Car Rental Calais - Exploring Calais
Calais sits in northern France and is the major city in the Pas-de-Calais region. It is also the main transit point for visitors from the UK. The city’s reputation as a transport and shopping hub means that the majority of people use it merely as a stop-off point on the way to the region’s other attractions.
The nearby seaside resort of Le Touquet has clean beaches, lots of water-based activities and sports, as well as a lively nightlife centred on booming discos and the enticing bright lights of the resort’s casinos. Le Touquet is hugely popular, and the roads become clogged with traffic on weekends and public holidays.
A short drive from Calais takes you to the town of Dunkerque, the scene of many important historical events since its founding in 800 AD. The most tumultuous event here was the evacuation of over 300,000 British and French troops during an attack by German forces, following the fall of France during WWII. Visitors can stroll along the very sands and imagine the chaotic scene.
The town of St-Omer should be near the top of your itinerary. The main sight here is Notre Dame Cathedral. Started in the 13th century and opened in the 16th, it contains beautiful Gothic architecture – possibly some of the best in the Pas-de-Calais. One of its highlights is the astrological clock, completed in 1558, which continues to tell the time accurately today.
Walking around the quaint old town, you’ll find 17th century mansions on rue Gambetta. Additionally, Musée Henri-Dupois has natural history displays and an example of an old Flemish kitchen.
A visit to Cassel and a climb up its famous hill is rewarded with spectacular views across northern France. Through the centuries, this scenic fortified town has been of great military importance. It is believed that Cassel was the hill up which the Grand Old Duke of York marched his 10,000 men - a feat now immortalised in a children’s nursery rhyme.
