Day trips to France

It couldn’t be easier to travel from the UK for a day trip to France or short break. After all, it only takes 35 minutes to get from Folkestone to Calais. Your ticket price includes your vehicle and up to 9 passengers, and is the fastest way to travel to France. 

How much is a day trip to France with LeShuttle?

If you are thinking of doing a day trip to France with LeShuttle,

the best value fare we offer is the Day Trip & Overnight ticket, costing £59 and valid for a maximum of two travel days and one night away. 

If you are looking for a longer time away, perhaps a city break or long weekend, the Short Stay Saver is valid for return travel for breaks of five days or less. This costs £98 per vehicle each way. 

How could you make the cost of a day trip to France even less?

The more people you have in your group, the less a day trip to France will cost per person with LeShuttle. So for five people travelling in one car, the total cost of the return trip on a Short Stay Saver ticket would be £36 each*, because the cost of the ticket is for the vehicle. This would be even less when the Day Trip and Overnight fare is available. So with LeShuttle, the more is definitely the merrier!

(* £180 divided by 5 = £36)

What documents are needed for day trips to France?

To visit France for the day, you’ll need a valid passport with at least three months’ validity remaining. You should also bring your UK driving license, valid vehicle insurance, display a UK car sticker and a Crit’Air vignette if you are driving into cities with low emission zones.

We’d also recommend carrying travel insurance documents to cover any unexpected situations during your trip.

The best destinations for a day trip in France

Popping over to France for the day? Here are some great places to explore without needing an overnight stay.

Calais - Easy access, shopping and sea air

Driving distance from Calais terminal: 5 miles, 11 mins – (our terminal is in Coquelles, just outside the town of Calais)

This historic Roman port is often overlooked by day trippers who stop off purely for the supermarkets. However, you quickly find that Calais has plenty to offer sightseers.

Much of the town was destroyed during World War ll, but of the surviving buildings a must see is the stunning Flemish Renaissance-style town hall, with a clock tower which can be spotted from miles out to sea. Open to visitors daily (8am-noon and 1.30-5.30pm), the building features elaborate interiors and houses several paintings of historic events in the area.

Immediately in front of the town hall is a cast of one of Auguste Rodin's most famous works, The Six Burghers, which depicts the surrender of the town keys to the English in 1357.

A 15-minute walk away lies one of Calais' best kept secrets – a beautiful sandy beach dotted with white wooden beach huts and offering the opportunity for a spot of sunbathing, or even a quick dip into the Channel.

Other sites to take in include the stylish 19th Century lighthouse, the medieval Place D'Armes and the Fine Art Museum, which features works by Rodin, Picasso and Dubuffet. So next time you think of Calais, don't just write it off as a destination for booze cruisers. Get to know the real Calais and you'll find a new day trip destination that's closer than you think.

Shopping in Calais 

Of course, we couldn’t have a guide to a France day trip without talking about the shopping. Calais is still best known for the quick cross-Channel hop to the hypermarkets. The biggest one is Carrefour Cité Europe, just outside the LeShuttle terminal. Fill up your trolley with wine, beer, cheese, chocolates, or whatever takes your French fancy!

Calais also has plenty of independent wine merchants, bakeries, delis and boutiques. The shopaholic will be in heaven! Plus, don’t miss the many wonderful markets selling fresh local produce.

Le Touquet-Paris-Plage - Sandy beaches and outdoor activities

Driving distance from Calais terminal: 43 miles, 1 hour

Popular with England's rich and famous, the seaside resort of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage has played host to film stars and even royalty over the years, and now the town's faded seaside glamour is attracting a whole new generation of socialites and sightseers.

The long sandy beach is large enough for visitors to find their own quiet space plus a promenade and dunes provide excellent walking or cycling opportunities. For the kids there’s a water park and a magnificent period carousel.

Sports fans will not be disappointed either as Le Touquet boasts three golf courses as well as sand yachting, sailing and riding opportunities. And if all that sounds a bit tiring, relax in the 1930s covered market at the junction of Rue De Metz and Rue St Louis, which is held every Thursday and Saturday and where you can buy a wide range of fresh fish, meat, bread and delicacies.

If you're looking for an active France day trip, Le Touquet is the place for you.

Lille - Museums, monuments and city buzz

Driving distance from Calais terminal: 68 miles, 1 hour 15mins

Lille is capital of the Hauts-de-France region and the country's fourth-largest city. Lille has a rich history to uncover. If you’re into culture, this town’s museums, architecture and monuments will keep you busy for a day trip or weekend away. Stop by quaint Vieux Lille (old town) to see the restored buildings that now house cafes, boutique shops and art galleries, or marvel at The Goddess Column that commemorates the town’s resistance to the Austrian’s in 1792.

