Description:
Calais is the name of a town located on the French coast on the English Channel. It is also the name of a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The town of Calais is the second largest city in the Hauts-de-France region after Lille. Calais was founded by the Celts in the late 4th century BC. In the 10th century, the town became a port and a major trade center for wool, wine, and cloth. Calais was captured by the English in 1347 and passed to the French in 1558. The town was besieged by the Spanish in 1580 and 1594, and by the Dutch in 1647. It was captured by the French again in 1658 and 1660. The town was returned to England in 1674, but was recaptured by the French in 1678. Calais was ceded to France in 1763. The town was captured by the Germans in 1940, but was recaptured by the Allies in 1944. The town was liberated by the French in 1945.
