Shopping in Calais (Shopping in Calais)

Member Name: grahamt

Product:	Shopping in Calais
Date:	10/12/00 (2682 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unbeatable prices, unbelieve variety

Disadvantages: You have to go to France

Most people who take the trip to Calais to go shopping usually end up at Cite d'Europe, right next to the Shuttle terminal. There is no doubt that it is very convenient.

There is a Tescos wine store there that has all of the excellent wines that you find also in the UK but at about £1 per bottle less than UK prices.

There is also a Carrefour there that has a whole range of products, not just wine, beer and spirits. The quality of the merchandise is good and it is very convenient, being so close to the shuttle.

A little further from the shuttle and ferry terminals you will find several outlets, mostly for alcoholic drinks.

Most people have heard of Eastenders. It's very much a bulk purchase outlet. If all you want is cheap booze then this is the place for you.

The Wine & Beer Company in Calais itself (three outlets, Rue de Judee, ZA Marcel Doret; Av. Roger Salengro, Route de Boulonge, Coquelles; Rue de Phalsbourg) has some good quality wines and has a specialist section for higher than average quality products. Of course, at a saving of around £1 per bottle, at this end of the market the overall savings are not so great.

However, I would like to recommend to you the best overall place to go. This is a hypermarket so you can buy everything you could possibly want under one roof. We mave been there many times and the range of selections of wines is outstanding.

The place is Auchan (pronounced Ocean). You will find it at Avenue Roger Salengro, Route de Boulogne (RN1), Coquelles. If you haven't been for a number of years you may remember it as a Mammoth supermarket. It's still the same place but it's now under new ownership.

It also has a Sainsburys outlet in the same building if you feel the need to retreat to something you recognise.

Do, however, investigate the main store. It's immense. The drinks section has the biggest range of wines I have ever s
een in one place. The range covers the entire spectrum from the very cheapest plonk to the very best of wines.

We do all of our buying there. There is virtually no need to look elsewhere. We have our favourites and tend to buy them a dozen at a time. This is usually not a problem as the store tends to have still boxed bottles as well as loose bottles.

There are also loads of different beers, including UK ones from top quality brewers such as Shepherd Neame. You can also find all of the usual canned beers and also the biggest selling beer in Kent, the French lager, St Omer.

In addition you can buy all you favourite cheeses. We love French cheese, especially Morbier, which only Tescos have ever sold in the UK.

Their food is superb quality. They also sell a whole range of clothing, electrical goods and so on.

I have never seen a store quite like this in the UK. I just wish they would open one in the UK but at French prices. But, I suppose Gordon Brown would have something to say about that.

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