CTA member Calais XXL, the brand for the city of Calais tourism, is welcoming coach tours for an exciting range of upcoming events and classic attractions in the area.

Following the city’s history of urban theatre, visitors will be aware of the impressive spectacle of the Dragon of Calais, the 72-ton, 10-metre-high, fire-breathing mechanical beast that walks through the city’s streets and along the promenade. The dragon, based on a legend dating back to a visit to the city by Henry VIII, can carry passengers on its back, and it’s now joined by The Traveling Monitor Lizard, which can accommodate up to 25 people.

Staying on the urban street theme, the Calais Street Art festival takes place each summer with guided tours available to discover some of the 115 listed works by artists such as Banksy. Inspired by frescoes painted on the walls of the town’s buildings since 1975, the festival launched in 2020, and the permanent display forms a dense art trail to explore.

Calais is also famed for its history of lace production, which is brought to life by the Lace and Fashion Museum. The museum is also home to prestigious fashion exhibitions, and from 19 June 2027 until 2 January 2028, the location will host a major retrospective dedicated to Gianni Versace, marking thirty years since the iconic designer’s passing. The exhibition will include around 100 signature creations, accessories, and photographs following stops in London and Paris.

Within Calais, the Place d’Armes stages traditional markets every Wednesday and Saturday morning, while the Rue Royale is a centre of gastronomic exploration. Meanwhile, the city’s promenade has been redeveloped and meets an array of sandy beaches, forming part of the 75-mile Opal Coast, named in 1911 by painter Edouard Lévêque because of the seascape’s ever-changing opalescent light. The coastline is also home to the breathtaking white chalk cliffs of the Grand Site des Deux Caps.

A significant advantage for coach groups is Calais’ proximity to Britain, where basing a tour in the area, or a stop-over, provides a true cultural discovery. Find out more here or to arrange your visit, contact Caroline Delanghe at cdelanghe@calaisxxl.com or call +33 786 430 696.

Image credit: Stephane Ribeiro Da Ascencao.