THE BEST OF CHRISTMAS JUST ACROSS THE CHANNEL

This Christmas, SeaFrance Dover-Calais Ferries is offering fares to continental Christmas markets
from just £25 each way for a car and up to five passengers. Here is SeaFrance's pick of the best:

Lille's magical month-long market (75 minutes from Calais), 24 November to 30 December 2010
Lille's Christmas market spans for over a month, meaning that there is plenty of time to soak up the festive spirit. It is held in the centre of town in the grand Place Rihour, which is entirely taken over by an array of stalls selling arts, crafts and local cuisine. The attractions include a huge Ferris wheel, on-street theatre and games, plus visitors with children can have photos taken with Father Christmas, who attends the market distributing sweets and even abseiling from the top of the bell tower on Saturday 18 December. Stay at the chic 1930s style Best Western Art Deco Romarin Hotel situated within walking distance from the Lille Christmas market. A double room starts from €52 (approximately £45) on a room only basis.

Medieval Bruges Christmas market (75 minutes from Calais), 24 November to 31 December 2010
Bruges is the perfect, fairytale Christmas setting with its cobbled streets, historic buildings and horses and carts passing by. The Christmas market takes place in the Market Square and forms a ring around an open-air ice rink. Stalls are packed with exciting goodies for shoppers to browse, including delicious and elegantly packaged chocolates and unusual hand-made decorations. The Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival is open every day and the sculptures are situated in front of the railway station on Staionsplein. Stay at the chic, centrally located four star Hotel Flanders. Prices start at just €109 (approximately £91) for a standard double room on a bed and breakfast basis.

Modernity meets the past at Lens Christmas market (60 minutes from Calais), 10 to 19 December 2010
Lens' Christmas market village is small yet well worth a visit. Set up in front of the town hall, the village is made up of 10 wooden cottages, warmly welcoming visitors with a large variety of hand-made crafts and tasty local delicacies. As a small town ravaged by World War One, Lens is an odd mix of the modern and the traditional, even taking its place on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Musical and artistic shows will be taking place at the market to demonstrate this diversity. Stay at Lensotel for attractive rooms and a great atmosphere. Prices start from just €80 (approximately £67) for a double room on a room only basis.

SeaFrance operates up to 15 daily return car ferry crossings on the Dover-Calais route. Online fares for a car and up to five passengers start from just £25 each way for any duration and from £19 return for a day trip.

To book your Christmas crossing visitseafrance.com seafrance.com or call 0871 22 22 500*
*Calls cost 10p per minute from BT landlines, calls from other networks and mobiles may vary.

-ENDS-
For further press information contact:
Ruth Haffenden / Sara Whines at bgb communications, www.bgb.co.uk
Tel: 0207 902 2990 or email rhaffenden@bgb.co.uk / swhines@bgb.co.uk

news

No news available.