I've been reading a lot of Facebook postings recently on the immigrant situation at the port. Has anyone on this forum had any problems?
Immigrants at Ouistreham
- Thread starter PaulT
- Start date
PaulT said:
They are not immigrants until they arrive in U.K. either by legal or illegal means. They are refugees. To answer your question a friend of mine regularly uses that port as he has a property in Normandy and hadn’t encountered any problems from the refugees in the area.
We came back through Ouistreham on 5th March, we had our last night at Des Capuccines and caught the 8.30 ferry. we saw a few around Carrefour. Apart from that we saw none, at the port after we booked in the Gendarmerie
looked in the Van after that when we were in the line we then had the dounne look in. I didn't mind as to me it made me feel safer.
les
looked in the Van after that when we were in the line we then had the dounne look in. I didn't mind as to me it made me feel safer.
les
Changing the title to migrants, has anyone passed through Ouistreham recently and can give an update?
A friend of mine recently used that route to return and the advice was not to park overnight in the port vicinity, and even if not towing check your car if you should visit the Carrefour nearby. But he did say that there are quite thorough checks by UK Border Force in the ferry waiting areas too. They looked in his van and under the lockers. He’s removed his spare wheel carrier but the underside of the caravan was checked and he had to open the front locker.
My last point on this matter; Yes not relevant to OP question but relevant to your post: They are not immigrants until they arrive in U.K. either by legal or illegal means. They are refugees. Over and out on this matter. It has nothing to do with caravanning. 
hmy:
hmy:
Grey13 said:My last point on this matter; Yes not relevant to OP question but relevant to your post: They are not immigrants until they arrive in U.K. either by legal or illegal means. They are refugees. Over and out on this matter. It has nothing to do with caravanning.
I had already been corrected by my use of incorrect terminology. The post I was replying to had also used the correct terminology so your link added nothing to the question posed. But we do agree in one thing that it’s nothing to do with caravanning unless perhaps you are re entering UK and wanted some information perhaps.
There is a recent thread on the CMC forum with some experiences (it's in the Overseas section).
Interestingly that thread was 'moderated' due to perceived political implications.
Interestingly that thread was 'moderated' due to perceived political implications.
Parksy
Moderator
VicMallows said:
So has this one Vic, I deleted a link to an irrelevant and potentially inflammatory newspaper article plus subsequent quotes containing that link.
Grey13 said:My last point on this matter; Yes not relevant to OP question but relevant to your post: They are not immigrants until they arrive in U.K. either by legal or illegal means. They are refugees. Over and out on this matter. It has nothing to do with caravanning.
Except it very much has got everything to do with carravanning, having had the pleasure of a group of ‘refugees’ try to get in while stopped waiting on a port access road.
People are not refugees until a government has given them refugee status with permission to remain.. The people at the channel ports are migrants not refugees.Grey13 said:My last point on this matter; Yes not relevant to OP question but relevant to your post: They are not immigrants until they arrive in U.K. either by legal or illegal means. They are refugees. Over and out on this matter. It has nothing to do with caravanning.
alan29 said:People are not refugees until a government has given them refugee status with permission to remain.. The people at the channel ports are migrants not refugees.Grey13 said:My last point on this matter; Yes not relevant to OP question but relevant to your post: They are not immigrants until they arrive in U.K. either by legal or illegal means. They are refugees. Over and out on this matter. It has nothing to do with caravanning.
After WW2 where millions of displaced people were millimg around they were called refugees. In 1951 and later in 2011 the UN ratified definitions of refugees to try and establish a common international understanding. Your defitiion is nowhere near the UN definition. By yours Rohyinga aren’t refugees nor would be many Syrians either. Below is part of the UN definition.
“.....who are outside their country of nationality or habitual residence and unable to return there owing to serious and indiscriminate threats to life, physical integrity or freedom resulting from generalized violence or events seriously disturbing public order."
I don't think it matters what you call them. I am interested in the movement through Ouistreham and whether anyone has had any problems. I am going through on 29th May. I will be staying at Bella Riva on th 28th.
Les
Les
We came through last Monday last week (arriving about 21.30) Came past the Bella Riva and there were about 50 migrants congregating by the approach road. They didn't appear to be bothering the vehicles going into the site but it might be different for people leaving.
Two weeks before we had spoken to a camper van owner who had spent the night inside the ferry port (as we have done many times) and he had had his doors tried quite a few times during the night.
On another note, for many years on our trips South, we have stayed overnight in the Pays d'Alencon aire on the motorway. No trouble and we had a good nights sleep. Last week we did the same only to be woken at about midnight by loud voices outside. We looked out and there were about 100 of the local youths congregating. The aire (which can be reached by the normal road network as well as the motorway) appears to have become a meeting place for the young locals of Alencon. We put up with the noise and the races up and down the carpark for about 45 minutes before moving on to another aire further South. I should emphasise that we didn't feel threatened in any way, it was just noisy.
Before anyone says "serves you right for stopping in an aire" we have done this, for many years all over Europe and never had any trouble.
Two weeks before we had spoken to a camper van owner who had spent the night inside the ferry port (as we have done many times) and he had had his doors tried quite a few times during the night.
On another note, for many years on our trips South, we have stayed overnight in the Pays d'Alencon aire on the motorway. No trouble and we had a good nights sleep. Last week we did the same only to be woken at about midnight by loud voices outside. We looked out and there were about 100 of the local youths congregating. The aire (which can be reached by the normal road network as well as the motorway) appears to have become a meeting place for the young locals of Alencon. We put up with the noise and the races up and down the carpark for about 45 minutes before moving on to another aire further South. I should emphasise that we didn't feel threatened in any way, it was just noisy.
Before anyone says "serves you right for stopping in an aire" we have done this, for many years all over Europe and never had any trouble.
We did the same a few weeks ago Paul, arriving at Ouistreham off the evening boat we decided to drive past the belle rive and stayed on the Aire de Service Argentan, which we would recommend.
We stayed last night at Bella Riva,leaving this morning the police were at the roundabout outside the site so no problem.At the port the caravan was searched and also at passport control at Portsmouth.
We got to Bella Riva on 28th and on the ferry on the 29th. We filled up at Carrefour (with the caravan on) on the way in there were about 6 or 7 on the opposite side of the road. On the roundabout there were a couple of armed Gendarmerie. When we went along the road from the roundabout there was about 20, but they totally ignored us. We pitch at the back of the site, at about 6.30 looking out at the corner near the canal about 3 or 4 cars came and looked to be giving them food. Apparently the Gendarmerie clear all out of Ouistreham just before the evening ferry comes in.
The next morning we left about 7 for the ferry only saw 2 or 3 on the way. We were searched 3 times before getting on the ferry.
I would go that way again without any worries.
Les
The next morning we left about 7 for the ferry only saw 2 or 3 on the way. We were searched 3 times before getting on the ferry.
I would go that way again without any worries.
Les
We came home via Ouistreham this July.Saw some immigrants (or whatever you want to call them)sitting around and in town but not in the port waiting area (after check in booths).We stayed in the caravan park nearest the port the police were parked outside the caravan park entrance and had no bother going to the port
We came back on Saturday 1st September,on the 11pm sailing, there were approx 200 people hanging about in the area outside the ferry port,mainly in groups of 12 ish, security seemed quite tight and we had to use our ferry boarding card to get through turnstiles into the terminal building and back, all caravans seemed to be inspected by French Customs and we did see several people ejected from a lorry. First time we have come across this at Caen
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