Calais overnight

We used the tunnel last time and arrived at a stupid time in the morning. Cite Europe is literally just the other side of a fence from the tunnel terminal, just a couple of minutes easy drive and you are there. We felt completely safe, all very quiet.

Paul

Cite Europe.JPG
 
We use Gravelines and Cite de Europe. No hesitation in using Cite De Europe usually plenty of vans around, security patrols and it's just in front of the Police Station.
 
Pikeman said:
Sounds ironic, but that was the basis of the row. She thought the space I was pulling into should be hers - even though she was already parked up. She threw a major wobbler!! Then she drove off at 11:00pm shouting F****** English dog. Charming lady, full of the motorhome spirit!!
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Think i would have enjoyed that. BUSBY.
 
We use Cite Europe, never a problem and not far to the fields to take our security guard for walkies.
It has been known for Calais Aire to get a bit cramped! Imagine parking like this in Angleterre !!

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Larby said:
We use Cite Europe, never a problem and not far to the fields to take our security guard for walkies.
It has been known for Calais Aire to get a bit cramped! Imagine parking like this in Angleterre !!

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especially as that's not actually the aire just the water/service points !!!

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Pikeman said:
Hi Folks,

We will be arriving late from tunnel crossing. No way am I staying on the aire at Le Plage again. Last time I got into a row with a 300lb German witch, whose English repertoire was based on seriously foul language. Wifey is not keen on the parking at Cite Europe (security issues). Was reading about the aire at Wissant, but looks a trot from the terminal. Can I have your comments and suggestions please?

Cheers,

Keith :cool:
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Hi...stayed at Citi Europ....cop shop next door but immigrants camping in adjacent wood. Wife too scared to stay there...so was I but made out I wasn't! TeeCee
 
I'm new to this lark...how do I get my mugshot included? I t really is worth seeing! TeeCee
 
orridge said:
especially as that's not actually the aire just the water/service points !!!
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You are correct, no room in the actual Aire, hence the triple overnight parking
 
Larby said:
You are correct, no room in the actual Aire, hence the triple overnight parking
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Still, the public toilets behind are very well maintained and a pleasure to bare your bum to.

Easyliving said:
We used the tunnel last time and arrived at a stupid time in the morning. Cite Europe is literally just the other side of a fence from the tunnel terminal, just a couple of minutes easy drive and you are there. We felt completely safe, all very quiet.
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Is that a very old photo or a very new one? The reason I ask is a few years back that open line of trees used to be favoured by lurking migrants, some of them stage managing begging youngsters - it was the only time I felt uneasy in Calais. I hasten to to add that since they put hoardings down that end of the car park the problem went away and we've seen no dodgy types round there for at least three years. I can't say we've ever overnighted there simply because we prefer being nearer to the beach for the evening, but I wouldn't rule it out.

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last time we were there before christmas it looked like they had thinned out those trees to be honest we have never seen anybody hanging around that area at all in the last 18 months but only on the access road and around the town between Auchan and the Port.
 
Madwife said:
As the OP is on their way to Europe any hitch hikers would find themselves further from the UK :) Plus we don't have a bike rack! Joking aside we are both very security conscious and found Citi Europe ok and as others have said its handy for the shops for stocking up for the trip. It's very well lit and as only a few mins from the Eurotunnel terminal. We started off the next day relaxed and ready for the holidays.
Kath
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The hitchhikers obviously don't know your direction of travel and don't care...talking about desperate people here that hang about for months trying multiple times to get across. Remember one post recently, van happily heading down A16 away on holiday, when driver saw a arm extend from under camper and tap on wall...pulled in and chap slid out and sauntered off back up to calais
 
[QUOTE="Is that a very old photo or a very new one? The reason I ask is a few years back that open line of trees used to be favoured by lurking migrants, some of them stage managing begging youngsters - it was the only time I felt uneasy in Calais. I hasten to to add that since they put hoardings down that end of the car park the problem went away and we've seen no dodgy types round there for at least three years. I can't say we've ever overnighted there simply because we prefer being nearer to the beach for the evening, but I wouldn't rule it out."[/QUOTE]

Consulting the old blog I see the photo was taken on 25th September 2014 to be precise, it was still early in the morning and I was taking the dog for a walk - why does it always seem to be my job?

SWMBO is the one that worries about security and we are not allowed to stay on an aire (or car park) unless there are other motorhomes about. Thats a fence at Cite Europe in the photo, take a bit of climbing!

Paul

cite europe fence.JPG
 
I noticed last year that Cite de Europe had changed a bit - I'm sure there was more hedging/trees the previous year and the fence looked higher too.

We're due to cross on a Tuesday at 19:50, arrival in France at 21:25 (local time) so are currently trying to decide whether to go to CdE or down to somewhere else if we manage to get an earlier crossing.
 
We always stay at Wissant, usually in the campsite at the top of the hill, no problems very quiet and clean!

