©Keevin Lecointe Top 8 activities to do with the family in Calais XXL
Fancy a big breath of fresh, salty air this summer? Calais THE Beach is the ideal seaside resort to treat yourself with your family! But What to do in Calais with family during the summer holidays? Double-decker bus rides to Cap Gris Nez, climbing the great Calais lighthouse, breathtaking dragon rides… Here are several activity suggestions to please children, share moments and create family memories.
1› Travel on the back of a dragon
Legend has it that the Dragon comes from an underground world from which he escaped during the expansion of the port of Calais. He has since lived on the seafront and roamed the recently renovated beach forecourt, facing the ballet of ferries. Guardian of the balance of the worlds, he watches over the city of Calais and its inhabitants.
Embark on the terrace nestled on its back with your whole tribe for an extraordinary and unique journey to the rhythm of this 72-ton animal. Imagine the shining eyes of your children when the Dragon stretches its wings and takes flight 10m high along the seafront (Rest assured parents, the journey is perfectly safe).
The Dragon Company
©Nohcab 2› Discover Calais lace
In the heart of Calais, the City of Lace and Fashion has many stories to tell: those of a city and an industry, and above all those of people and families. Together, you can immerse yourself in this lace industry that profoundly changed the lives of Calais residents in the 19th century. The museum can be visited at your own pace, as you pass through the objects, machines (on display!), photos and period documents.
Two places in particular will allow you to immerse yourself in this world: the impressive lace machine room and the first room which gives you the feeling of finding yourself in the era of queens, marquises and other princesses. Educational booklets will allow you to share this discovery together, it's up to you to choose between quizzes and investigations, in a relaxing setting with its low-light spaces to protect the textile treasures found there.
The City of Lace and Fashion
©Fred Collier 
©F. Kleinefenn Exhibition of air and dreams
After the Japanese Yuima Nakazato, the City of Lace and Fashion in Calais continues its meetings with Asian designers. From June 14, 2025 to January 4, 2026, the world of Yiqing Yin, the first Chinese designer to receive the prestigious “Haute Couture” designation, will be on display.
Exhibition of Air and Dreams3› Beach snack sequence
At any time on the seafront, fries are a party! Here the portions are generous and the potato is sublime. Installed on one of the many benches or picnic tables facing the sea or directly on the sand, fries are eaten with your fingers (be careful, they are hot). A simple and authentic pleasure to share with the family. At snack time, children (young and old) will be delighted with the good Italian ice creams from Siegler or Diégo, on sale in these colorful trucks that can be seen all along the seafront.
A debate is raging among the people of Calais to find out which of the two ice cream makers offers the best ice cream. To help us decide, we'll have to taste both! After this delicious snack, why not take the opportunity to follow the discovery tour of the city established by the tourist office for the "Happy Fiu" (Fiu means child in the local dialect). If the children manage to answer the little questions, they will be given a gift! The map of the tour is available at the reception of the Tourist Office.
The beaches of the Calais coast XXL
©Nohcab 4› Skate park & beach games
Have a drink in one of the beach bars while your teens perform ollies, tailwhips and other freestyle tricks! The youngest can learn under your supervision in the bowl dedicated to them. And if you forgot the scooter, no problem, the children will enjoy the many play structures right next to the skatepark while you can lounge on the deckchairs available. A great way to relax and allow the children to let off steam!
©Nohcab 5› Climb to the top of the lighthouse
A real challenge to take on as a family if you feel ready to climb the 271 steps (you can count them, they are there!) of the spiral staircase. Go at your own pace and take the time to answer the fun little questions along the staircase. The reward will be a panoramic view giving you the impression of dominating the city, the sea and the port. Equipped with binoculars (which you can rent on site), you will see the many boats sailing the Strait of Dover, one of the busiest in the world! Among these ships, imagine that of the Calais privateer Tom Souville sailing offshore at the end of the 18th century... The educational area at the foot of the lighthouse tells you the history of lighthouse keepers and their profession.
The Calais Lighthouse
©Fred Collier 
©Fred Collier 6› Admire the Strait of Pas-de-Calais from the top of Cap-Blanc-Nez
Discover a breathtaking panorama together! It's a bit like the "end of the world" of Hauts-de-France, where the land stops to make way for the sea... and sometimes a mystery guest, Great Britain, very often visible when the weather is clear. In addition to the landscape, this Strait of Pas-de-Calais which separates the continent from Great Britain is a place that lives, with its maritime traffic. Classified as a "Grand Site de France", nature is preserved there and gentle paths are present to peacefully enjoy this large space. Of course, this protected natural environment requires safety rules, whether at the top (it's still a cliff!) or at the foot of Cap Blanc Nez.
©Nohcab Go there with the wind in your hair with the Div'in, a free double-decker bus that runs every day in summer between Calais and Cap Blanc Nez. No parking problems and what's more, this bus is free. Children will love going all the way to the top in the front row and pretending to drive the bus.
7› Marvel at butterflies and flowers
In the maritime plain, between Calais and Gravelines, finding a place like the Beau Pays garden is an incredible surprise, both for the exoticism it makes you experience and for the calm garden-setting it offers visitors. This place is ideal for a family walk. Nature is omnipresent, between local species and plants from other countries. The different atmospheres were imagined by Pierre Lavalée, an enthusiast always ready to give explanations to all types of public. This soothing route will certainly amaze the youngest during the passage in the butterfly greenhouse and its tropical atmosphere. It is of course in the summer that we can share in the most beautiful way this moment of disconnection with the family. A little tip: visit the Beau Pays garden in the morning, the butterflies (like humans!) are often more active there.
The Garden of the Beautiful Country
©Nohcab 
©Nohcab 8› Cycling with the family on the Véloroute
The most important thing for a family bike ride is to be able to do it safely. This is the case for this bucolic route, between greenery and canal. Without constraints, except to master the 2-wheeled machine, this route is only used by cyclists, pedestrians and joggers… and of course scooter enthusiasts! All the conditions are met to share a relaxed moment together and do a (gentle) sporting activity with the family. Start at the Pont de Coulogne towards the Marais cycle route n° 5, parking is available near the Coulogne media library, in the pleasant Parc de l'Octogone. At your own pace, the moment of relaxation is guaranteed to maintain the children's taste for two-wheelers… and why not give them their first pedal strokes!
The marsh cycle route
©Nohcab