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The closest point of mainland Europe to the UK, Calais has grown over the years from a quiet fishing village during Roman times to a thoroughfare for millions of travellers each year, making their way between France and England.


To view driving distances from Calais to other destinations in France and car rental depot information, click here

Drive a Hire Car in Calais

Whether arriving from the UK and collecting your rental car when you get here, or simply passing through, Calais is worth spending some time exploring, with some hidden gems found throughout the area.

Having once been an important strategic location for local empires and governments, Calais these days is the main pathway for travellers passing between France and the UK. Whether you are hiring a car on one side and popping over to the other for a day trip, or travelling into Calais on the Eurostar and collecting your rental on arrival, there are a few interesting attractions worth checking out before continuing on your journey.

Calais saw a lot of action during past conflicts in the area, particularly during WWII when much of the city was destroyed. To take a peak into the world of the soldiers that fought in the area, jump in your rental car and drive a short distance south of the port, to Parc Saint-Pierre, one of the main parks in town. In the park you will find Musee de la Guerre, a WWII museum house inside a bunker. Inside is a great collection of uniforms, weapons, and maps from several armies, and also has scale models of various structures from the war.

Back in the centre of town you will find a building unlike no other in France, the L’eglise de Notre Dame, or Church of Notre Dame in English. Built in the 13th century when the area was under English occupation, this is the only English gothic style church in France and has in the past been used for several famous weddings.

If you have some time to spare, why not hop in your hire car and cruise along the coast or through the nearby forests in the area. Rather than following the hoards of tourists driving along the main highway south to Paris, you could explore the small quiet towns in the area, and also enjoy lots of great views. Be sure to keep an eye out across the channel also, as the distance is so close, on clear days you can even see across to the famous white cliffs of Dover!

Rent a Car in Calais with DriveAway Holidays

DriveAway Holidays is a multi award winning Car Rental Wholesaler offering great rates on worldwide Car Hire, Motorhome Rentals, Peugeot Leasing and more. In conjunction with the largest suppliers in Calais, we provide you with convenience and more choice on your holiday. DriveAway Holidays provides 24/7 customer service and a safe, secure and reliable online booking engine. Book your Calais car hire today with DriveAway Holidays.

DriveAway Holidays can cover you for your insurance needs including personal Travel Insurance. With no Credit Card fees, no Amendment fees and no Cancellation fee policies; DriveAway Holidays is committed to providing you with a professional and friendly service to make your self-drive holiday a memorable experience in Calais.

DriveAway Holidays was created in 1988 and is proud to be Australia's leading self drive wholesalers. Our mission is to be the preferred choice for car rental bookings in Australia through our competitive prices, professionalism, leading technology, and most important of all, unbeatable customer service.