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I always stay on the plage Aire on a last night in France and get frites from the stalls and I love to watch the boats come in and out . We stayed at Christmas this year another ewes no one about in fact very few motorhomethereat alland no one collected any moneyneil
 
We like Cap le Gris Nez , bread van comes round in the morning.

A friends van got broken into at City Europe so tend to avoid it.
 
Leltel said:
We stay at Wissant, about 20 minutes from Calais. Very basic but free.....no witches :ROFLMAO:
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Ter may Disagree LMFAO ;)
We stay at City Europe Police patrols most of the night two weeks ago and yes I was awake all night, in a car on a booze cruise that time still parked in MH area. :D
 
Wouldn't stay at Citi Europe. After a couple of hours shopping last year we returned to our Motorhome to find a prospective illegal immigrant lying on our roof. Luckily I spotted him as I happened to look up to secure the skylight. Had a hell of a job getting him down (with the help of security) . The irony was we were not heading home that day but going to our site near St Omar!! Don't think he would have been too pleased about that!
 
tattytony said:
Ter may Disagree LMFAO ;)
We stay at City Europe Police patrols most of the night two weeks ago and yes I was awake all night, in a car on a booze cruise that time still parked in MH area. :D
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If the police patrols all night that means there are problems so best to stay clear.:D

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Last edited:
Grave lines is the best and save,but your can park in the town of Calais .
If you want something out side Calais euro city,.

The other way you could do it is cross the channel,parking for M/H on sea front at Dover western end,if you want something saver head white field big Tesco,s 24 hrs,3 CL sites also.Deal area 9 miles away,pub with CL behind ,or cottington lakes,but does cost money.

Good luck what ever you decide we did not stay in Calais,as per usual rip off the English,parking and Vets.
We use to stay further down the coast,lots of air de services. Eve
 
Cite Europe for us every time. Just get up in the morning, a nice wander round the shops to pick up some fresh supplies for the journey and off we go. Can't beat it. :france:
 
I've travelled across to France from Dover at least 30 times and return! I usually take a late night sailing (saving many pennies)
I often have a snooze on the front at Dover, although there's now talk of stopping that! I usually have a good sleep on the Aire by the side of the harbour in Calais. I've never had a problem there. There are always other vans there to give a person a feeling of security. If that Aire is too full, you can park immediately by the marina. The sight of the so called "clandestines" roaming everywhere is a little intimidating, but I've never had a problem with them. Incidentally the photo on my signature is me parked in Bergues. near Dunkirk, no facilities. About half hour from Calais. The boss reckons she loves the town, and always goes walking the city walls.
 
Seems to be differences of opinion (and experiences) re Citi Europ and other Calais sites. So when we set off in May for Spain I've decided to land in France around 3pm and drive for an hour or so to clear the area then find an aire or campsite. On our return I'll drive straight on to the ferry from the previous nights stopover (obviously not within an hour of Calais) and this way, apart from peace of mind, also save a fortune as wifey won't be able to go spending a fortune in CE! Sorted!
 
TeeCee said:
Seems to be differences of opinion (and experiences) re Citi Europ and other Calais sites. So when we set off in May for Spain I've decided to land in France around 3pm and drive for an hour or so to clear the area then find an aire or campsite. On our return I'll drive straight on to the ferry from the previous nights stopover (obviously not within an hour of Calais) and this way, apart from peace of mind, also save a fortune as wifey won't be able to go spending a fortune in CE! Sorted!
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If you are going towards the west try Embry aire. Peaceful, quiet and in the countryside.(y)

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Thanks Mike...........I've made a note of that and may well do...Cheers
 
Well Bergues is great in the dry but the road onto it has many potholes and it's all a sandy clay-ey surface, spent our last night there last October. A million Arab-looking types between Bergues and just where you pull onto (or off it the other side) the motorway again for Calais or Dunkerque, there's an encampment - quite a big one.

Wissant is OK as an aire, but if the restaurant./bars and campsites were all closed in October, I really can't imagine they'll be open in early February. And of course the buses park there overnight too, and rev up for quite a while in the morning before they start. Presumably the school run or whatever.
 
It's usually Gravelines for us too, on the way back home.

Twice now we have been questioned by UK Border Control at Dunkerque, as to where we stayed the night before crossing. Not staying anywhere near Calais appears to be the favoured option by them. That'll do for us. (y)

Cheers,

Jock.
 
JockandRita said:
It's usually Gravelines for us too, on the way back home.

Twice now we have been questioned by UK Border Control at Dunkerque, as to where we stayed the night before crossing. Not staying anywhere near Calais appears to be the favoured option by them. That'll do for us. (y)

Cheers,

Jock.
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You must look dodgy half the time they don't even look at or scan my passport.:LOL:
 
The French Authorities don't Lenny, but the UK Authorities always do.

Perhaps it's the stunning condition of our MH that attracts their attentions.
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Cheers,

Jock.

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