Anyone ever been stopped taking meat or milk products into Calais?

[nomad2022]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

 

[Tosser]

Think the answer to the your question is No.
Nobody’s heard of anyone having there fridge checked.

when we go via the tunnel we drive down to the Air du Somme, it's about an hours drive but for the last 25 years we've never had any problems there, we do not use the motorhome park, (too dark) but we use the park near the resturant

 

[Wingingit#1]

We used the tunnel last week , no checks at all other than gas .
We drove down to Neufchatel-en-bray for the first stop , cracking little place with facilities and Leclerc and aldi etc

 

[Ava the Adria]

We travelled out via tunnel on 29 November. Dog paperwork checked - didn’t see the point of that - and then gas checked. We’d not brought any meat or dairy, almost disappointed that we weren’t checked for that
Not going south, we stopped overnight at the Bray Dunes Carrefour and did a shop there in the morning.

 

[Wingingit#1]

Ahh yes we did have dog papers checked .

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[nomad2022]

PS took ferry Dover to Calais Thursday no checks whatsoever (did have full fridge including milk & cheese bacon) Wasn’t even asked if my gas was turned off! - hey ho guess it wasn’t worth stressing over

 

[jumar]

We buy when we arrive at our destination...we use the Channel Crossing in the opposite direction to most.....I wonder if we would be stopped and searched....our wine allowance may be questionable.....

 

[Billiefarrah]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

Hi not Calais but my friend got stopped in Santander a couple. Of weeks ago. They took everything out of her fridge . They even went through her cupboards and took cereal which you can take in , They also stopped a van at the side of her took all their fizzy drinks and fridge contents. I have never been stopped but it’s a chance you take . There was no fine imposed on my friend but a warning there would be next time

 

[ericonabike]

On the the subject of stops, rather than bacon - spend £5.99 on the Search for Sites app. For the equivalent of a London pint, you get a pretty much definitive gazetteer of sites and overnighters throughout Europe. And the more people that use it, and post reviews, the more useful it is...

 

[Two Rivers]

Nobody’s interested in what you have in your freezer, there’s checks for escaping British citizens trying to escape the dreadful state the country is in

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[orridge]

Hi not Calais but my friend got stopped in Santander a couple. Of weeks ago. They took everything out of her fridge . They even went through her cupboards and took cereal which you can take in , They also stopped a van at the side of her took all their fizzy drinks and fridge contents. I have never been stopped but it’s a chance you take . There was no fine imposed on my friend but a warning there would be next time

Sorry but sounds a bit far fetched removing cans of soft drinks and cereal.

 

[gus-lopez]

..I wonder if we would be stopped and searched....

We were last year at Dunkirk.Wanted to look in the roof box( full of daughter's stuff she wanted back in the UK) that I had secured with 2 straps one way & another in the opposite. No one could get past & the boat was supposedly leaving in 15 minutes-
Best bit was just as I unlocked it & started to open the lid he went "Qui" & walked back to lean on the wall I just locked it & put straps back on when in the waiting lane. Bloke who was 2 behind me pulled up & I apologised about the delay for him but he said " No we enjoyed it , especially when you barely had it 3" open & he said OK, the wife & daughter nearly wet themselves with laughing"

 

[ChrisL]

Looks like I’ll have to resort to plan C! Arrive in Calais 14.40 wasn't planning to drive too far on first day weather forecast not looking great but now Cite Europe and Wissant are out can anyone recommend any other overnight stops within an hour of Calais?

You could try Nouvion, it's free, quiet, and 50 mtrs from a Carrefour just off the A16 just north of Abbeville.

Nouvion En Ponthieu

Details for Nouvion En Ponthieu a Overnight parking - no services Nouvion, Somme, Hauts-de-France, France, 80860

www.searchforsites.co.uk

 

[Just smiffy]

Hi not Calais but my friend got stopped in Santander a couple. Of weeks ago. They took everything out of her fridge . They even went through her cupboards and took cereal which you can take in , They also stopped a van at the side of her took all their fizzy drinks and fridge contents. I have never been stopped but it’s a chance you take . There was no fine imposed on my friend but a warning there would be next time

Sorry but sounds a bit far fetched removing cans of soft drinks and cereal.