Lille’s food and craft markets are some of the best in France, especially at Christmas time, when the main square becomes a winter wonderland. But shopping here is great all year round thanks to the city’s numerous outdoor markets. For an authentic taste of Lille’s markets, head to family-friendly quartier populaire of Wazemmes, 1.3km southwest of place du Général de Gaulle. Here, Marche de Wazemmes market sells everything from flowers to textiles. Be sure to check ahead on dates and times and get ready to stock up on plenty of gifts to take home with you.

Dunkerque - History, harbours and coastal walks

Driving distance from Calais terminal: 31 miles, 40mins

For a France day trip to remember, head to the port of Dunkirk, or Dunkerque in French, will forever be emblazoned in history as the scene of the mass evacuation of French and British troops from the advancing German forces in World War ll.

Since then, the town has been totally rebuilt and is now a working port. Its museums grant fascinating insight into a past which played a pivotal role in the history of mankind — a must for anyone interested in the subject.

The Operation Dynamo War Museum is open daily from April to September from 10am to 12 noon and from 2pm to 5pm and is housed in a 1939 French army headquarters. Featuring a plethora of equipment used during the evacuations and the testimonies of soldiers involved, the museum helps you get closer to what Churchill described as "The miracle of Dunkirk."

For a different era, try the Port Museum which displays the rich fishing heritage of the town. And after exploring the famous beaches take time to stroll around the ramparts for impressive views of the area.

For history buffs of all levels a day trip to Dunkerque is the ideal way to get a little closer to the past. To connect with the port’s past in a unique and lively way, why not visit between February and March to enjoy the Dunkirk carnival festivities?

Boulogne-sur-Mer - A historic city on the Côte d’Opale

Driving distance to the Calais terminal: 19 miles, 30 mins

Boulogne-sur-Mer 

Just half an hour by car from our terminal is Boulogne-sur-Mer, the historic city on the Côte d’Opale. From the seafront and fishing port, the largest in France, to the stunning Basilica of Notre-Dame that overlooks the city, there is so much to see and do in Boulogne. Foodies will love the famous fish market, where herring, shellfish and crabs are the speciality, or you could wander round the pretty old town, with its UNESCO belfry and medieval walls. 

Boulogne is rich in history. It was an important port for the Romans, fought over repeatedly in Tudor times and where Napoleon gathered his huge Grande Armée for his aborted invasion of Britain. Top your day off with a visit to Nausicaá, the largest aquarium in Europe. This is one of the best family attractions in France, where children can have fun with close encounters with sharks and also learn about the importance of the seas to the planet’s health.

Saint-Omer - Art, architecture and public gardens

Driving distance from Calais terminal: 28 miles, 39 mins

This little "town of yellow bricks" (so named for its golden bricked buildings) is bursting with art and has a rich textiles and ceramics history. Featuring colourful town houses and elegant architecture, there are also public gardens to explore and ruins of the Saint-Bertin’s Abbey to marvel at. This is a place to wander at your own pace for a day trip or weekend break.

History lovers and those who appreciate architecture will be in their element in Saint-Omer and the surrounding area. Built from the 13th to the 16th century, Saint-Omer’s cathedral is the final great example of Gothic architecture in the northern provinces of France. The end of the nave is dressed by the pipes of an enormous organ flanked by Rubens’ and Lebrun’s paintings. The 16^th century astrological clock housed in the cathedral is said to be one of the oldest in the entire country.

For a unique and fun expedition, a lovingly renovated 1950s train travels through the region from Arques to Lumbres, stopping at many of the best tourist sites along the way. Book a ticket and enjoy the (incredibly photogenic) ride.

Paris - Can you do a day trip to Paris from the UK?

Driving distance from Calais terminal: 177 miles, 3 hours 30 mins

Spend the night in Paris!The drive to Paris from Calais takes around three and a half hours, making it a substantial journey! While that’s a fair stretch for a day trip, with a LeShuttle Day Trip & Overnight ticket, however, you could spend a night in Paris. That will give you more time to pack in some of its many sights, including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame cathedral. 

Visit France for the day with LeShuttle

LeShuttle is definitely the quickest way to get to Calais for your day trip to France. It takes just 35 minutes to take your vehicle through the Channel Tunnel. Compare this to a ferry crossing, which can take around 90 minutes. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the weather, choppy waters and upset stomachs! Book your short break with LeShuttle today and start planning what you are going to do on your France day trip.