Calais Entertainment

Outdoor activities abound around the region. Sailing, golf and horseback riding are popular and the beaches of the Nord Pas-de-Calais feature numerous activities. The Channel is also excellent for both offshore fishing and line fishing from the shore.

Eating out

The Pas-de-Calais region has fine restaurants and a vibrant nightlife to offer, centred on its cafs, bars and pubs.

The eateries that youll find in Calais itself are mostly mediocre, catering largely to day tourists; the Place d'Armes has many of these. Near the beach, there is a large selection of self-service and fast-food outlets. Gaelic-themed pubs are plentiful and can be found on rue Royale, continuing on to rue de la Mer.

The Caf de Paris on rue Royale is a brasserie offering inexpensive plats du jour and is popular with locals and tourists. The stylish Le Channel, on boulevard de la Rsistance, features a large number of menu choices, but is known mostly for its desserts and views of the many yachts anchored nearby. The George V on rue Royale is another upscale choice. Its a traditional brasserie-restaurant where youll find a classic menu on offer. The best option on the Place d'Armes is usually considered to be Le St-Charles. Both traditional French and Italian dishes are on the menu and its often quite crowded.

Local cuisine

The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region is no exception to the French tradition for fine cuisine. The region has a number of mouth-watering specialities as well as several locally-brewed beers.

Flamiche, which is the Flemish word for cake, is a tart that can be made with leeks and also with maroilles, a strong cheese from the region. Eels are a speciality, particularly when cooked in white wine with spinach and sorrel (anguilles au vert) and served on fried bread. Andouillettes are small sausages that are a specialty of Arras, which are served with mashed potatoes or French fries. A favourite regional pastry is a sweet custard tart (tarte gros bords) baked in a wood-fired oven.

Music

The music scene is Calais is fairly low-key and party-goers may not be satisfied with the relatively small selection. Le Troubadour is a popular venue for music, particularly for live bands at night. Its located on quai du Rhin. Ask at your hotel for tips on where to head to for local acts.

Shopping

Many British day-trippers travel to Calais to buy crates of beer at cheap prices, to shop in the wine emporiums and to stock up on continental produce.

The main shopping areas in Calais are at place d'Armes and rue Royale (in Calais-Nord), where youll find rows of shops selling clothes, chocolates, wines and cheeses. La Maison du Fromage et des Vins is reputed to carry one of the best selections of wines and cheeses. The streets of Calais-Sud are generally a better bet for shopping however, particularly boulevards Jacquard and Lafayette.

At the Monoprix department store, located on boulevard Jacquard, youll find a reasonably good food and wine department. If youre looking for shops with a more local flavour, try Boulangerie Fred (opposite the City Hall) for excellent bread, take-away dishes and salads; or for seafood, try the Hutrire Calaisienne (boulevard Lafayette) and La Sole Berckoise, on boulevard Jacquard. Place d'Armes and boulevard Lafayette host colourful markets on various days of the week.

If your interest is in hypermarkets, the Auchan complex on the Boulogne road is considered by many to be the best. Also highly rated is Carrefour/Mi-Voix, on avenue Georges-Guynemer. In the Cit Europe complex by the Channel Tunnel terminal, there is another large Carrefour along with specialty foods and clothes shops under one roof.