France
Stays in Calais
Calais sits at the northern tip of the Cote d'Opale, where the Pas-de-Calais strait narrows to twenty-one miles of open water. The town pairs a working ferry port with a two-kilometre sand beach, a UNESCO-listed belfry and the lace workshops that made its name. Rooms run from seafront residences on the Digue Gaston Berthe to small hotels around Place d'Armes.
Updated July 25, 2026
Calais in numbers
The Cote d'Opale begins in earnest at Calais, where the chalk of Cap Blanc-Nez drops into the Channel a short drive west of the town hall. Travellers who stop here rather than driving straight through find a beach running along the Digue Gaston Berthe, a mechanical dragon that walks the seafront, and a belfry listed by UNESCO standing above Rodin's Burghers of Calais. Hotels cluster in three places: the seafront itself, the streets around Calais-Ville station, and the Saint-Pierre district inland on rue de Lille. Ferry and Eurotunnel schedules set the rhythm of the town, which is why late arrivals and pre-dawn departures are treated as normal here rather than as a favour.
12 stays in Calais
Family-friendlyCalais
Hotel Meurice
Bed & breakfastsCalais
Hotel Richelieu
Family-friendlyCalais
B&B HOTEL Calais Centre St Pierre
Seaside & beachfrontCalais
Hôtel Résidence du Golf
Spa & thalassoCalais
ibis Styles Calais Centre
Spa & thalassoCalais
Metropol Hotel
Family-friendlyCalais
Breeze Hotel
Spa & thalassoCalais
Holiday Inn Calais - Centre Car Ferry by IHG
Gîtes & cottagesCalais
Logis Hôtel & Restaurant & Bar LE COTTAGE
Seaside & beachfrontCalais
Hôtel De La Plage
Family-friendlyCalais
Brit Hotel Calais
Family-friendlyCalais
ibis Calais Car Ferry
What to expect
- Calais-Nord for the beach, the lighthouse and the Dragon de Calais
- Saint-Pierre and rue de Lille for cheaper rooms near the A16
- Free city buses across the entire Calais network
- Cap Blanc-Nez and the Deux Caps coast within a short drive
- Late-night check-in is standard around ferry and shuttle times
- Place d'Armes and the Tour du Guet at the heart of the old town
Local tips
- Take a seafront room on the Digue Gaston Berthe if you want the beach, and one near Calais-Ville station if you are catching an early train.
- Use the free city buses instead of driving in town, the whole Calais network costs nothing and reaches the ferry terminal and Saint-Pierre.
- Tell your hotel the ferry or Eurotunnel time when you book, several Calais properties keep a 24-hour desk for exactly that reason.
- Drive out to Cap Blanc-Nez in the late afternoon, the chalk cliffs face the strait and the light over the water is best then.
- Save the Cite de la Dentelle et de la Mode for a wet morning, the Leavers looms still run and they explain why this town matters.
Where to stay
Frequently asked questions
Calais-Nord puts you between Place d'Armes, the Tour du Guet and the beach, and it is walkable end to end. The Digue Gaston Berthe seafront suits drivers who want sea views and free parking. Saint-Pierre, around rue de Lille, is cheaper and sits closer to the A16 and the Eurotunnel terminal.