# Cite Europe Parking



## CLS (Jul 25, 2005)

Anyone stopped overnight at the rear of Carrefour at Cite Europe recently , wondering if still safe with all the current reports in the news ? Heading over in a couple of weeks and always stay there on the first and last nights of the trip

Thanks Mark


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Try the yacht basin instead. It's only just down the road and right next to a pleasant part of Calais. Less likely to be frequented by undesirables.

Dave


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi Mark

Personally I wouldn't park at Cite Europe - but that's more to do with it being a miserable place rather than fear of immigrants. Just use the beach aire, it's better lit, more "public" and much nicer all round than Cite-Europe. Do a bit of fishing from the pier while you're there.

The last few times we've been in Calais there have been more and more "undesirables" around Cite-Europe and Auchan every time but they seem not to be wandering around the aire any more.


----------



## Imbiber (May 11, 2007)

We made are usual pilgrimage to Cite Europe last Saturday evening. No problems and no sign of any immigrant activity. There were a lot fewer vans though as to be expected I suppose.


----------



## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

gaspode said:


> Hi Mark
> 
> Personally I wouldn't park at Cite Europe - but that's more to do with it being a miserable place rather than fear of immigrants. Just use the beach aire, it's better lit, more "public" and much nicer all round than Cite-Europe. Do a bit of fishing from the pier while you're there.
> 
> The last few times we've been in Calais there have been more and more "undesirables" around Cite-Europe and Auchan every time but they seem not to be wandering around the aire any more.


Is this Aire still open, last time we were there I was told by the guy who collects the money that it was closing?as the area was being redeveloped, the Aire was being moved to the far end of the beach.
curlyboy


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Still open early July when we last stayed there but there are definitely plans to close it sometime in the future.

We have asked the attendants when it was due to close but got the usual shrugged shoulder French reply. No-one seems to know when they'll start the redevelopment, no sign of any work yet.
In any case, if it's closed (or full) all you need to do is drive across the road and use the yacht basin aire.


----------



## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

gaspode said:


> Hi Mark
> 
> Personally I wouldn't park at Cite Europe - but that's more to do with it being a miserable place rather than fear of immigrants. Just use the beach aire, it's better lit, more "public" and much nicer all round than Cite-Europe. Do a bit of fishing from the pier while you're there.
> 
> The last few times we've been in Calais there have been more and more "undesirables" around Cite-Europe and Auchan every time but they seem not to be wandering around the aire any more.





gaspode said:


> Still open early July when we last stayed there but there are definitely plans to close it sometime in the future.
> 
> We have asked the attendants when it was due to close but got the usual shrugged shoulder French reply. No-one seems to know when they'll start the redevelopment, no sign of any work yet.
> In any case, if it's closed (or full) all you need to do is drive across the road and use the yacht basin aire.


Thanks for the update Ken, not that we can go any time soon the little dog is now too old to risk the trip:crying::crying:
curlyboy


----------



## jetski (Feb 18, 2007)

we used city Europe last Saturday no problems but as said before a lot quitter than normal


----------



## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

We at City Europe three weeks ago and it was very quiet, just one lad walking through (later saw him on the road outside the ferry terminal access road). Just do the usual checks under the van before you leave.


----------



## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

We were at Cite Europe last night and there were no signs of any migrants.There were about 10 motorhomes there,and we had a good nights sleep.I know its not everyones cup of tea,but suits us when we have an early tunnel crossing.


----------



## flyinghigh (Dec 10, 2012)

jo662 said:


> We were at Cite Europe last night and there were no signs of any migrants.There were about 10 motorhomes there,and we had a good nights sleep.I know its not everyones cup of tea,but suits us when we have an early tunnel crossing.


I must confess I don't understand some motorhomers! You carry you own bed around so you can more or less stop were you want to, but you get of the ferry in the early hours and want to get your head down,
I like to get at least a hour or more under my belt before retiring, and that will be some where nice and quite, definitely not a shopping centre near a ferry terminal with the possible agro from immigrants, different stroke for different folks I suppose!


----------



## DBSS (Jun 30, 2013)

Given the delays we experienced with the ferry at the end of July [ height of the french fishermans disputes ] we ended up arriving in Calais at 01.30 on a Sunday morning. Drove over to fuel up at Auchan as we always do, and after a bit of a look round couldn't see any migrants, so decided to give it a go and stop the night parked across from the petrol station.
No problems experienced and woke up refreshed ready for breakfast, now this is where I was disappointed....Auchan was closed till later in the morning.

Cheers

Ian


----------



## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

flyinghigh said:


> I must confess I don't understand some motorhomers! You carry you own bed around so you can more or less stop were you want to, but you get of the ferry in the early hours and want to get your head down,
> I like to get at least a hour or more under my belt before retiring, and that will be some where nice and quite, definitely not a shopping centre near a ferry terminal with the possible agro from immigrants, different stroke for different folks I suppose!


On the way out thats what we do,we only stay there on the way home.


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

flyinghigh said:


> I must confess I don't understand some motorhomers! You carry you own bed around so you can more or less stop were you want to, but you get of the ferry in the early hours and want to get your head down,
> I like to get at least a hour or more under my belt before retiring, and that will be some where nice and quite, definitely not a shopping centre near a ferry terminal with the possible agro from immigrants, different stroke for different folks I suppose!


