Best Western Clifton Hotel

Visiting France

On a clear day France is visible from the hotel, being only 26 miles away. Day-trips to France from Folkestone are therefore popular with hotel guests, enabling them to enjoy shopping and the local French cuisine. The Eurotunnel terminal is only 3 miles from the hotel, enabling you to travel by Le Shuttle via the Channel Tunnel and reach the French mainland in under 40 minutes.

A fast Eurotunnel service operates on a Folkestone to Calais route via The Channel Tunnel which is 50km long and with a 39km depth under water it is the longest undersea tunnel in the world. The journey takes around 40 minutes between Folkestone and Coquelles situated just outside Calais and there are up to 53 crossings per day with departures every 10 minutes at peak times.

If you are in Calais on a day trip, you will truly appreciate the coast between Calais and Boulogne. Bus services offer a wide range of routes to surrounding locations and amenities. In Calais you can enjoy the cultural heritage of traditional French restaurants and also find many of surviving reminders of its fascinating past. There is plenty to see and do including visiting the Calais Town Hall with its spectacular belfry and the famous statue of the six Burghers by Rodin. It generally comes as a surprise to first-time visitors that the surrounding area’s beautiful countryside is ideal for a leisurely stroll, off-road cycling, horse riding and even fishing. You can travel to Wimereux by train within 45 minutes, this is an attractive resort with a lot of charm. 

Only 25 miles down the coast is Boulogne, known as the City of Arts and History and also the City of the Sea. Boulogne-sur-Mer enjoys a rich and varied heritage that dates back over 2000 years, and has much to offer its many visitiors. Whether it's the bustling fishermen's stalls displaying thier catch of the day on the harbour front, the beautyfully preserved 13th century city walls in the old town, the forest surrounding Boulogne, the dramatic coastline of the Opal Coast, or even the giant aquarium in Nausicaa, the National Sea Centre, there really is something to appeal to everyone. 
Set on a beautiful stretch of coastline, whose white cliffs compete with Dover's, and amidst a background of rolling hills. Boulogne is an excellent destination for families with beautiful beaches and the Nausicaa Sea Centre to keep the younger members occupied.

Alternatively guests can take one of the fast, modern ferries from nearby Dover. Ashford International Station is twenty minutes drive from the hotel, where you can board Eurostar for Paris and Brussels.