Calais is a city and a ferry port located in the French department of Nord-Pas de Calais. It is the closest port in France to England and has been a long time-binding factor for trade and tourism between the two European countries. Calais overlooks the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel. Calais was a British territory for many centuries before it became part of Northern France. On a clear day, Dover's famous white cliffs can easily be viewed from Calais.