Cruise into your shopping

The fidgeting young man, his blond hair spiked like Beckham, waves us over the doorstep into the complete world of France cocooned in just one humble shop.

The Maison du Fromage or, for non-French speakers, the House of Cheese, is everything is says it is. And so much, much more.

There is light cheese. Bright cheese. Huge rich cheese with the girth of a Concorde's tyre. Cheese so strong the aroma alone makes eyes water.

There are fresh cuts of meat, robust sausages, pates, and excellent homemade chocolates and preserves to simply drool for And there is our host, slightly-built Arnaud Crespo, a rather shy but very clever wine steward who, early next year, is tipped to become the number one sommelier in the whole of France.

He is already in the heady echelons of the country's top six wine experts, advising discerning patrons at le Channel, one of Calais most distinguished restaurants, on what to drink with their meals.

But today, at his sister-in-law's splendid shop on the Place d'Armes, we have his undivided attention as he nimbly moves around tables groaning with cheese offering glasses of sublime red wine from a flowing magnum.

In between sips of France's finest a snip we are assured at 12 a bottle he imparts some instant wisdom.

"If you are buying wine to keep, then go large. Over time, magnums are the best way to bring out the wines full bloom and texture," he says airily.

Sound advice. And dipping into yet another glass, I believe him. But in the rapidly-accelerating run-up to Christmas, who really wants lay down a couple of cases down, particularly when you are in Calais, where you'd never run out of booze to drink or even drown in?

The town is a natural magnet for millions of Britons, enticed by the thoughts of sloshing gallons of cheap beer, wines and spirits and luxury food items at knockdown prices Because, even with the pound currently being weaker against the Euro approximately 1.4 Euros to the pound there are still very real opportunities to snap up a wide range of goods much cheaper than at home.

Motorists, myself included, streaming off the cross-channel ferry, immediately notice the difference in fuel prices. Diesel is 35 per cent cheaper, saving 13 for 50 litres, with petrol shaving 10-15 per cent off UK prices.

But my advice is to make a careful list of everything you plan to buy, and their prices, before you actually leave home. That way you can easily keep a tab to see if you are on the right side of a good deal.

For example, fresh vegetables, on sale at the town's lively, twice weekly, open-air markets, can offer 60 per cent savings against your local High Street. Aubergines, green beans, courgettes, garlic, leeks, peppers, potatoes, shallots, spinach and most variety of potatoes are excellent buys.

So, too, are fresh fruit, with nectarines, melons and grapes almost half price. But watch that you don't get too carried away: avocado, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms are much cheaper in England.

Of course, the French really come up trumps with cheese products. For starters, as the young M. Cresto showed, France's own brand Camembert, Brie, Roquefort and mild goats cheese, Soignon, offer up to 70 per cent savings.

And make sure you add excellent olive oil, mustard and other dressings to your shopping basket they are half the price of quality shopping back home.

If you are planning to make a bargain dash trip closer to Yuletide, a huge new outlet is due to open just outside Calais today (December 5).

Marques Avenue Cote d'Opale, a French leader in selling their own brand named goods, will have 60 shops, two restaurants and guarantees a minimum 30 per cent discount against local retail outlets.

Its secret lies in selling top brands from leading fashion and accessory stores from previous seasons' collections. But if, like me, you find bargain-hunting confusing, daunting and time-consuming, examine two alternative options.

P&O Ferries, have introduced two new, multi-million pound superferries to their cross-channel fleet, with refined onboard shopping.

In addition to a dazzling array of bargains, again with reductions on drink of up to 50 per cent, its Car Park shopper service encourages customers to buy wine, beer and other goods at bulk purchase sale points.

Your buys are then sent by a dedicated lift directly to the car decks where crew help to transfer them to your car. Couldn't be easier!

That means you will have all the time in the world to explore the marvellous variety of speciality shops tucked down Calais back streets.

Or you could invest in a copy of Channel Hopper's, a compact and invaluable one-stop shopping and leisure guide to Calais and other French ports.

The guide list outlets selling 25cl bottles of beer for just 12p each, white wine from 2.29p a bottle (6 at your local beer-off) and Shiraz at 2.92p a bottle, 4.99p at home.

Meantime, on M. Cresto's studious advice, I've invested in a glorious magnum of French red wine. But somehow, I just don't see it lasting until tomorrow never mind Christmas Day!

- Ken Bennett travelled to Calais are guest of P&O Ferries which have new low fares to France in the run-up to Christmas.

A day return for a car and driver is just 10, 20 for two days and so on up to a maximum of stay of five days. Up to eight passengers can be added for a flat rate of 15 per day away.

That means a car, driver and up to eight passengers on a one day trip would pay 25, a two day break 50 and so on up to the five-day maximum.

The special fares are available from now until December 22 on its luxurious new superferries, The Pride of Kent and Pride of Canterbury, operating between Dover and Calais. A similar package is available on the company's two cruise ferries between Portsmouth and Le Havre. There is an additional 10 per cent saving on the Dover-Calais route if you book on line. Further details on bookings, call P&O Ferries on 08705-202020 or visit: www.POferries.com

Copies of the Channel Hoppers Guide to Calais, call 020 8905 4851 or visit: www.channelhoppers.net.