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Iris Crespo serves in her family's fromagerie
Food shopping in Calais
Ken Bennett28/10/2008
THE girl walking the aisle of the giant hypermarket in the sweeping, ankle length coat could easily be mistaken for a foreign spy…
But in reality, Sharron Livingston is a sleuth of the slurping kind who has taken over from White Van Man as one of Britain’s best answers to finding top continental booze, food and gifts at truly knockdown prices.
This bright, street-savvy Londoner spends months prowling the French ports in search of bargains that are even guaranteed to put a smile on the gloomy face of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
She tells me candidly: “Finding that elusive bargain is not only a joy, but a necessity.
“With Christmas looming, popping across the Channel for a boozy bargain or a Gallic-infused delicacy, is just the uplift we need.”
And even though the £1-Euro exchange rate is not as attractive as last year (in 2007 one euro cost 69p, today 80p), the differentials in duty levied in France are still high enough to offer Brits discounted shopping.
The French are also feeling the pinch, especially in Calais and Boulogne, where coveted British custom has slumped to record low levels.
Tempting
Here, prices in general have been tagged lower than last year in order to boost sales which is good news for Sharron, who edits two bargain-hunting traveller-savvy websites.
For instance, the legendary Carrefour hypermarket (pictures)at Cite Europe Shopping centre has prices 20 to 30 per cent less than some leading UK supermarkets. And, accompanied by my eagle-eyed sleuth, a quick browse along the aisles uncovers a 70cl bottle of 12-year Glenlivet for just £19.38 which retails in the UK for £25.78.
A bottle of Piper Heidsiec Champagne cost £20 - a £4 saving on a UK price - and, as a tempting sweetener, Carrefour are offering a 30 Euro bribe if you spend 200 Euros.
In Cite Europe, we discovered more than a hundred shops, from clothes, gifts, shoes and drink stores, are aching for your Euros.
Tesco regulars, for example, can find their favourite wines here for up to half price. Montana Sauvignon costs £3.74 a bottle, Casillero de Cabernet £3.49 – and shoppers still earn Tesco Club Card points.
Plus, of course, there are no limits – within reason - as to what you can bring back, so you can throw your New Year’s Eve party knowing you have stocked up with enough wine, beer and bubbly to take you and your posse happily into 2009.
Sharron points to December as the time to hit on the best deals. The Calais Christmas market takes over the town the weekend 12-14th December with its gorgeous gothic theatre as a centre piece.
Mingle with the locals over a glass or three of mulled wine and look out for strings of smoked garlic, honey, sauscissons (sausages) with herbs, olives or walnuts and of course, the unforgettable festive Christmas puddings. These may look ordinary, but brace yourself: the French add much more rum and serve it flambéd.
For cheeses, let your nose guide you to Maison du Fromage et du Vin, just off Place d’Armes, a fromagerie (cheese shop) owned by the Crespo family.
Truly local
Iris Crespo (pictured) smiles you through the doors to try before you buy. And her industrious husband, Arno, is a highly respected sommelier with his glorious French wines chosen to match superbly the bewildering array of cheeses.
Sea food lovers should catch the tide at Les Delices de la Mer in Boulevard la Fayette, a fishmonger selling the catch of the day. Or even more specialist, try the 100-year-old family-run Emile Fournier et Fils in rue Mouron, famous for shoals of smoked salmon, herring, trout and halibut.
For a truly local souvenir, don’t go home without something made from world famous Calaisien lace.
The industry was originally smuggled to Calais in the early 1800s from Nottingham, but inventive locals improved on it and made it their own.
Visit to Royal Dentelle at 106 Boulevard Jacquard or Noyon Boutique Dentelle, 85 rue de Vic, and choose a myriad of items including place mats, table clothes and lacy lingerie.
And you’ll be able to follow the history of this fascinating industry when a magnificent lace museum, with its stunning façade of replica cards that punched out the pre-ordained patterns on machines, opens in spring next year.
The town has also turned an old abbatoir into to an awe-inspiring theatre complex offering a host of concerts, shows and exhibitions for foot-sore bargain hunters who want to chill out.
And much later, after our marathon shopping spree, Sharron revealed another of her secrets: a lovely diner, Aqua’rail, on top of a block of flats with sublime seafood platters and stunning channel views.
Remember, you read it here … first.
Travel facts
Ken travelled to France as a guest of P&O Ferries who offer a choice of up to 25 return sailings a day on a 90-minute Dover to Calais crossing.
Day trip fares for a car and passengers (up to nine people in total) costs from £29 return. Or, for any length of stay, from £27 each way. Upgrade to Club Lounge for £12 a person each way.
And they also have a superb Langen’s Brasserie on board. Check out: poferries.com, or call: 08716 646464 for bookings and further information.
For Sharron Livingston’s best bargains, and hot tips to get the best out of a shopping trip, visit her websites at:
www.channelhoppers.net or
www.calais-guide.co.uk.
Further information about shops, restaurants, events and attractions in Calais, is at
www.ot-calais.fr
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