Watchtower, Calais France

Watchtower, Calais France
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Calais France is still a popular travel destination, especially for Europeans taking the frequent ferries from Dover, England. However the "Chunnel" under the English Channel from near Calair to Dover certainly changed the travel landscape in this area.

For more about Calais, try the official tourism website here:

www.calais.fr

Photo by Joe, text source: www.calais.fr

The tower is built on the site of an old fortified tower (thirteenth century) attributed to Philip Hurepel. It was damaged in an earthquake in April 1580, it was repaired in 1631 and then consolidated after a bombing in 1809. In 1816, a Chappe telegraph was installed until 1849; from 1818 until 1848 it was also a lighthouse. During World War I, a military post was installed and a dovecote. The walkway culminates at 23 meters high. The tower was spared the bombardments of the Second World War, when more than 70% of the city was destroyed.

UK Holiday Guide from Telegraph

The UK Telegraph is one of the best news sources for all things Britain, and they just published their Summer Travel Guide to the UK here:
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/760632/Britain-2008-a-summer-holiday-guide.html

For Americans, England offers the comforts of the English language and other western sensibilities but also has the critical historical background to the American Experience. Here in the USA the history of much of our western cultural sensibilities only goes back a few hundred years, where in England you are literally walking the same streets tred by Kings and Queens over a thousand years ago. Dover Castle, on the chalky white cliffs above the town of the same name, played a powerful role in World War II as well as in the reign of King John II circa 1200 AD.

If you visit Dover be sure to hoist an Ale at the White Pony Tavern, one of the oldest in England, located just below the Castle near the many Bed and Breakfasts that guard the street up to Dover Castle.