France, Calais

Calais is a town in northern France, located at 50°57'N 1°52'E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's préfecture (capital) resides in its third-largest city of Arras.

The population of the city (commune) at the 1999 census was 77,333 inhabitants (74,800 as of February 2004 estimates). The population of the whole metropolitan area (aire urbaine) at the 1999 census was 125,584.

The old part of the town, Calais proper (or Calais-Nord), is situated on an artificial island surrounded by canals and harbours.

History

The origins of Calais are obscure though its site might be expected to be have been inhabited from early times. It stands on the foreshore of the last piece of solid geology on the south and east coast of the North Sea between France and the UK. It is also at the western edge of the early medieval estuary of the River Aa.

Calais was regarded for many years as being an integral part of Kingdom of England, with its representatives sitting in the English Parliament.

Today the French still refer to Calais as "the most English town in France".

Economy

The mainstay of the town's economy is, naturally, its port, but it also has a number of indigenous industries. The principal ones are lace making, chemicals, and paper manufacture. It possesses direct rail links to Paris.

Transport

As well as the large port, the town is served by two railway stations: Gare de Calais-Fréthun and Gare de Calais-Ville, the former being the first stop on mainland Europe of the Eurostar line.