Calais Beach

Calais’ lovely beach is probably its best kept secret. The town’s fine-sand beach is just 1km from Place D’ Armes and if you happen to be there on a sunny day, it is definitely worth seeking out.

The general seafront area is pristinely kept with lots of eateries and restaurants to cater for an impromptu snack-attack and plenty of fun-packed activities available to please the kids including fun fairs and a permanent mini golf centre (Digue Gaston Berthe, Calais, Tel: 00 33 (0)6 19 67 89 72)

The beach itself is etched with a seemingly never ending line of cute, luminous-white beach huts that give it a pretty-as-picture look. And with such soft sand, the beach is ideal for sunbathing or relaxing with a picnic of wine, cheese and baguette while watching the seagulls chase the ferries out of the port. Or if you are feeling sporty then join in with the fun and go sand yachting or enjoy a sport of volley ball.

Strollers should make their way to the promenade pier which runs alongside the beach and enjoy views over the harbour. Cyclists can use the bike path that links the beach to Place d’Armes and sailors and water-sport lovers can make their way to the Yacht Club de Calais (Fort Risban, Calais, Tel: 00 33 (0)3 21 97 73 81, www.calais-voile.fr) located on the seafront for a spot of wind surfing and sailing.

From the beach a watch-path leads to the 16th century Fort Risban and to quai de la Colonne-Louise-XVIII where the Monument des Sauveteurs recalls the heroic action of the Calais rescue teams when King Louis landed in 1814.

A little further along towards Sangatte you will come across the dune lined beach of Blériot-Plage. Here there is a monument to French aviator Louis Blériot who has the accolade of having successfully pioneered the first ever flight across the English Channel in 1909 to Dover.