Booze Cruise!

RichyRich

So my birthday's coming up in a few weeks and the wife gave me a nice surprise of a £30 return to Calais next weekend to stock up on drinks in advice of the party.

I appreciate that by the time we factor in petrol and the boat fare we probably won't save anything, but it will be a nice day out, we can grab a spot to eat in Calais and come back, and the drinks will be a nice "extra".

I have searched online and there don't seem to be any decent reviews of the various wine retailers in Calais - mainly just a load of affiliate links to the web site. We're looking to stock up mainly on plonk for the party but pick up a few cases of of decent bottles while we're there (something that would cost, and be worth, around £15 in the UK). So I guess my question is...where to go?

I've been through Calais a few times and have been to Cheers...but at the time I was 18 and still in the phase of "if it's alcoholic I'll drink it" - and I also understand it's changed hands. There's obviously Carrefour at Cit! Europe, which I assume is where the French buy their wine, and I've seen some good deals on plonk online at a place called Pidou. Are these good places to go? Which is best? Is there anywhere better? And will I be able to get my Chateauneuf du Pape whilst I'm there?

I understand that both Tesco and Sainsbury's have closed their Calais stores.

Absolutely no objection to going to more than one place, but don't want to spend the day going to 5 different places, comparing prices, then going back round to pick up what's cheapest at each. A good yardstick of "Place X for party stuff and Place Y for quality" would be immensely helpful.

And if you can recommend somewhere good to eat and spend the rest of our day (we're there all day!) that would be fabulous too.

Thanks in advance for any assistance from seasoned channel-hoppers!

Cheers
Richard

dacouch

http://day-tripper.net/

Use the tunnel, much more civilised and quicker

RichyRich

Thanks for the link - I'll take a look. Already booked tickets, and I don't mind the ferry really

SUESMITH_2

when we had a coach company we used to run day trips to calais.

we used to start of at pidou as they were open earlier than the hypermarkets and I'm sure there used to be a stand outside selling Belgian chocolates, then off to the hypermarket - we never went to cite Europe but i'm sure we went to auchan. into Calais and park up outside the fancy building that is the townhall I think, few hours in Calais and then back home.

Tarry

Nothing wrong with using the ferry I tend too when I go to France. There is a not bad wine place that is not far from the Cite Europe, I think it's called Calais Vinne or something, you can't miss it, it has big letters on the building which seems quite good.

If you want more than a day trip I would recommend going to Boulogne and taking the coastal route and going to the "Caps", but that is if you want more than just a booze cruise.

RichyRich

Thanks - this is literally just a day trip leaving Dover early in the morning and returning on the 20:30 crossing, which gives us a reasonable amount of time in Calais - wife thinks we've been to Calais town centre before on a drive up from La Rochelle and it being quite nice but I think she's thinking of somewhere else - but not sure where! I seem to recall Calais being a bit of a dive...maybe I'm thinking of Dunkirk...really not sure!

The place wifey remembers as Calais had a big gothic style building in the middle of town, and a shopping centre that was a bit like an indoor market with independent shops/stalls and a supermarket upstairs via an escalator through which you could access the multi storey car park (I'm not thinking of Cite Europe here, it was more dated than that) - carp description I know, but does that sound like Calais?

Neilandrewhall

If you don't mind a drive go to Adinkerke cheaper booze than calais :P

jellybabe2

we love going to calais would go a lot more often if closer to dover do hate m25 love ferry
beer/wine
majestic calais
calais beer & wine
both you can pre order on line & taste samples there usually buy extra
also carrefore cite de europe
lunch
detroit is our fav
la sole meuniere also has cheap accommodation (good standard)
cafe de paris
le channel is also very good a bit posher
cote d argent
both in calais village, lots of good choices
have a good birthday

Tarry

I didn't explain myself well, I meant if you fancy leaving Calais town for a bit and heading down to Boulogne, it doesn't take long Day trip doable.

toshkininny

with regard to the rest of the day Boulogne sur mer and a sea life type place called http://www.nausicaa.co.uk/?gclid=CKWah5Hw0rICFcPHtAodSzMAWQ

is an interesting place to go to. Better than some Sea Life's in this country in my opinion, and couple of hours or so to go round. Easy to find and free parking.

michele-p

Hi, we did a booze cruise weekend a few years ago to buy the booze for our wedding. We ended up in Pidou on easter Sunday morning, when we explained what we were there for the manager was fantastic. We had an impromtu wine tasting in his office, and got such good advice and service. It was easy to see from the main road, and easy to get to.

I would also second a trip to Bologne Sur Mer, not that far away, and a really nice walled town. Easy to have a late lunch there, wander round, and get back for your ferry.

Have a good trip.