Early in the morning, as storm clouds gather over grey seas, something stirs.
Lurking silently in its lair, the Dragon of Calais is preparing to stalk the land, breathing fire and spitting steam.
Who will dare face the monster?
Who is brave enough to ride its back and tame its fearsome spirit?
Well you are of course, if you’re prepared to hand over the princely sum of €9.50, and climb aboard for a 40-minute turn along the promenade.
Or, as we did, you can join the passers-by for free, and watch the mechanical monster stare at you with glowing eyes, rustling its leathery wings and spitting fire, smoke and water into the air.
Tell me more about the Dragon of Calais
It’s a colossal construction of steel and carved wood, 25 metres long, 12 metres high with a wingspan of 17 and a half metres unfurled, the Dragon of Calais is the work of François Delaroziere.
He’s the artistic director of La Machine, the company responsible for the fabulous Machines de l’Ile in Nantes.
Based on the myth that dragons are gatekeepers of unknown realms, the Calais Dragon is benevolent, but a little unpredictable.
Mist pours out of its body through thirty vents.
Eyes, eyelids, ears, mouth, tongue and fins are constantly on the move.
The mighty beast gazes near and far, as it walks at a leisurely 4 kilometres an hour along the beach front.
It is totally captivating.
We followed it all the way as it strolled slowly towards the shore, turned and made its way back to its cavernous lair.
It takes a team of six to control the Dragon of Calais, making it a totally believable experience. Interacting with passers-by and aiming its jets of fine water spray directly at the crowds!
Initially intrigued by their technique, trying to guess when the dragon would roar and send gouts of flame into the air, before long I was talking to the Dragon, gazing into its eyes and admonishing it to behave when I found myself in the firing line.
Do I believe dragons exist?
No.
Do I believe in the Dragon of Calais?
Absolutely!
There’s even a set of Dragon by-laws, approved by the city, warning visitors not to offer chips, ice-cream, beignets or anything that might upset a carnivore’s digestive tract. You are not allowed to ask for a flame to light your barbecue, nor must food vendors use too much pepper for fear of triggering a sneezing fit that would cause a sandstorm in England!
How do I ride the Dragon of Calais?
A staircase leads to a viewing platform on its back. There you can admire the beast’s opal-coloured wooden skin, thick canvas wings and feel the heat of its breath.
The platform also offers fantastic views of Calais beach and the nearby Opal Coast.
At various times of the day, the Dragon heads for different parts of the seafront and there are also special twilight sessions in summer and hands-on workshops for children at weekends, where they can get up close to the sleeping dragon between its regular strolls.
Calais beach
If it wasn’t for the Dragon of Calais, we wouldn’t have stopped on our last trip to France. To be honest, we’ve sped through the city port many times over the years, but have never taken the time to explore it.
But since a €46 million revamp in 2021, Calais Plage is well worth a visit.
Wide walkways, soft, silver sand, pretty beach huts, fantastic play areas, restaurants and snack bars, oodles of free parking, and plenty of public toilets make it a great stopover spot.
We were there early on a windy and slightly chilly August morning, and the beach-cleaning crews were out in force, emptying bins, checking facilities and even sweeping sand off the boardwalk and paths.
Waiting for the Dragon to stir, we lingered over a reasonably-priced French-style buffet breakfast, sinking several cups of coffee, and watching the world walk by.
A stone marks the spot where Captain Matthew Webb came ashore on 25 August 1875, having taken 21 hours and 45 minutes to swim the channel, officially the first man to perform the feat.
For those who want to keep their feet dry, ferries drift in and out behind the monument, reducing the cross-channel time to just over an hour – even less if you, like we did, take Le Shuttle.
All the more reason to spend a little of the time you save, admiring the majestic progress along the beach of that marvellous, mechanical Dragon of Calais.
Information about the Dragon of Calais
For details of tickets, ride times and workshops see the Compagnie du Dragon website
And if you’re travelling to Nantes, do pay a visit to the Dragon’s sister bestiary, Les Machines de l’Ile
Where to next
• Weird and wonderful machines of Nantes
• Two get lost in Normandy
• Weird and wonderful France