Calais

In between England and France is a narrow strip of water called the English Channel. It is close enough that on a clear day you can look across the water and see England. The part one can see is the White cliffs of Dover. It is close enough that some people have even swam between the two place. A couple of years ago the French and English dug a tunnel under the ocean between these two places. You can ride a train in the Chunnel (Channel Tunnel) but cars aren't allowed to drive in it.

Many years ago there was a war that was fought here. The Germans built big cement bunkers to put huge guns in. That way they could keep the English Navy ships from attacking and could control who got to sail in the channel. Some of the old bunkers can still be seen even though the war was more than 60 years ago.

 

The point above Calais is known as Cap Blanc-Nez. That means the Cape of the White Nose. It has that name because the cliffs are white like Dover's. A little way down the coast is another cape named Cap Gris-Nez. That means the Cape of the Grey Nose. Its cliffs aren't quite as clean and so they look grey instead of white.