# Aires on A26 near Calais?



## jarcadia (May 1, 2005)

We are going to Italy next month; usually we get an early evening train, spend the night in Cite Europe then take the A26 towards Reims. However with the unrest at Calais we are looking for an aire not too far from the motorway, they seem to be sparse on this route and Arras seems to be the nearest, has anyone stayed there, and is it easy to find?
Brian


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Arras aire is ok but just a carpark near the town centre so not to everyones taste. Easy enough to find.

A bit closer is a ice aire at Watten by the canal and there is also one at St Omer but we haven't visited it personally.

Pete


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Watten info...

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=11915

Arras Info...

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=11904

St Omer Info....

http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/ccib.php?numero=22908

Pete


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

If you just want parking and close, but not close enough to give trouble, to Calais there is parking at Oye Plage - it is listed as an Aire (N. France No.9 in 'All the Aires) but seems to have been decomissioned as an Aire but fine for parking.

It is not far off M/way towards Dunkirk and not far to get back to the A26.

We used it in July and it was dead quiet. No sign of illegals in the small town.

Geoff


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## rebbyvid (Apr 10, 2006)

i am down at Arras now (been here a couple of days ) quiet aire within 5 min walk into town .Head for centre ville and its signposted Spent today at Vimy ridge and will be moving on tomorrow .


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Reviews of the St Omer aire at Arques is >here<.
peedee


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

We stayed at Watten earlier this year.
Very pleasant and recently refurbished....new fence and gravel etc.
Low capacity depending very much on how people park!

The superb village community center next to the site , which looks quite new, is little used and overgrown.


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## jarcadia (May 1, 2005)

Thank you Peedee but the one at Arques closes 31st October.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

The aire at Arques is not, in front of the campsite ! That is where the borne is. We use it a lot and often see people parked on the gravel by the services but, if they took the road to the left of the campsite reception, as you face the reception, and follow the road round and past the lake, then you come to the actual aire. It's administered by the campsite (Beausejour) for the municipality and the campsite receptionist, or his wife, comes round about 7 pm to collect fees from those who did not pop in to the office and pay and get a ticket on their way in. When we first started to use it the trees on the lake edge were not there and you had an excellent view of the lake. Not so now as they have all grown up and blocked the view. ( see MHF photo which is of our van)

We've used it all year round and were there twice, a few weeks ago. Is the closing new ? It will be missed as it is always busy.

Its not the easiest to find as it is in the middle of a housing estate but best to follow the signs for the camspite or set your satnav for Camping Beausejour.

There is also the " new" aire at Boulogne, right up on the top of the cliffs at the junction of the road from St Martin Boulogne and the road to Wimereaux. There is also the Auchan ( Cote d'Opale) at St Martins Boulogne where there is even an open air launderette as well as borne and parking for thousands.

G


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

We have stopped overnight at Cite Europe a couple of times and never had a problem,the last time earlier this year.
We do the same,get an early evening train then a short drive to settle down at Cite Europe ready for an early start the next morning.Has anyone had a problem when parked there for the night?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

This might be useful

http://users.telenet.be/leo.huybrechts/a00frame.htm

Dave


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## rebbyvid (Apr 10, 2006)

wakk44 said:


> We have stopped overnight at Cite Europe a couple of times and never had a problem,the last time earlier this year.
> We do the same,get an early evening train then a short drive to settle down at Cite Europe ready for an early start the next morning.Has anyone had a problem when parked there for the night?


I would think with the problems in calais (and when i came through on sunday there were loads of immigrants looking for opportunities to get across ) at the moment it would be best avoided .


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## newleaf (Jan 11, 2007)

*Aire near A26*

Is Saint Venant any good or is it too far from the A26?
50°37'32.5"N 2°32'55.6"E
Stayed there a couple of years ago, very quiet except for the ducks!!
Very convenient little stopover.
Geoff


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Bit radical, but rather than pay the tolls on the A26, why not take the toll free 'Russell Route' to Italy:

Calais->Dunkirk->Lille->Tournai->Mons->Namur->Luxembourg->Metz->Nancy->Mulhouse->Basel etc.

Dual Carriageway or Free Motorway pretty much all the way.

If so, then Peruwelz marina, about 2 hrs drive from Calais is an ideal free first stop: 50.5186258, 3.6087952

Morph


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## scouter (Dec 14, 2007)

Ours is a similar route but we head more into Germany and Austria but our first night is at Gravellines by the port, then Luxembourg for diesel, pirmasens, Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Ulm, Kempten, Fussen and Innsbruck and over the Brenner

cheers alan


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## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

We have used the Arques Aire and parked on the Gravel by the Bourne when we have arrived late. We also had a scare once when we parked by the lake and went for a walk in the evening and found a barrier across the entrance to the lake. Much scurrying around we managed to persuade them to open the barrier for us so we could park by the bourne as our ferry was at 0800hrs and we would have been locked in until they opened the barrier in the morning at 9.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

colpot said:


> We have used the Arques Aire and parked on the Gravel by the Bourne when we have arrived late. .


That's fine. What I was trying to point up is the number of people who think that is all there is to the Arques aire - ie where the co-ordinates took them and the photo shows- and are surprised when they realise that that is only the service area.

From past experience they lift the barrier at 7 am but that still would not have helped for an 8.30 am sailing. We've never needed to ask but I suspect, judging by the number of fishermen who come and go all night along the road past the lake, that the barrier is not actually locked at all.

G


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## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> colpot said:
> 
> 
> > We have used the Arques Aire and parked on the Gravel by the Bourne when we have arrived late. .
> ...


I agree, the first time we went there thats what we thought. It wasnt until the morning when we saw Motorhomes driving out of the road to the lake that we went and took a look and saw loads parked there.


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