Calais, France » Entertainment » Festivals

Christmas Market

Held before actual arrival of Christmas, Boulogne’s Christmas Market is organized within the old city where a lot of arts and crafts are on display. One of its specialities include smoked herring fish and can overtake your list of favorite dishes. If you have a sweet tooth then you can try Christmas puddings and Craquelin pastries.

From: 13th December to 14th December

Address: Boulogne-sur-Mer Tourist Office, 24, quai Gambetta BP 187, 62203 Boulogne-sur-mer, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 83 53 72

Calais Christmas Lights

The festival’s name says it all. As it a celebration of lights, all the main displays, shopping streets and malls, monuments and the whole city centre is lit up with bulbs to welcome Christmas. The lighting is truly worth observing and appreciating.

From: 12th December to 14th December

Address: Calais Tourist Office, 2 boulevard Clemenceau, BP 94, 62100 Calais, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 96 62 40

Fax: +33 (0)3 21 96 01 92

Bike Tours of Le Touquet

Not exactly a festival, but Bike tours of Le Touquet are a popular way of exploring the area and is promoted by the tourist office each year during its peak tourist season. Every Sunday bikers get together outside the Palais de l'Europe and discover various aspects of the city such as its monuments, history, architecture, etc. You will need to hire your own bike.

From: 9th March to 14th December

Address: Nord Pas de Calais Tourist Office, 6, Place Mendès France, BP 99, 59028 Lille Cedex, Nord Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 20 14 57 57

Fax: +33 (0)3 20 14 57 58

Fête de la Dinde (Turkey Festival)

The turkeys of Licques are famous in France and before slaughtering them for Thanksgiving, they are paraded in the town as a show off. The town also produces a peculiar alcoholic drink called ‘Licquoise’ from which the city derives its name. This liquer if offered to the visitors before the turkey parade. All this happens on a Sunday morning after the conference of the town’s important people.

From: 13th December to 15th December

Address: Nord Pas de Calais Tourist Office, 6, Place Mendès France, BP 99, 59028 Lille Cedex, Nord Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 20 14 57 57, +33 (0)3 21 35 00 19

Fax: +33 (0)3 20 14 57 58

Calais Christmas Market/Parade

Calais arranges its annual Christmas market cum parade with much adore, which extends from the Theatre square to the shopping streets of the city centre. Nearly 100 stands display various artifacts and local dishes such as ond de Saint Nicolas biscuits.

From: 12th December to 14th December

Address: Calais Tourist Office, 2 boulevard Clemenceau, BP 94, 62100 Calais, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 96 62 40

Fax: +33 (0)3 21 96 01 92

Christmas Shop Window Contest

When it’s Christmas, shopholics rain in Calais. And shopkeepers try their best to attract customers to their stores in various ways by participating in the Best Christmas Shop Window contest. They decorate the interiors of their shops with snowflakes, Santa’s, and fancy good displays. And with so many customers visiting the shops during the seasonal rush, it’s but natural that they get to decide which store wins.

From: 1st December to 24th December

Address: Calais Tourist Office, 2 boulevard Clemenceau, BP 94, 62100 Calais, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 96 62 40

Fax: +33 (0)3 21 96 01 92

Calais Christmas Extravaganza

Calais Christmas Market Extravaganza or as it is lovingly known as Sommets de Noël, is a celebration that people of Calais wait eagerly for each year. Abundance of festivities and a market that is jam-packed with stalls selling various crafts, the extravaganza is worth each moment you spend in it. The festival starts at 7 pm on the last day of November when the Mayor of Calais switches on the lights of the town hall. The main highlight of the festival is the Grand Parade where turkeys are paraded in town as guests of honor before barbecuing them.

From: 30th November to 6th January

Address: Calais Tourist Office, 2 boulevard Clemenceau, BP 94, 62100 Calais, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 96 62 40

Fax: +33 (0)3 21 96 01 92

Rand'Opale

Rand'Opale is a hiking competition which includes different walking routes along the Opale coast. The starting and finishing point is at Leubringhen town which is just 15 minutes away from Calais. Every year more than 3000 hikers, joggers and mountaineers take part in the competition. One can choose any route, depending upon his/her stamina and liking.

From: May

Address: 390 route de Saint Tricat 62340 Hames Boucres, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 35 23 74

For more information, Visit Rand'Opale

Calais Christmas Parade

Christmas Parade in Calais starts with Father Christmas on his reindeer driven sleigh roaming around the main streets of Calais. The Parade starts at 3 pm in the afternoon from the nation, via Calais ending at Place d’Armes.

From: 14th December

Address: Calais Tourist Office, 2 boulevard Clemenceau, BP 94, 62100 Calais, Pas de Calais

Tel: +33 (0)3 21 96 62 40

Fax: +33 (0)3 21 96 01 92