Campsites in Calais for speedy stopovers and longer hols
Stay at a campsite in Calais and you’ll soon see this port city and its surrounds aren’t just places to pass through on your way to the UK or France…
In fact, this region known for its transport links is a destination in its own right, with a handful of historical attractions in the centre and access to miles upon miles of golden sandy beaches on the Opal Coast.
Our stellar selection of campsites in Calais also makes the city worthy of a stop – select from tent, motorhome or touring caravan pitches out in the lush countryside or choose quirky accommodation like a yurt by the sea.
Campsites in Calais: from woodland lodges to pitches near the ferry port
There are plenty of traditional campsites in Calais with not much more than green fields as far as the eye can see. But if you’re after somewhere to stay with a real roof and four walls? There’s accommodation aplenty to pick from on this page, whether you’d like a lodge in the middle of leafy woodland or a caravan in a secluded spot.
Want to create a mini home from home at your tent or campervan touring pitch? Take a look at the filters on the left for Calais campsites with space to fit a gazebo or awning. Set up a kitchen outdoors and make meals alfresco or look for parks with shared cooking facilities if you’re planning on prepping edible masterpieces made from local ingredients.
And now we come to the location… If you don’t have much time to explore the city or surrounding coast and just need a place that’s a breeze to reach from the port, it’s best to stay at a Calais campsite just off one of the main D roads.
For somewhere to settle down once you’re on the other side of the water, this selection of campsites also includes pitches and accommodation over the English Channel in Kent.
Things to do in Calais when camping in northern France
The Côte d'Opale – or Opal Coast – is one of the main reasons to linger for longer around Nord Pas de Calais. This 26-mile-long stretch of seaside is stuffed with underrated fishing villages and resort towns edged by sandy beaches.
Mix up days yachting, kayaking and jetskiing in the English Channel with wanders around Calais’ city centre, taking in the grand façade of the neo-renaissance red-brick town hall before jumping in the lift up to the tower for ace views out over the streets below.
More panoramas are to be had from the top of Calais’ lighthouse, another local landmark, and the oldest church around, the Église Notre-Dame, where former French President Charles de Gaulle got married, is worth a look too.
As followers of England’s royals might already know, Calais is famed for its lace-making heritage, and the intricate fabric crafted here was used on the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress. Learn all about the material, plus take in some local history at the same time, in the city’s Museum of Fashion and Lace when on your Calais camping trip.
Where’s next on your list? For historical holidays, we’d recommend taking a look at the campsites around Ypres.
