Wine and Beer Outlets

The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, may think it is okay to tax the Brits into sobriety, but we say: 'what a great excuse to hop across the Channel for a great day out and bag some bargains'.

Just a hop and skip across the Channel are thousands of vinous bargains just jostling on the shelves for your attention. For example, did you know you can save around £2.50 on your favourite bottle of wine and around a £5 on a bottle of Champagne? And you can buy a 25cl bottle of continental beer from just 20p! And there's always enticing promotions that bring the prices down even further. The reason for this is that the UK has the highest level of tax in the entire European Union. Each bottle of wine attracts £1.46 duty plus VAT increasing the tax paid to £1.71. Across the Channel duty is around 2p a bottle!

But where do you go to get these bargains? Calaisians streets are not that easy to navigate, and with 40 or so places vying for your custom, how do you know which ones offer the best shopping experience?

Don't worry, help is at hand as we have scoured Calais and come up with those outlets we consider are worth visiting, complete with contact details and those all important directions.

If time is of the essence you like to consider doing all your shopping in just one area of Calais. For instance you could choose to shop in Auchan hypermarket in the Auchan commercial centre and nip across the complex to Sainsbury's. Alternatively, you could go to Cite Europe to shop at Carrefour Hypermarket and pop across the mall to Tesco. Also in Zone Marcel Doret, you'll find an entire clutch of wine and beer warehouses to visit. These are: Pidou, Wine and Beer Warehouse, Eastenders, CPH and Cheers.

Bon voyage and happy shopping.

Calais Vins

Calais Vins is a stylish drinks outlet with a superb tasting facility. Check out their mini-vineyard outside.

Address: Zone Curie, Rue Gutenbert, 6100 Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 46 40 40

Open: Daily 9am-7pm, Sunday 10am-7pm

Franglais Vins

Franglais has lots of fabulous unknown wines sourced direct from French vineyards.

Address: CD 215 Frethun, 62185 Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 85 29 39

Open: Daily 9am-7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm

CHP

CPH is a must visit for those with a discerning palate for French wines.

Address: ZA Marcel Doret, 62100 Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 97 21 22

Open: Daily 9am-7.30pm

Oddbins

If you love Oddbins and its range of global wines, you will adore this one in Calais.

Address: Parc la Francais, Ave Charles de Gaulle, Coquelles, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 19 00 19

Open: Daily 9am-8pm

Eastenders

Eastenders was made famous by Dave West way back in the early '90s and it is still churning out those bargains.

Address:14 rue Gustave Courbet, ZA Marcel Doret, 62100 Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 34 54 33

Open: Daily 24/7

Wine & Beer World

Wine & Beer World is actually a Majestic store in disguise. Inside are plenty of wines from around the world.

Address: Rue de Judee, ZA Marcel Doret, 62100 Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 97 63 00

Open: Daily 8am to 8pm

Tesco Vins Plus

Tesco have created a mirror image of their drinks section and then added some and placed it in Calais.

Address: Cité de l’Europe122 boulevard Kent, Coquelles, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 46 02 70

Open: Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 10pm

La Boutique Sainsbury

Sainsbury's supermarket have got their own drinks outlet in Calais so you can pick up your tipple for less.

Address: Centre Commercial Auchan, Route de Boulogne, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)3 21 82 38 48

Open: Monday to Saturday 9am to 8pm

Sunday 10am to 6pm

Inter Caves

Inter caves is a small French wine shop with a huge range of bag-in-the-box wines that are ideal for parties.

Address: 26 Rue Mollien, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 96 63 82

Open: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 6pm. Closed Monday and August

Bar A Vins

Bar A Vins is a quaint French wine outlet owned by a quintessially French wine merchant.

Address: 52 Place D'Armes, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 96 96 31

Open: Monday to Saturday 9.00 am to 7pm, Sunday 9.30pm to 3.00pm. Closed Wednesday

Pidou Wine & Beer

Pidou is great for bargain wines.

Address: 190 rue Marcel Dassault, Zone Marcel Doret, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 96 78 10

Open: 24/7

Le Terroir

Le Terroir sells French wines and speciality food.

Address: 29 rue des Fontinettes, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 36 34 66

Open: Tuesday to Saturday 9.00am-12.30pm and 2.30pm to 7.30pm. Sunday 9.30am to 1.00pm

Boozers Wine and Beer Warehouse

Boozers warehouse is bright and spacious,

Address:Route Nationale de St Omer, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 34 34 34

Open: Daily, 9.00am-9.00pm

Cheers Wine and Beer Warehouse

Cheers offers bargain shopping.

Address:199 rue Marcel Doret, Calais

Tel: 00 33 (0)321 34 51 51