Overnight stop Calais

[Julian_5040787]

We will be sailing to Calais at midnight this summer and wanted to just put the legs down on the caravan when we get there 01:30hrs. Does anyone know if there is a place at or near the port that we can do that.

 

[OldBean]

There is an area, to the left of the road, as you drive out of the Port - you will see it full of caravans doing the same thing. You have to almost turn back on yourself as you drive out. It's a little noisy - you can hear every boat coming in and going out. Alternatively you can set off on the autoroute and pull in at one of the 'Aire's' and stay there - along with many other caravanners, again, doing the same thing.

 

[Dusty1]

See the thread 'Sites near Calais' by Jon Charles, last post 11th Feb 2005.

I would not recommend using the 'Aires' for security reasons.

 

[blackrat_5041011]

I'm afraid to say the advice from Val is somewhat foolhardy.

I personally know of two people who have had their cars broken into whilst attempting to sleep in their vans at Calais docks. On both occasions the much talked about security officers where nowhere to be seen. Gendarmes took several hours to arrive.

The same is true for sleeping on Aires. Reports of break-ins and even gassings are common. Both clubs advise against it.

The only safe option is to find a site. If this is not possible due to your ferry arriving in the middle of the night then it begs the question why did you opt to travel at that time.

A night in Dover, then an early am ferry is the same price,

 

[OldBean]

I'm sorry that my advice seems foolhardy. Last time we went through Calais in September last year there must have been 50 vans staying on the docks on a Friday night - it was a real community. Similarly on the Aire's we've stayed in there are always many more caravanners. Julian did ask if there were areas - and yes, there are. Whether you would recommend them or not is a different matter.

I don't know why Julian is crossing at night, but I know why we do. We start our holidays after we finish work on a Friday - drive straight down to Dover from the North of England (sharing the driving) and then get a midnight(ish) ferry. We choose to stay as near to Calais as we can - that way we feel as if we are in France from the very first day. If we are early we get a site, but if not then we stay 'wherever'.

I know every year there are stories of gassings, etc., but we've stayed in Aire's sometimes, going back over thelast 25 years, with no problems whatsoever - and indeed at some our teenage sons have joined other teenagers in their tents on the grassy verges. One 'Aire' near Boulogne has coin-operated hooks ups available, and a shower block. Despite all the postings on this site no one has ever actually said they have been subject to a gassing - it's always someone they know, or a friend of someone they know.

Again apologies, but each to his own, and if Julian wishes to stay on the docks then at least he knows there is an area where he can stay and if the overnight ferry was the only one he could book in on then he won't be alone on the dockside in Calais - we might be next door to him.

 

[Theo_5041685]

Julian

We have stayed at the dockside. To get to the area on the left you leave the port. BUT make sure you take the first sliproad off otherwise you are on the motorway. Down to the roundabout and virtually turn back on yourself. The area is actually for departures. In the morning you stay to the left and you come back out on the exit. Theo

 

[Richard_5041394]

There are a couple of sites in the Calais area that do accept arrival/departure in the middle of the night, if you're interested. One such is Camping Bouscarel at Oye Plage, about 10 mins drive from the port. Personally, we go down to Dover on the Friday night after finishing work, and use the officially designated (and free!) parking for caravan outfits & motorhomes on the seafront there, which is literally 2 mins from the ship. We are always booked onto the 5.15 am sailing, and arrive in France nice and early - making the most of that first full day etc. I don't think we'd gain anything at all by getting on a late night boat and then camping somewhere on the docks on the French side on arrival. This early crossing is priced the same as the night crossings too (P&0). Personal choice at the end of the day though! Enjoy. Richard.