'I took a 24h trip to France for wine tastings and tours – and was back home in time for dinner'
While a 24-hour trip to France might seem extreme, I was pleasantly surprised when I managed to make my way from London to Calais in just a few hours. And after spending an afternoon and a morning in the French sunshine, I was even back home in London in time for dinner.
From wine tasting and a walking tour of the city to a morning at the beach and some tax-free shopping, it's fair to say that you can fit plenty into a flying trip to France.
Departing from South London, I drove to the Kent coastal town of Folkestone to board LeShuttle, which takes your car across the channel to Calais in France in just 35 minutes. We had the Flexiplus option, meaning we stopped off at LeShuttle's Flexiplus lounge for some snacks before our journey.
After filling my car with a sandwich and a few too many baked goods, it was time to head over to France. It's fair to say that the half-hour journey flew by, and I was quickly coming out at the other side – and luckily remembering to switch to the other side of the road!
Less than an hour after leaving the Folkestone terminal, we had arrived at our home for the evening: boutique hotel La Matelote in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, a city on the northern coast of France.
With only 24 hours abroad, there was no time to waste, so we took a walking tour of the city. We were surprised to learn that the port town was filled with Roman influences as we toured the cobbled streets and historic buildings, including an impressive 13th century castle.
Not just known for its history, the town has a number of its own breweries and craft beer spots. I'm not a beer drinker, but I was assured that the local hops were gold standard.
More my style was a wine tasting at the nearby Le Chais wine shop, where we got to try rosé, red and white wines inside the cave-style store, plus some homemade gin. Perhaps it was a little too good, the the car was quickly stocked up with a few bottles of each.
From wine tasting to wine drinking, we headed back to our hotel for the evening, where a Michelin star dinner was served. With six courses on the menu, I slightly regretted stocking up on snacks in the LeShuttle Flexiplus lounge! The menu included a taste of the local port's seafood, meats and a selection of extras. And while I may not have understood exactly everything the menu said, it certainly tasted good. After a jam-packed day that had begun in Bromley and ended in Bolougne-Sur-Mer, it was time for some shut-eye.
The following morning we enjoyed a continental breakfast buffet at the hotel before taking in some views from the scenic beach just across the road.
Before heading home, we couldn't help but stop at Cité Europe, the famous shopping centre just minutes away the from border where you can stock up on tax-free goods before going back to the UK.
From Zara and Sephora to Carrefour, there were enough shops and restaurants in the plaza to keep me entertained for days. But, settling for a couple of hours, I happily left with some French snacks, cheeses and a few more bottles of €5 wine for good measure.
Heading back to Folkestone on LeShuttle, we were home by 2:30pm and, just hours later, I was enjoying an al fresco drink in the central London sunshine. While the crisp city air didn't quite mimic my morning views of the French coast, I had learnt that it really was only a stone's throw away.
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