Head to Calais in northern France for a spot of Christmas shopping and make great savings on wine and spirits and stock up on fabulous French Christmas goodies. While you’re there enjoy the Christmas lights a festive Christmas market, and maybe even take a ride on the back of a dragon!
Yule love your Grape Escape!
Great Christmas shopping savings on wines and spirits in Calais
Wine store Calais Vins near Calais Port and Olivier Vins & Cie (formerly Franglais Wine) near Eurotunnel’s terminal, are all set to help British visitors choose the perfect wines for Christmas. And they offer great savings. Compared to UK prices, you could for instance save more than 50% on sparkling Crémant. On top of this, they offer an easy to use duty free reclaims service which means British customers can also benefit from a further 15% off the bill.
Wine and food pairings for Christmas
Ever wondered which wines to pair with turkey, roast ham, or roasted chestnuts? Or perhaps with a Christmas pudding or New Year’s Eve buffet where your Philippe Olivier cheese is sure to be the talk of the table. Calais Vins have a fabulous selection of wines to suit all tastes and budgets and are happy to give advice – just ask. For instance, Jérôme Pont advises “pair turkey with Bourgogne wines and roast ham with Bordeaux. For the veggie palate, a Beaujolais Brouilly or a Fleurie will match perfectly. When it comes to Champagne, there’s a huge choice but for just €19.90 Champagne Brut Premier Cru By Autréau is superb or there’s a superb Crémant de Bourgogne Bailly lapierre Réserve at €8.90 – both are a bit of a steal.”
There’s also cremant de Bourgogne Cuvée Elisabeth II from Château de L’Hestrange. This stunning Chardonnay based sparkling wine was served at the party for the 90th birthday celebrations of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II in Windsor. Perfect for raising a toast on Christmas Day and at €8.90 a bottle it’s a top of the range white wine that won’t break the bank. And don’t forget that you can get an extra 15% off all your wines and spirits in Calais Vins or Olivier Vins &Cie when you claim your VAT refund.
Great French foods for a festive meal
Jérôme Pont from Calais Vins says “Once you’ve got your wine from Calais Vins, pop next door to the famous cheese shop of Philippe Olivier, one of the most renowned cheeses affineurs of France, where you’ll find a range of sublime cheese. And on the other side of our shop is Pain et Levain where you’ll find superb bread and cakes. Wine, cheese and bread – it’s an irresistible French trio!” There are lots of great food, fashion and French produce shops in the town, and a super street market on Saturday mornings as well as street markets in nearby towns and villages every day of the week.
Tip: take bags and a cool box to carry your treats home.
Festive French fun for Christmas in Calais
Enjoy the spirit of Christmas in Calais where the Christmas lights will be on from 26 November 2022 to 4 January 2023. There’s also a Christmas village, skating rink and old fashioned carousel, a great place for Christmas gifts and to soak up the festive atmosphere with a glass of vin chaud. If you’re there for the weekend of 10-11 December 2022, Olivier Vermisse of Olivier Vins & Cie recommends you don’t miss the traditional Fetes des Dindes, the turkey festival at the nearby village of Licques, famous throughout France for its quality poultry production. “Accordeon music, a delicious lunch, grand food market and a procession of turkeys through the street – it’ doesn’t get much more French and festive than that!” he says.
And for something completely different, seek out the Dragon of Calais! The fire-breathing, eye-lid batting, 72-tonne dragon roams around the historic sites of Calais several times a day and lives in a glass lair on the beach. You can even take a 45-minute ride on the dragon’s back (kids under 3 go free).
Stop off at Calais Vins, near Dover Port, or at Olivier Vins & Cie near the Eurotunnel terminal, and pick up some great wines and spirits for Christmas, plus get your VAT refunded for extra Christmas spirit.
Find out more about how to get your VAT duty refunded, pre order through the click and collect service to save time and find out more about the fabulous wines and spirits on offer: wine-calais.co.uk