Custom staff must of had a party arranged that day…

 

[funkyfunky]

Nope, full F/F twice this year, they came on board only and had a root around only to check that we were not taking illegals back to France.

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[bexleyjohn]

I have a house in France, also go across in MH. NEVER been checked for food in either fridge or cool box for the last 20 years including since this stupid French rule.

 

[funkyfunky]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

Lorry drivers have had there sandwiches cotaining meat for there meals taken from them

 

[Marshall Blair]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

Have been bordered a number of times They aint interested

 

[Ridgeway]

Lorry drivers have had there sandwiches cotaining meat for there meals taken from them

Thought it happened once, bit like the being gassed phenomena IMO

 

[TonyEmm]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

The rules are clear, you CANNOT take meat & dairy into the EU.

you risk having the fridge contents confiscated and possible fines and/or criminal prosecution.

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[Three Stars]

Thanks everyone for comments/advice. Planning to overnight in Calais at Cite Europe then make early start south on Friday there’s a Carrfour there so might as well do my shop there save any unnecessary hassle! Although I may just try to sneak in some rashers and burgers in the freezer!

Parking overnight at Cite Europe hasn't been allowed for some time. You are likely to be moved on by the police. We use the Council aire without any problems.

 

[Three Stars]

Thanks everyone for comments/advice. Planning to overnight in Calais at Cite Europe then make early start south on Friday there’s a Carrfour there so might as well do my shop there save any unnecessary hassle! Although I may just try to sneak in some rashers

Oops!

 

[TonyEmm]

I understood that if it was for your own consumption then it was fine. I don’t have a definitive source for that information though.

Ian

That’s incorrect. The only exceptions are listed here….

Taking animal products, food or plants with you in the EU - Your Europe

Rules on carrying meat, dairy and fish products in the EU, restrictions when travelling from a non-EU country; quantities allowed, information on exceptions, baby milk and food for medical reasons; products not allowed; information on controls and when entering the EU

europa.eu

 

[TonyEmm]

Think the answer to the your question is No.
Nobody’s heard of anyone having there fridge checked.

Two Motorhome groups on FB have reports of folk being stopped and checked. It’s unusual but can happen and, some ports are worse than others.

Newhaven/Dieppe is often reported as least hassle!

 

[Spriddler]

Lorry drivers have had their sandwiches containing meat for their meals taken from them

See post #5 here:

Fresh food at Christmas

I've just heard from our family who live in France that the French customs are stopping Brits entering France and searching for fresh meat and diry products and then confiscating them. Has anyone heard anything?

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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[LesW]

The rules are clear, you CANNOT take meat & dairy into the EU.

you risk having the fridge contents confiscated and possible fines and/or criminal prosecution.

I think most here are well aware of the 'rules'.. the question was has anyone been searched etc..

Like others, we have crossed via Eurotunnel this year and not been searched.

 

[minesapint]

The rashers won’t last long….. the illegal immigrants will have eaten them while there hiding in your garage/on top/underneath it if you stay at citi-Europe….

I did not think the illegals are bacon.

 

[gus-lopez]

The rules are clear, you CANNOT take meat & dairy into the EU.

you risk having the fridge contents confiscated and possible fines and/or criminal prosecution.
View attachment 698186

I've never known of anyone who reads this stuff? In fact it would never have occurred to me it even existed.

 

[moto-angel]

I would stop off at City Europe to stock up with wine and cheese and ham and crevette. Then head to Sangat

There’s a massive Aire at Port Mahon Plage which we use. It’s approx an hour from Calais. Barrier entry and €10/12 for overnight but safe. Public toilet just outside too. Great in the summer as close to the beach and it’s such a lovely place.

 

[Beck]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

We have been over 3 times this year and no one as looked in vehicle for food

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[Stealaway]

There’s a massive Aire at Port Mahon Plage which we use. It’s approx an hour from Calais. Barrier entry and €10/12 for overnight but safe. Public toilet just outside too. Great in the summer as close to the beach and it’s such a lovely place.

Yes we love that coast and have meandered all the way down it to Brittany.
Although we only ever use free Aires. There are some fabulous ones in the Somme