Holiday Inn Calais Coquelles

French toilets

by jo104

I needed to go to the ladies, and was directed to a public toilet the make known as Sanisette.
The instructions were in writing as well as audible but the door did not open (perhaps someone inside already - we do not know) Beware though to discourage vagrants the door opens after 15 minutes & then the whole toilet is washed, scrubbed & disinfected in 60 seconds ready for the next visitor. Young children may be too light to activate the system & unless you want your child to be included in spin cycle it is best to accompany them into the loo. The cost was not much but change is not given.

The story of the citizens of Calais

by ATLC

It was during the 100 year war between France and England, that King Edward III besieged the city of Calais for over 11 months. The people of Calais were near starvation so the governor of the town pleaded to the king to set the people free and take possession of the town and all its riches. King Edward however, would only do this if six prominent and rich citizens of Calais would come out of the city barefooted and bound by ropes, to hand over the keys to the city and surrender themselves to an uncertain fate. The richest merchants of the town, Jean d'Aire, Jacques and Pierre de Wissant, Jean de Fiennes, Andrieus d'Andres and Eustache de Saint-Pierre, came forward to offer themselves up.
The King was persuaded by his wife, Queen Phillipine, and had mercy on them and sent them home.

DAY TRIPPERS

by whitecliff62

"DUTY FREE DAY TRIP"

Calais for me is just a convenient way to get duty free shopping at cheap prices, that is not to say calais has nothing else to offer because it has. But i must admitt that the only reason i go there is because its coz i live just outside Dover and its sometimes cheaper for me to pop over to France and do my shopping than it is to shop here. The gap between Dover and Calais is only 21 miles across the channel and it only takes one and a half hours by p&o super ferries and once you are over there you will find Calais is a tipical French sea port with nothing really much going on, although there are some fantastic seafood restaurants, my tip whould be to head inland just a little because Calais has some beautiful countryside all around it.