Calais and its port, a maritime identity to discover

In Calais, the port and the sea hold an important place. Its historic heart is located in the Courgain Maritime district. Rich in evidence of the local maritime soul, it is dominated by the lighthouse. Climbing to its summit reveals the different aspects of the port of Calais! As for the military heritage of the past, it is the fortress of Fort Risban that symbolizes it. Today it is a peaceful place for walking, and another look at this maritime universe.

Calais, a strategic port since the Middle Ages

From its origins, Calais and its port took an important place in the History of Europe. Facing England and close to powerful Flanders, the Calais of the time quickly became attractive to the surrounding powers. It was all the more so because after hard work, the people of Calais broadened their horizons by gaining territory from the sea. In the 13th century, Calais was already a major port on the maritime coast of northern France. The Count of Boulogne Philippe le Hurepel then decided to surround the city with walls and to equip it with a castle. Calais was a strategic jewel that England seized at the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. After the episode of the Burghers of Calais (1347), the city became an English possession for 211 years.

The History of the Burghers of Calais
entrance to Courgain maritime port Calais

Le Courgain Maritime, stronghold of seafarers

The port of Calais in the Middle Ages was the Bassin du Paradis. It is opposite Courgain Maritime, the district where the maritime soul of Calais sails. Moreover, he remained outside the city walls for a long time, forging a rebellious and united character. A stronghold of seafarers, it has seen generations of fishermen, sailors, sea rescuers and even privateers grow up! The fish and seafood stalls of the fishermen are a daily rendezvous (depending on the weather in the Opal Coast) for the people of Calais. Of course, the restaurants of Courgain Maritime are the pride of place for the delights of the sea...

The neighborhood is attached to its traditions. Associations perpetuate the maritime memorial heritage of Calais through exhibitions, ceremonies and festive events: August 15 Festival, Stopover in Calais, Blessing of the Sea, Herring Festival, Rock at Minck, etc.

The Paradise Pool
Photo with a view of the marina in the foreground and the Courgain maritime district in the background. ©Nohcab

The Calais lighthouse, for an overview!

It is the essential dominant building of a port district. In Calais, the lighthouse watches over the Courgain maritime. It has the particularity of being in the city, surrounded by houses and facing a church! Its location is also surprising. It is built on a hill that was once a bastion of the city's old fortifications.

Climbing up to the lighthouse is a must to appreciate the extent of the Calais port area and its different aspects: from pleasure boating to the transport of goods, including fishing and of course the ferries and its passenger flow, that of the leading French passenger port!

The reward for climbing 271 steps is a 360° panorama! There you can discover Calais, its hinterland, the port facilities, the Strait of Dover and, on a clear day, the cliffs of England. The lighthouse has an educational room on the evolution of maritime signaling techniques!

The Calais Lighthouse
Photo of the modernized Calais Lighthouse which replaced the Watchtower. ©Nohcab

Walk along the quays of Calais

Courgain Maritime is a spot to remember to take beautiful pictures. It is also discovering monuments that bear witness to the maritime history of Calais. Stories of men and women who have always lived to the rhythm of the sea. And it is at the same time nourishing, a source of pleasure, sometimes cruel. On a quay, the ordeal of the sailors remembers those who disappeared in the immensity of the sea. Opposite the restaurants, the Monument des Sauveteurs highlights the heroism of those who lost their lives trying to save others.

Monument to the Rescuers
courgain maritime calais detail facade
Photo of the emblematic facade of the immense emblematic building of the Courgain maritime district of Calais ©Nohcab

Calais XXL is a territory with a great variety of landscapes and architecture. At Courgain Maritime, the historical and maritime atmosphere is very present. Facing the quays, the La Matelote building embodies another aspect of the post-war reconstruction. With its straight gables, its numerous dormers breathe Flemish inspiration. This imposing architecture also leaves room for the soul of the district. At the top of the main pediment, in a niche, a statue looks towards the horizon: it represents a Courguinoise sailor, dressed in the traditional costume of this port district.

Calais, the evidence of a former military port

Mooring bollards are part of the decor of a quay, no matter which coastline you are on. Those placed around the Bassin du Paradis are worth a look: they are cannons that were turned over and taken from the enemy. They have been there since 1811, under Napoleon I. Shortly after, the Emperor abdicated in 1814. The monarchy would take its place again on the throne of France. The future Louis XVIII returned from his English exile on April 24, 1814. He took the shortest sea route, via the port of Calais! The Louis XVIII column recalls a decisive episode that marked the Restoration of the monarchy for several decades.

The Louis XVIII Column
A special feature of the Courgain Maritime district of Calais: the mooring bollards are in fact old cannons turned upside down. ©Nohcab

Fort Risban, watchtower of the port of Calais

Photo of Fort Risban and its foothills today in a green setting.

Facing the Courgain Maritime, the role of the fortress at the entrance to the port is clearly visible: Fort Risban was for centuries the lock of the port of Calais. The English were the first to use this strategic point to control access to Calais. Today Fort Risban has lost its military function. It is a place of contemplation and walking. The Risban stone wall goes around it and walking there leads to the seafront. On the way, you come across the Dragon of Calais on one side and the activity of the port on the other. Carefully climb to the top of Fort Risban to get a complete panorama. From there you can see the Courgain Maritime, the port facilities, the Dragon of Calais and Calais La Plage.

Fort Risban

The story of the Corsair Tom Souville

Near the marina, the maritime history of Calais still shines through the landscape. There is a mast, a blue and white flag (that of Calais) and a determined sailor. He looks out over the wide open spaces that the North Sea and the English Channel offer him. The statue of Tom Souville bears witness to the exploits of this 18th century privateer from Calais, feared by English ships. Facing the walls of Fort Risban, the Pluviôse Monument is a tragic reminder that Calais was also a submarine base. One of them, the Pluviôse, sank off Calais in May 1910, leaving the 27 submariners no chance.

The Tom Souville Monument
Photo of the Statue of the privateer Tom Souville and the blue and white flag of the port city of Calais. ©Nohcab