The dragon of Calais (Calais, France)
Photos – Info – Weather – Tips – Geo Info – Starry sky [- Tides]
General information about La Compagnie du Dragon
In Calais you can see a real (mechanical) monster, a dragon, at the beach. It was created by the Compagnie du Dragon and is an impressive creation 10 to 12 meters high and 25 meters long. At birth, it weighed 72 tons. It accommodates up to 50 passengers per ride. Yep, so you can even book a ride for it! At the incredible speed of no less than 4 kilometers per hour, you then ride for 45 minutes down a stretch of Calais' renewed sea wall. Along the way, the dragon spits fire and water (at passers-by and to the great amusement of the passengers). The beast is driven by a team of 6 employees. Unique creation. This belongs to the top of the so-called "Performance Art." Actually, this dragon is the crowd puller of the beautifully renovated Calais seawall. Do it!
In late October 2025, the dragon received a completely new home (see 
YouTube). And on Nov. 7, 2025, the dragon was joined by even more a second mechanical sample: the Varan de Voyage. This one is considerably smaller and can therefore wander around the center of Calais. Rather, the dragon remains reserved for the embankment and other larger squares.
Did you know that... an exhibition entitled "Dragon, Varan and Chimera" will run until March 1, 2026. There you will learn all about how these machines are designed and executed. The route starts at the Logis du Major, continues along the ramparts and ends at the powder magazine. The main entrance is at the foot of the fort, a stone's throw from the beach and the Dragon Company. Opening hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 2 - 6 p.m. Location: Fort Risban. More info here.
Visitor tips La Compagnie du Dragon
General tips:
1) if you are looking for other nearby attractions, consult our Tourist map of Top.Vlaanderen.
2) You can consult our overview lists: by category ( e.g. timeline, size, ...) or by region
3) You can also always consult tourist services: see our overview of tourist services
Tip 1: there are basically only standing places on the sample. However, there are about six special seats provided for the disabled (to be inquired beforehand). Keep that in mind. Also to note: you can catch quite a lot of wind. An extra provision for this is recommended!
Tip 2: While in Calais you might want to check out the lighthouse of Calais up. There you will have a unique view of the port and the city.
Tip 3: 2025 marks the centennial anniversary of Calais City Hall. Definitely go see the large stained glass window there and the various beautiful council and ceremony rooms. You can (sometimes) even climb the belfry there.
Geographical information
Address: 201 Avenue Winston Churchill, Calais, Hauts-de-France, France
Geographical coordinates:
- Google Maps: Latitude = 50.9660248 - Longitude = 1.842286
- Open Street Maps: Latitude = 50.965717 - Longitude = 1.845223
- Altitude h = 9 m
Indication of La Compagnie du Dragon on:
Tourist map of Top.Vlaanderen - Google Maps - OpenStreetMap.
Route to La Compagnie du Dragon: Route via Google Maps
Meteo
8°C
| Day | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
22:00
|
partly cloudy
|
8° | 10°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 16 Km/h | 92 % | 1019 mb |
|
Tomorrow
22:00
|
 cloudy
|
7° | 10°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 18 Km/h | 91 % | 1019 mb |
|
Mon Jan 26
10:00 p.m.
|
partly cloudy
|
6° | 10°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 16 Km/h | 84 % | 1018 mb |
|
Tue Jan 26
10:00 p.m.
|
 very light cloud cover
|
8° | 10°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 23 Km/h | 89 % | 1018 mb |
|
Wed Jan 26
10:00 p.m.
|
very light cloud cover
|
7° | 9°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 32 Km/h | 88 % | 1013 mb |
| Hour | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
10:00
|
cloudy
|
8° | 8°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 14 Km/h | 92 % | 1014 mb |
|
Today
13:00
|
cloudy
|
9° | 10°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 10 Km/h | 88 % | 1016 mb |
|
Today
16:00
|
partly cloudy
|
10° | 10°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 8 Km/h | 83 % | 1017 mb |
|
Today
19:00
|
partly cloudy
|
9° | 9°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 14 Km/h | 89 % | 1018 mb |
|
Today
22:00
|
cloudy
|
8° | 8°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 16 Km/h | 92 % | 1019 mb |
|
Tomorrow
01:00
|
cloudy
|
9° | 9°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 16 Km/h | 91 % | 1019 mb |
|
Tomorrow
04:00
|
cloudy
|
9° | 9°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 15 Km/h | 86 % | 1019 mb |
|
Tomorrow
07:00
|
cloudy
|
9° | 9°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 18 Km/h | 87 % | 1018 mb |
Starry skies above La Compagnie du Dragon
Tide predictions
Want to see the tides for another date?
Internet information from and about La Compagnie du Dragon
Internet media of Compagnie du Dragon: - operating company of the Dragon and the Dragon at Calais
Website - Tickets - Facebook - instagram - YouTube - Wikipedia (FR)
Internet Media over Cie La Machine - the inventor and constructor of the machines
Website - Facebook - Instagram - YouTube
Tourist info on "CalaisXXL":
Website - Facebook - Instagram
Tourist info from "Pas-de-Calais":
Website
Adjacent hospitality business: Restaurant - Cafe L'antre du Dragon: website
Our photos about La Compagnie du Dragon
Onze foto’s, video’s, … zijn allen (c) 2004-2026, Top.Vlaanderen, België. Ze mogen niet “zomaar” worden overgenomen of gebruikt. Ze zijn evenwel licentieerbaar. Wil U uw eigen toeristische attractie, B&B, vakantiewoning… laten fotograferen door ons, dat kan ook. Neem hiervoor contact met ons op via ons Contactformulier .
Photos of the dragon (May 9, 2025):
- Photos fire-breathing dragon:
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Photos gargoyle dragon:
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General photos of the dragon:
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Detail photos of the dragon:
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Photos about the venue, the organization, its animators, the technology:
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Disclaimer: All information presented on top.vlaanderen has been compiled with the utmost care. It is also checked regularly. If you have any comments, errors, additional information, etc... please contact us via our contact form. We are not responsible for possible incorrect or incomplete information.
