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Château
Dover Castle
Grade I listed castle founded in the 11th century on the cliffs above the port, run by English Heritage.
Un mini-guide de
Dover
Dover Castle, the white cliffs and the busiest ferry port to France
Photos
1 / 5Bienvenue dans le quartier
Dover Castle, the white cliffs and the busiest ferry port to France
Dover faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel. Dover Castle, founded in the 11th century, stands on the hill east of the town above the Eastern Docks, and the white cliffs run along the coast on both sides; the National Trust's visitor centre is at Langdon Cliffs.
In the town, Dover Museum in the Market Square holds the Bronze Age Boat and the visitor information centre, Maison Dieu was founded in 1203 for pilgrims, and the Western Heights fortifications include the Drop Redoubt and the Grand Shaft. Most visitors pass through the port: allow time to see the castle and the cliffs.
Points forts
Par où commencer
Si vous n'avez que quelques heures, voici de bons endroits pour commencer.
Église
St Mary in Castro
Anglo-Saxon church inside the castle grounds, beside the Roman lighthouse.
Site romain
Roman lighthouse
Remains of a Roman lighthouse in the castle grounds, used as the bell tower of St Mary in Castro.
Falaises
White Cliffs of Dover
Chalk cliffs up to 110 metres high on both sides of the town; the National Trust looks after the stretch east of the port.
Itinéraire Site web Report a problem with White Cliffs of Dover
Visite souterraine
Fan Bay Deep Shelter
Second World War tunnels under the white cliffs, opened by the National Trust on guided tours on set days.
Itinéraire Site web Report a problem with Fan Bay Deep Shelter
Phare
South Foreland Lighthouse
Grade II listed lighthouse at St Margaret's Bay, run by the National Trust, about a 2-mile walk from the white cliffs car park.
Itinéraire Site web Report a problem with South Foreland Lighthouse
S'orienter
Sur la carte
The map shows Dover and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Bons plans d'initiés
Avant de partir
1
Check what is open at the castle
English Heritage said in November 2026 that the Operation Dynamo tunnel tour was closed for maintenance and the castle was open at weekends: check before you go.
2
Walk to the cliffs
The National Trust says Langdon Cliffs is about 2 miles from Dover Priory, a 40-minute walk with a steep climb.
3
Allow time at the port
DFDS advises arriving 120 minutes before departure on its Dover to Calais route to allow for border controls.
4
Visit the museum first
Dover Museum in the Market Square also houses the visitor information centre.
Les conseils de la rédaction d'Britlens
Canterbury & Kent
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Oysters, a working harbour and a long shingle beach facing the Thames Estuary
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Margate and Broadstairs
Sandy bays, Turner Contemporary, Margate Old Town and Dickens's Broadstairs
Ouvrir le mini-guide →Crédits photos
- Dover (area photo): Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dover Castle: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- St Mary in Castro: Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Roman lighthouse: HARTLEPOOLMARINA2014, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- White Cliffs of Dover: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Fan Bay Deep Shelter: Inklin235, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- South Foreland Lighthouse: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dover Museum: Nessy-Pic, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Maison Dieu: Hajotthu 13:39, 11. Jun. 2009 (CEST), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Drop Redoubt: David Anstiss, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Grand Shaft: Doverpast, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Samphire Hoe: Helmut Zozmann, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Canterbury: Hans Musil, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Whitstable: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Margate and Broadstairs: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Deal: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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