Had Dr. Johnson been a booze-cruiser, he might well have remarked that: "he who is tired of Calais is tired of life, for there is all that life affords."

And - wow - is it affordable or what!!!

From the port, Calais may not be the prettiest town in the world, but with such a wide variety of wine and beer outlets, catering for every taste and budget, who cares? With its mixture of hypermarkets, supermarkets and specialist retailers, Calais really is the booze-cruise capital of France and is, quite simply, unmissable.

Cross channel travel itself couldn't be easier and ranges from Eurotunnel to the more sedate ferries of P&O or SeaFrance. With varying special offers on board or at the Eurotunnel terminal, it is sometimes possible to save the cost of your crossing before you set foot in France! It is even possible to get your ferry crossing free of charge if you pre-order with Majestic Wine *. Once in Calais, all the major outlets are close at hand and easily found, particularly if you obtain a copy of the "Shoppers Map to Calais", available on many of the ferries, or direct from Amazon UK.

The booze outlets (as listed below) are conveniently situated around the Calais autoroute. However, for those looking to experience something more, Calais town centre has a lot to offer.
 

Franglais
World Shopping
Tesco Vin Plus
Carrefour
Oddbins
Auchan
Sainsbury's
  Vignobles & Saveurs de France
Calais Vins
Le Chais
The Wine Rack
Le Continent
Pidou
Cheers
Perardel Wine Merchant
Wine and Beer World
Eastenders
Boozers
 Bottles

These outlets are listed in a rough order, starting with the establishment furthest from the port, and working our way back.

See the sketchmap for details.