While I was back in the UK, I joined my family on a booze cruise to Calais, France. For those not familiar with the term, this is a day trip to from the UK to France or Belgium to take advantage of lower taxes on cigarettes and alcohol. This is a perfectly legal activity providing the goods purchased are for personal consumption or a gift for others. HM Revenue and Customs impose their own limits on what they see as a reasonable amount for personal consumption, but luckily they assume that everyone is an chain-smoking alcoholic so the limits are pretty high!
Although recent tax rises in France and price-competition in the UK have made the trip less worthwhile for some, those from the south of England can usually save at least enough to pay for the journey and lunch too.
The white cliffs of Dover on the way to France.
Côte d'Opale.
The monument at Escalles to The Dover Patrol.
L'Escale where we stopped for lunch.
Booze in a French hypermarket.
Heading back to England.
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