# Channel Tunnel Crossing



## gobbi (Apr 2, 2009)

Hi does any one no if it is possible to park over night at Calais Channel Tunnel as i am catching an early morning train.
I do not like staying at City Europe.

Any help would be appreciated

Tanks


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Don't know, but there are at least two aires nearby.

One of them is next to what is reckoned to be the best frites stall in the Northern Hemisphere! 8O 

The aire at Haut Escalles is only 10 minutes away, and the restaurants in the town (couple of minutes walk) are very good.

Dave


P.S. Come back if you want location details.


----------



## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

You can't overnight at the tunnel so you will need to use one of the local aires. never had a problem at Cite d'Europe myself.


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

There's no official parking although some people chance stopping in the car park at the Pet control office . However this is not a secure area and is noisy.
As suggested stop at an aire or if coming in on the A16 stop at Baie de Somme an easy 1 hr drive to Calais


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Me neither Fatty.

Much ado about very little, by some who like to sensationalise.

As I said some time ago - how do the undesirables know which way you are heading? They are not going to crawl under a motorhome in case it's going to Marseilles!!

If Gobbi wants GPS co-ords for the aires they can be supplied quite easily - or if he searches on here he will find them posted, just before Christmas I think.

Dave


----------



## gobbi (Apr 2, 2009)

*Channel Tunnel*

Hi Dave could you give me directions to the Aires

Thanks


----------



## gobbi (Apr 2, 2009)

*Channel Tunnel*

Hi Dave 
I have never stayed at City Europe as i have heard so many rumours and was a little apprehensive about staying there.

Goobi


----------



## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

> Me neither Fatty.
> 
> Much ado about very little, by some who like to sensationalise.
> 
> As I said some time ago - how do the undesirables know which way you are heading? They are not going to crawl under a motorhome in case it's going to Marseilles!!


just remain vigilant and there's no big deal. I sometime think that modern man is becoming scared of their own shadows and not getting on with normal life.


----------



## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

We stayed at Cite de Europe just before Christmas and had one of the quietest nights sleep we've had in the Calais area! The car park is well used up to the Cite closing then there were just 5 vans, including us. With 4 lorries parking up right at the other end. One side of the car park has a high wire fence that overlooks the car park for Eurotunnel, and it, the car park is well lit.

At one end is the Gendarmerie and Border Security post with a police dog compound and all the security of such a place.

We saw no suspicious people loitering about and as I say had a good nights sleep. There are people "wild camping" in the Calais area. The motorhome dealers near the Auchan supermarket has a field full of tents behind it.

Because of the Gendarmerie post I would think most people trying to keep a low profile would keep well away from it. It is no more dangerous than many aires we've stayed on. ann is very wary of where we stop but even she agreed it would now be our preferred place to stop at Calais.

Don't have nightmares!


----------



## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

We don't use Citi Europe now because there's no dog walk, but there's always vans there and we always felt safe pre dog. Anyway, Wissant is a good bet or Haut Escalles. The aires book is in the van and it's raining so I don't have the coordinates, but both are on this site in the campsite review section.


----------



## gobbi (Apr 2, 2009)

*Channel Tunnel*

Thanks Annesman for the advice

Gobbi


----------



## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Citie Europe at night is as safe as anywhere, police station right on its doorstep which you can see through the fence

There are no refugees around at night, used it over 20 times and never a problem and so handy for tunnel


----------



## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

adonisito said:


> We don't use Citi Europe now because there's no dog walk, but there's always vans there and we always felt safe pre dog. Anyway, Wissant is a good bet or Haut Escalles. The aires book is in the van and it's raining so I don't have the coordinates, but both are on this site in the campsite review section.


Wait until everyone has left with their shopping and the entire car park is a dog walk! Plenty of bins to drop your "pick up in too!


----------



## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

Yes, I know, but last time I took him to the little wooded area as he only 'goes' on grass, not on tarmac.
Interestingly after 2 minutes skulking around in the trees we were buzzed by a police car ! True, I saw then staring at us from their vehicle in the adjacent car park. Pretty safe imo.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re: Channel Tunnel*



> gobbi said:- Hi Dave could you give me directions to the Aires Thanks


No probs.

The two aires in the Calais basin are in the attached image, with GPS co-ords visible.

The aire at Haut Escalles is at 50.915565 1.721367

I'd suggest a look at all of them on Google Street View. They all show up well, so you can make a pretty good decision for yourself. Either would be OK by me, but we always use Cite Europe. It's a bit naff from the scenery point of view, but very convenient.

Dave


----------



## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Cite Europe for us every time. Use it every trip, never feel uneasy.
Gerry


----------



## telbet (Oct 30, 2006)

In the aires France for Cite Europe it advises using additional locks and set alarm, this tells me to stay clear.In the passed we have used Wissant or Gravelines and felt safe.


