Climb Through an Art Deco Masterpiece to Survey the Channel Coast
You enter the Hôtel de Ville through monumental wrought iron doors cast by Hungarian master ironworker Adalbert Szabo, their surfaces alive with flowers, beech leaves, clovers and wheat ears drawn from the Hungarian countryside. Step into the reception hall, where an Art Deco glass roof—created in the 1920s by Bordeaux master glassmaker Dagrant—floods the space with light. A lift carries you swiftly to the belfry, a square tower of white stone and red brick rising 75 metres above Place du Soldat Inconnu. From the rampart walk, you command a 360-degree view of Calais and the surrounding coastline, with four gilded knights marking the cardinal directions and the English coast visible across the water on clear days.
The Grand Staircase and the Rooms Where Calais Made Its History
Before ascending to the belfry, take the majestic staircase—made of white stone from Marquise quarries 20 kilometres away and decorated with Carrara marble. Its wrought iron balustrade, also by Szabo, frames a stained-glass window depicting the liberation of Calais in 1558 after 211 years of English occupation: the departure of English troops in the first bay, the Duke of Guise as liberator in the central bay, and the city's gratitude in the third. A monumental chandelier by Szabo hangs overhead, its beehive-shaped ceiling a study in Art Deco detail.
The first-floor rooms tell the story of Calais itself. In the Wedding Hall, with its red velvet, oak panels and Versailles-style parquet, Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux were married on 6 April 1921. A fresco by Adrienne Ball-Demont adorns the walls. The Municipal Council Chamber, panelled in oak with neo-Gothic and Flemish flourishes, bears a fresco by Jeanne Thil showing the Burghers of Calais surrendering their keys to King Edward III in 1347—the moment commemorated in Rodin's famous sculpture outside. The Grand Salon, the largest room, displays 72 coats of arms beneath two Renaissance fireplaces representing the merged towns of Calais and Saint-Pierre.
Making the Most of Your Visit
You can explore the town hall and its rooms at your own pace following interior signs, or join a guided tour arranged through Opale Tour. Allow at least ninety minutes if you intend to climb to the belfry. Visit on a clear day to make the most of the views from the rampart walk. The building is typically open Wednesday to Sunday mornings and afternoons; on other weekdays, reservations are required.
Rodin's Burghers and the Heart of Calais
Outside the town hall on Place du Soldat Inconnu stands Rodin's sculpture Les Bourgeois de Calais, depicting the six medieval figures who offered themselves as hostages to spare their city. The Hôtel de Ville itself, built after the 1885 merger of Calais and Saint-Pierre, was a declaration of civic pride—a regionalist blend of Flemish and Renaissance styles with pioneering use of reinforced concrete beneath red brick cladding. Construction began in 1911, was suspended during the First World War, and the building was officially inaugurated in 1925.
What Else Is Close By
Rodin's sculpture invites you to walk the few steps to the Citadelle de Calais and Fort Nieulay, Renaissance fortifications with guided tours. The Cité Internationale de la Dentelle et de la Mode, an old factory refurbished to document Calais's lace-making heritage, lies within walking distance and merits at least two hours of your time. The Musée Mémoire 39-45, housed in a real wartime bunker in nearby Parc Saint-Pierre, preserves uniforms, weapons and photographs from the Second World War. The former fishermen's quarter of Courgain Maritime, rebuilt after the war, offers fresh fish and a waterfront atmosphere.
Begin planning your visit by checking opening hours and reservations with the town hall. The belfry and its rampart walk are worth the climb; the interiors are worth lingering over. This is where Calais saw itself remade, and where you will see it spread beneath your feet.