# Calais Aire



## stevebilly (May 15, 2009)

We are off to France next week and I was wondering how safe it is to stay at Calais Aire these days?

Steve


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Gravelines is much nicer, arguably safer, and not far up the coast. There are at least two Aires there as well.

Haven't used Cite Europe ourselves, but that should be fine and has a massive supermarket within spitting distance.

Don't go to Bray Dunes at the moment. There is a huge fair occupying the whole Aire and coach park area, and it looks to be there for most of the summer.

Other suggestions will flood in shortly no doubt.

Dave


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

Gravelines, near the boat marina is nice and quiet. It is handy for the supermarkets, (ALDI and Super U) and is a 3 minute walk into the town centre. There is also an English speaking vets 3 minutes walk away. There are at present no facilities, but if you are only there overnight that shouldn't be a problem. If you are staying a day or so longer to use the vets there is a camp site 5 minutes drive away that has a MSP for 5 Euros, (Camping Les Dunes, Rue Victor Hugo), so you can "refresh" there.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

we prefer Gravelines but don`t tell everyone

Dave p


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## stevebilly (May 15, 2009)

How many spaces are there at Gravelines as we will not be getting off the boat until 10.15pm.

Steve


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Just returned from France and stayed at Cite Europe the last night, it was very entertaining flushing out the non paying travellers from under the RV and the coaches, if you don't like people crawling around under your van at night don't go there.
Of course they seem to know if you are going or coming

Loddy


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

We stayed at the Calais aire recentley (met Ken-Gaspode) there, when we arrived late afternoon there were 11 police vans on the aire each with at least 2 men in them and across at the beach there were at least 2 police vans at any one time. There were more policemen there than most police forces in the UK. There is always plenty of interest going on at the Calais aire and I don't mean breakins.
Cheers Sid


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Calais*

Hi

I have used the ferry terminal parking area/without tickets area for a few overnight stays without any problem. If you park "carefully" - ie between other units, this helps to minimise the noise of traffic coming from the ships.

Russell


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

There is space at Gravelines for about 20-30 vans easily, depending on how people are parked. Because it is halfway between Calais and Dunkirque people are coming and going at all times, so you shouldn't have too much trouble getting on there.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

If you use Gravelines try to park on the side oposite the river as that side is used by the boat owners as a car park.
We have never had bother but usually away by 10.
As Russell suggests nip into car park near ticket office, but may be noisy.


dave p


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Totally agree with DTP on this, park on the other side of the road opposite the boat berths if you can and leave the main access to the berths free for the boat owners to avoid any ill feelings...

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-605305.html#605305

Pete


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## wackywyco (Apr 30, 2007)

Hi, I agree with Russell, come off the ferry to the roundabout at exit, go round and back in the entrance and park up there for the night. we have done this a couple of times and slept well with no agro leaving you fresh for the morning journey,


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## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

Hi all,
We arrived back from France this morning & I'm just reporting that calais plage was full on our way out & full last night when we came back,However we did not overnight but parked there for our last few hours I personally didn't feel as safe as usual as we saw several groups of youths/men (non french) :wink: loitering about near the Restaurant at the entrance.
We stayed at Equihen plage just below Boulogne for two nights (Beautiful beach) my kids loved it.

Phil


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## grouch (Oct 1, 2005)

Last Monday we stayed the night opposite the Marina. All well until about 3.20 a.m. when the alarm on the van next door to us went off. Evidentally, about 5 (possible) illegals were crawling about under his van. They would have been really upset if they had hitched a lift under him as he was travelling South down through France and not back to the UK.


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

Stopped at the Calais aire yesterday 3rd August filled uf with water and emptied toilet(free) was going to stay the night before taking the tunnel this morning. Spoke to a couple from Nottingham who talked us out of it along with a general feeling of bad vibes. Chasper . Ps had good tip to France, Belgium,Luxemburg and Germany as far as the Austrian border.


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## Bimobil (Jun 16, 2008)

Hi, just waiting at the tunnel now using the free wifi, stayed last night on La touquet aire at the marina, 6.5 euro with free empty, just pay for water. very busy though but a good nights sleep, handy for beach, 40 mins or so from tunnel.

Darren, (sad to be heading back to uk )


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## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

Coming off the eurotunnel at midnight on Thurs and hoping to do our usual 600 mile jaunt down to Soustons in SW France in one hit on Fri after getting our heads down near Calais and an early start on Fri. We usually stay at the (packed) first petrol service station on the A16 Autoroute to Rouen but given the misgivings about the Calais area I think we'll plod on further towards Rouen...if anyone knows where to stay near the A16 / A28 Calais - Rouen stretch? I dont mind staying in the busy petrol service stations but I know the risks...........


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## CliffyP (Dec 19, 2008)

We were in Calais in March, going out and comming in. No problems to report but Police in and out all the time. It is noisy though.

Next time though we may try to get a bit further up the road as its sounding not to good.


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## LisaB (Apr 24, 2009)

Hi all, I am still undecided about this. We stayed there for the night in March bound for the alps and it was quiet (you would have thought more vunerable) - no hassles at all. Although I won't say that we didn't see lines of immigrants walking down the road by the port. We also stayed when it was busy at the end of June 2 days before the big protest rally or whatever it was, the aire was packed and there were french national guard everywhere. The bar and restaurant owners, along with a few fellow Brits who were waiting for friends to catch up were all getting tetchy about things but I believe it all blew over with not much to report. We didn't stray far from the van - only to the bar on the corner and the restaurant at the side of the aire, oh and the vets, but there was too much activity and curiousity going on to be worried. We are off over again in August (end of) and are intending to stay there. (I have already posted a thread asking opinions), I think the beach aire is deemed to be more popular and indeed safer then the bassin or marina, there will be two vans and we have beware of the schnauzer stickers all over our van ! He is also a very good watch. I think we will aim there and if we don't like the look - move on. There always seem to be loads of kids and teens around the frites sellers but appear harmless, no worse then at home round the local "offy". I guess it a case of wait and see and if we do get "hangers on" they will be having a lift down south!

:?


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

We went through Calais in July and felt very uncomfortable due to illegals milling around. Even in the P & O ferry carpark it was rife with dog handlers and illegals.

Like other posters I would recommend Gravelines or if you are not too late arriving then try here

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=2390

very quiet, safe and pleasant - can walk to the beach if you fancy


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## robrace (Jun 30, 2005)

*Escalles*

Site looks good for our first night,we usally stay at Calais Aire and have a meal(Reccomend The Coq d'or.superb.Can anyone reccomend eating in The village at Escalles?


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

*Re: Escalles*



robrace said:


> Site looks good for our first night,we usally stay at Calais Aire and have a meal(Reccomend The Coq d'or.superb.Can anyone reccomend eating in The village at Escalles?


There are 3 restaurants in Escalles all serve quite good food with varying prices. I can't remember their names but as you walk down to the village the first one is on the left just before the junction (most expensive) the next is the hotel across the road and finally there is a seafood place a further 100 yds down the road (least expensive) on your right next the a small campsite.

Not all open on the same days so you may have only two to choose from. While I am always nervous at recommending places that we have only used one or two times, we have had good meals at all of them, however as we like seafood the smallest one is our favourite


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