----------



## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

telbet said:


> In the aires France for Cite Europe it advises using additional locks and set alarm, this tells me to stay clear.In the passed we have used Wissant or Gravelines and felt safe.


We have used the Cite Europe for quite a few years and have never had, or seen a problem.

The thank you was a mistake, sorry.


----------



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

> telbet said:
> 
> 
> > In the aires France for Cite Europe it advises using additional locks and set alarm, this tells me to stay clear.In the passed we have used Wissant or Gravelines and felt safe.
> ...


----------



## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

rayc said:


> > telbet said:
> >
> >
> > > In the aires France for Cite Europe it advises using additional locks and set alarm, this tells me to stay clear.In the passed we have used Wissant or Gravelines and felt safe.
> ...


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Autoroute aire's are NOT the safest place to stay.
When I was trucking, we had little option about where to stay as we needed to use all of our driving hours.
My truck was broken into twice on Major Autoroute Service Station Aire.
Usually the robberies are on FREE aires, so a quick get away can be had with no peage to stop at!


----------



## dalspa (Jul 1, 2008)

If we are travelling to/from the south then we nearly always stop at the Baie de Somme aire. Usually other motorhomes and caravans parked up. Only time we felt uneasy was when we were the only one there - but could have moved up to the parking near to the main building. Security van usually calls around in the early hours. We find it convenient there following an early evening crossing from Dover, with just over an hour from Calais on the way towards Rouen. On our return we sometimes have a night at Le Crotoy (24hour ticket) and then move up to Baie de Somme for our last night.

DavidL


----------



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Irrespective of where we are going, I have had enough of sleeping in a truck with one eye open, listening for noises or movement in my trailer. With my M/H, I very much prefer to sleep content with the fact that my surroundings are as safe as any.
Regarding City de Europe. Would I really like to stop in an industrial / commercial area, when just a few miles away are much nicer surroundings. I think you know the answer!


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

adonisito said:


> We don't use Citi Europe now because there's no dog walk, but therhundredays vans there and we always felt safe pre dog. Anyway, Wissant is a good bet or Haut Escalles. The aires book is in the van and it's raining so I don't have the coordinates, but both are on this site in the campsite review section.


????????????
If you walk past the Police station and turn left past the Electrical store there are hundreds of acres of grassed areas where you can exercise dogs. Thats why I always stop there.


----------



## OldWomble (Jul 6, 2008)

I think most aires are pretty safe if you are sensible with them. We almost always see police checking them several times a day. We arrived at the seafront aire at Calais last Sunday morning to find 2 (british) ***** vans on there but by the evening the police had moved them on. If only that could happen here!!!


----------



## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

+1 for Cité de Europe. 

Not very salubrious but safe and convenient. We've used it many times.


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Is it just the pedant in me but how does one "cross" the channel in a tunnel.

To me a "crossing" suggests going over something rather than under it.

Like using a bridge or a ferry or even those stripey things invented by Mr Hore-Belisha.

So, can we come up with a different expression - "chunneling" la Manche?

Discuss - with appropriate gravitas.


----------



## adbt (Apr 6, 2010)

So if you cross the road via subway how would you describe it or cross London by Underground? Just asking !


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Traversing?


----------



## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Tunnelling surely :lol: 

tony


----------



## lizu (Jan 15, 2015)

*You can park at the channel tunnel in Calais*

we travelled back from France in December 2014 and arrived early at the channel tunnel. We went to see if we could get an earlier train but that wasn't possible due to travelling pet needing a longer time. However, immediately before the check in barrier there is a car park on the right near the Pet check in. There was plenty of space and it is well lit and patrolled so we didn't worry about security. A lot safer than the aires I would say.


----------



## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

But the place has been known for 'passengers' to be 'collected'

It is not authorised and people have been moved on :wink: 

tony


----------



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

But surely the tunnel crosses the channel, according to the true definition of cross or crossing. In doing so it links/connects both sides as well. You then traverse/pass through.

cabby


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I just knew I would get sensible answers to my daft question.


----------



## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

I would suggest you "pass through", as although you might be in your van both it and you are riding on a train, which itself is passing through a tunnel.


----------



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Thought that was what you wanted pippin.

cabby


----------



## lizu (Jan 15, 2015)

*You can park at the channel tunnel in Calais*

we travelled back from France in December 2014 and arrived early at the channel tunnel. We went to see if we could get an earlier train but that wasn't possible due to travelling pet needing a longer time. However, immediately before the check in barrier there is a car park on the right near the Pet check in. There was plenty of space and it is well lit and patrolled so we didn't worry about security. A lot safer than the aires I would say.


----------

