Take a Last Minute Day Trip to France this Mother's Day

The wintry weather is finally leaving so why not take advantage of the longer days and warmer weather this Mother’s Day weekend and treat your mum to a day out in Calais? The city has undergone a huge transformation in recent years.

DFDS can help you give your mum the perfect Mother’s Day from start to finish. Sail in style in the exclusive Premium Lounge where you can relax in the peace and quiet, take in the sea views and sip on a complimentary glass of Prosecco. Pastries and macarons, as well as fresh fruit, snacks, and hot and cold drinks are all included in your Premium Lounge experience.

Once you’re in Calais you won’t be short of things to do, and whatever the weather Calais beach and its boardwalk are well worth a visit. The white, sandy beach stretches as far as the eye can see and is one of the many places in Calais that has benefitted from the town’s substantial makeover.

Along the bustling beachfront you’ll find restaurants serving locally caught seafood, ice cream parlours, and friteries where you can grab a snack to take with you as you stroll along the seafront and enjoy the views out over the Channel to the White Cliffs of Dover in the distance. The beach is just a 15-minute walk from the city centre, and you might even encounter the formidable Calais Dragon prowling along the promenade while you’re there!

Opened in 2009 in the former Boulart Lace Factory, the Museum of Lace and Fashion is a real hidden gem in Calais, with a range of items including the original, working lace machines from the 19th century, decorations and of course, dresses, some of which are centuries old.

Calais is famous for its exquisite lace, which has been incorporated into the collections of the world’s greatest designers and the wedding dresses of millions of women for centuries - you only have to think of iconic wedding dresses like those worn by the Princess of Wales, Grace Kelly, and Jackie Kennedy to see the beauty of such a delicate material.

The museum houses some of the most beautiful, bizarre, and breath-taking examples of lacework in the world with work from designers such as Balenciaga, Givenchy and Iris van Herpen. Explore at your own pace or join a guided tour to discover the fascinating history and process of lacemaking.

It may come as a surprise to travellers who have visited in the past, but Calais has a thriving food scene. As well as its many patisseries, chocolateries and bistros, Calais is home to five Michelin starred restaurants. Histoire Ancienne and Au Cote D’Argent are just two of Calais’ top establishments, serving fresh seafood and classic French favourites right in the heart of Calais.

At Histoire Ancienne the warm, welcoming atmosphere and traditional, hearty food will make you realise just why France is so famous for its food, and the art-deco style throughout the restaurant is something straight out of a Lautrec painting. If you want a taste of France both culturally and gastronomically then this is the place for you!

In an area renowned for its fishing industry, it is no surprise that some of the finest seafood in Northern France can be found at Au Cote D’Argent. The sea is at the heart of Au Cote D’Argent – the fish and seafood are freshly caught and delivered daily, the menu and décor are inspired by the sea and its stunning location offers uninterrupted views over the sand dunes and across the Channel.

Calais has some great shopping areas, and you can find one of the best right in the centre of town. Head down Rue Royale and visit some of the shops, bars and cafes along this cool and quirky Calais street. It is full of speciality stores selling local products, including cheese, wine and chocolate, as well as patisseries and boulangeries selling mouth-watering pastries.

While you’re waiting to board your ferry back to the UK, look around DFDS’ port Duty Free shop and pick up some last-minute items – it’s located right in front of the car lanes so you can’t miss it! With over 1000m² of retail space spread across two floors and an enviable selection of your favourite brands, including L’Oreal, Yankee Candle and Rituals, you can pick up some amazing deals at up to 50% off UK high street prices. A recently-opened upstairs coffee shop means you can also grab a coffee and French pastry while you wait for your homeward sailing.

Now that spring is finally here it’s time to crack out the gin and tonic and enjoy the warmer weather. Whitley Neill has a range of flavours including Blood Orange, Raspberry and Blackberry, which are included as part of the 4 for £60 deal available at duty-free. These one-litre bottles are priced individually at £19.99, saving you more than £18 on certain bottles (vs UK high street prices) and giving you even better value for money!

One of the most popular gins in the duty-free collection is The Botanist. Distilled on the Isle of Islay in Scotland, this has proved to be a firm favourite in the shop – and makes for an incredible Martini! At just £24.99 for one litre, you can save £26.43 compared to the UK high street.

The DFDS Duty Free shop at Calais has the added benefit of a fantastic team of dedicated and knowledgeable experts. Julian and his team at the Calais shop are passionate about wine and will be more than happy to help you learn more about the wine on sale and even discover something new. There are chances to sample some of the wines available at duty free and plenty of incredible deals by the bottle and by the case – the perfect way to round off an unforgettable Mother’s Day!

Book a day out with Mum from £39 return on DFDS’ Dover to Calais service. For more information visit www.dfds.com.

Michelle Ulyatt / Adam Toombs / Charlotte Burnap / Karen Bayfield

Roch PR Ltd

T: +44 1304 272509

E: dfdsteam@rochpr.com

DFDS provides ferry and transport services in and around Europe, generating annual revenues of EUR 2.3 bn.

To over 10,000 freight customers we deliver high performance and superior reliability through ferry & port terminal services, and transport and logistics solutions. DFDS delivers high reliability to more than 10,000 freight customers through ferry and port terminal services and transport and logistics solutions.

For more than five million passengers, it provides safe overnight and short sea ferry services.

Our 8,000 employees are located on ships and in in offices across 20 countries. DFDS was founded in 1866, is headquartered in Copenhagen, and listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.

In the UK, DFDS operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe.

DFDS has been named ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for 11 years running (2012-2022), as well as the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for the last 12 years (2011-22).

DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk. DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the UK network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven and Dieppe, which has four daily sailings and is owned by Transmanche Ferries.

For further information about DFDS, or to find out about the latest sailing times, fares and offers across all routes from the UK, visit www.dfds.com.