speciality beers.
There are several independent small breweries in the Calais
region and I paid a visit to one run by Christophe Noyon and his
family on their farm near Tardinghem. Christophe’s passion for fine
beer-making shows and you can share his enthusiasm by sampling one
– or all – of the four brews he produces now. Tours, tastings and
sales can be arranged for individuals and groups by contacting the
brewery in advance at noyon.brasseur@wanadoo.fr.
While bargain-hunting can be thirsty work, you are also likely
to work up an appetite and Calais has a wealth of eating places,
from snack bars to gourmet restaurants. The Restaurant Le Grand
Bleu and the Histoire Ancienne are among the latter, both family
run with that special attention to quality, discreet service and
comfort. There are others too, so it’s worth exploring.
In the coming weeks Calais will dress up for party time, and it
does it so well, spectacularly well. Sights, sounds and all sorts
of activities provide a festive treat for the whole family. And if
you want to stay over, there is a wide choice of accommodation.
Check it all out with Calais Chamber of Commerce (www.calais-cci.fr) or the tourist
board (www.calais-cotedopale.com).
Wednesday, November 18 2009
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