Admittedly at the moment I would rule it out however I have stopped there many times in the past and it has always been surprisingly peaceful.
My question for you though is have you ever stayed there!!!


----------



## flyinghigh (Dec 10, 2012)

No I haven't to be honest but dropped in for shopping last year in the afternoon and felt uncomfortable leaving the MH out of my sight because of so many young men wandering around,
I am on the tunnel this Thursday evening and will motor on into Belgium before deciding were to pull up for the night, if the going is easy I may well push on into the Netherlands, but that's the beauty of motorhoming you have many choices,
But we're ever I pull over it won't be in a large shopping centre, perhaps it's just me?


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

flyinghigh said:


> no i haven't to be honest but dropped in for shopping last year in the afternoon and felt uncomfortable leaving the mh out of my sight because of so many young men wandering around,
> i am on the tunnel this thursday evening and will motor on into belgium before deciding were to pull up for the night, if the going is easy i may well push on into the netherlands, but that's the beauty of motorhoming you have many choices,
> but we're ever i pull over it won't be in a large shopping centre, perhaps it's just me?


qed


----------



## zack (Jun 16, 2007)

to be honest you perhaps have it more easy than some of the other members, you live in Kent therefore you are able to travel further. Some people have to work the day and then drive so require for safety reasons to stop without as you say pushing on. I have stayed at Cite Europe for the last 9 years and only felt uncomfortable on the way home in June and decided to leave. I only stay where I feel comfortable and I have experience after working over35years in security related situations. Next we will be saying don't stay on Aires or Stellplatz only use expensive campsites, to be honest the only time anyone attempted to get into our motorhome was on a campsite in the Vendee


----------



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Geriatricbackpacker said:


> We at City Europe three weeks ago and it was very quiet, just one lad walking through (later saw him on the road outside the ferry terminal access road). Just do the usual checks under the van before you leave.


Much prefer to rattle over a couple of sleeping policemen. Or as they are known in France, UK Border Force!


----------



## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

CLS said:


> Anyone stopped overnight at the rear of Carrefour at Cite Europe recently , wondering if still safe with all the current reports in the news ? Heading over in a couple of weeks and always stay there on the first and last nights of the trip
> 
> Thanks Mark


We went out through the tunnel on the 1st of August and returned at the end of August, as others have said; it was quieter than usual (motorhomes) and we didn't have any issues at all, didn't see any immigrants but there was a slightly larger police presence than normal. no delays or anything, actually went through on an earlier train than our designated one in each direction.



flyinghigh said:


> I must confess I don't understand some motorhomers! You carry you own bed around so you can more or less stop were you want to, but you get of the ferry in the early hours and want to get your head down,
> I like to get at least a hour or more under my belt before retiring, and that will be some where nice and quite, definitely not a shopping centre near a ferry terminal with the possible agro from immigrants, different stroke for different folks I suppose!


I'm not having a go at all but your post comes across as a little condescending, it's a 350 mile journey for us to get to the tunnel in Folkstone with two kids on board, we do it in one day to maximise the time in Europe so it's usually getting on when we arrive in France, the centre is well and truly closed and it's very peaceful. therefore we choose to stay at cite europe and have done for years, up in the morning to fill up with fuel (2 mins away at auchen) and decide where we are going this year.

On the way back home it's the equivalent; arrive at cite europe late in the evening, after filling up, in order to get an early train to the UK the next morning. this provides us with an early start from Folkstone in order to get home that day in a comfortable and safe manner.

Lee

P.S. we do have the advantage of being in the lake district in 15 minutes


----------



## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

Being tired and driving on unfamiliar roads in the dark is a recipe for at least an argument with your co-pilot. I much prefer to drive on when we get across to France but when we have taken a late crossing I have opted to stay at Cite Europe as it is right on the doorstep. It also saves having to make grovelling apologies over breakfast!


----------



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

We've stayed at Cite Europe a couple of times but we were virtually on our own so not comfortable.
We try to catch the train as soon after 16.00 as possible and now turn south to the Auchan on the St Omer road just off the autoroute J31 to fuel up.
We then go back to the autoroute and drive the 45 miles to the autoroute aire Baie de Somme.
Safe, quiet and you can sleep in if you wish. You are 60 miles into your journey south!

The 12.40 € toll is money well spent in out view.


----------



## CLS (Jul 25, 2005)

Stopped there overnight on the 5th September and as been previously mentioned a lot quieter than previous years , I counted 7 motorhomes and 1 caravan parked up.


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

CurlyBoy said:


> Is this Aire still open, last time we were there I was told by the guy who collects the money that it was closing?as the area was being redeveloped, the Aire was being moved to the far end of the beach.
> curlyboy


still open, and they have a lovely new sign to say it's €8 a night, but on Thursday night / Friday morning nobody came to collect the money! All very quite apart from the usual ferry noises, certainly fewer vans there than has been in the past. No sign of any work going on at the old campsite next door, have they run out of money for the development? :wink2: I agree with Ken, Cite Europe is a soul-less place, I would only stop there to go shopping. The Beach aire or the Yacht Basin for me every time. And of course an excellent first / last night meal at Au Cote D'Argent:grin2:


----------

