# Best place to overnight at Calais?



## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

Hi everyone, 

We are arriving at Calais on Eurotunnel late on a Friday night, approx 10.30pm, at the end of May. What is the best place for us to overnight before moving on in the morning? What do other people do??

Thanks in anticipation!


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

We always overnight at Cite Europe, a few minutes from the tunnel.

Denise


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-105727-.html

tony


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

I thought that somewhere on the net I had read that it was not advisable to stay overnight in the Cite Europe, but you obviously felt safe Joedenise?

The Yacht aire was one that I thought we might use. I did do a search on the site before putting my question on but obviously missed the link that you gave me Gemmy, so thanks for that.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*like*

Hello,

Not that keen on the Calais aire these days, have felt safer on motorwway Aires just south of Calais.

But as there was 5 of us last month we stayed and it was fine. Shame about some of the other Very Noisy clients.

There are two aires in Calais, I only know the one next to the port.

TM


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

The yacht basin here is probably the best compromise:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=1140

Personally we prefer the aire because it's much livlier and more "interesting" (for "interesting" you may want to substitute noisy, full of dodgy characters, near to beach, busy etc.) Depends on your character really.

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=42

Either option costs €7 officially (unless you're French and do a runner at 7am before the rent collector arrives). :roll:


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

we prefer the main aire, despite the distractions, and like to go in the restaurant next door - a wonderful way of starting or finishing the holiday, but you're arriving late, so thant's not on! Another consideration is that it might be full :roll: at that hour - we've turned up there before and coudn't get in, and used the yacht basin one. At least there will be plenty of room there!


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

I seem to have a problem, when trying to set a route in Autoroute, in finding the actual spot that we arrive on when we get to France, as in the arrival spot. It doesn't seem to recognise Eurotunnel, only the ferry port. Am I being particularly thick here? Does anyone have the GPS co-ordinates or can tell me how to get them?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*aire you go*



esperelda said:


> I seem to have a problem, when trying to set a route in Autoroute, in finding the actual spot that we arrive on when we get to France, as in the arrival spot. It doesn't seem to recognise Eurotunnel, only the ferry port. Am I being particularly thick here? Does anyone have the GPS co-ordinates or can tell me how to get them?


Calais Port Aire

(50.96526523856311, 1.8429136276245117)

Decimal Degrees (WGS84)
Latitude	Longitude
50.965265	1.842914

Degrees, Minutes & Seconds
Latitude	Longitude
N50 57 54	E1 50 34

GPS
Latitude	Longitude
N 50 57.916	E 1 50.575

UTM
X	Y
31N	418748	5646600

Any Use?

I can get you the Eurotunnel Exit point if you want it?

TM


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

esperelda said:


> I seem to have a problem, when trying to set a route in Autoroute, in finding the actual spot that we arrive on when we get to France, as in the arrival spot. It doesn't seem to recognise Eurotunnel, only the ferry port. Am I being particularly thick here? Does anyone have the GPS co-ordinates or can tell me how to get them?


Eurotunnel terminal is not at Calais, but at Coquelles. If you enter Coquelles into Autoroute it will show a ferry port in the list of places. Click on this and it will set the pointer at the Eurotunnel terminal.
BTW, no problems overnighting at Cite Europe. Lots of us do it especially on the last night coming home. Stock up with booze, Flunches for dinner and home in the morning. It is within sight of the Gendarmerie and regularly patrolled.
Gerry


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

Cite Europe every time, unless we have time to reach Bray Dunes if heading in that direction. 

Also discovered Arques Aire around 1 hr away from Calais last time we where there. 

Mandy


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

I suppose it will depend on which direction your are travelling from the Eurotunnel.

We'll arriving at around the same time as you and will be travelling east along the A16, so we'll be heading for Gravelines which is about 20miles away.


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

We normally use Citieurope Carrefour and have never had a problem. However on the way back over Easter we used an Aire at Wissant, just South of Calais. Its large, flat and was busy when we were there. Its about 20 minutes from the terminal. No facilities apart from grey water disposal, although I suppose if you are starting out you won't need them.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

We used Cite de europe for the first time a couple of weeks ago.
Dedicated parking area for motorhomes.
There were four of us parked.

Quiet with police patols
Dave p


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Always feel safe at Cite Europe - there's always other MHs around you and as Dave P said there are always police patrols.

Denise


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## wasfitonce (Apr 27, 2009)

*Overnight in Calais?*



Stay in the Cite of Europe. Head for the bus parking, MH parking near. Very very quite AND SAFE Stayed there last December.

Will be staying there 2 July after catching late chunnel.

Paul and Ann


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

I have stopped at Cite Europe 4 or 5 times without any problems, the last time 2 weeks ago.

Charlie


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

> Eurotunnel terminal is not at Calais, but at Coquelles. If you enter Coquelles into Autoroute it will show a ferry port in the list of places. Click on this and it will set the pointer at the Eurotunnel terminal.


Thanks for this, I should have realised that I needed to look for Coquelles, not Calais. But even so, I would never have thought that the 'Ferry port' would give me the Eurotunnel. Strange.........


> I can get you the Eurotunnel Exit point if you want it?


 Can I have the GPS for the eurotunnel exit point please? Thanks for the others as well. There must be a way to get the GPS co-ordinates from autoroute when I put Coquelles into the search and choose the 'Ferry Point' but I haven't worked out how to get them yet.
Thanks for all the replies I've had, I feel much happier now that we will feel safe if we stay at the City Europe aire. We are catching an early train back at the end of the week so will definitely stay there the night before.


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

esperelda said:


> > Eurotunnel terminal is not at Calais, but at Coquelles. If you enter Coquelles into Autoroute it will show a ferry port in the list of places. Click on this and it will set the pointer at the Eurotunnel terminal.
> 
> 
> Thanks for this, I should have realised that I needed to look for Coquelles, not Calais. But even so, I would never have thought that the 'Ferry port' would give me the Eurotunnel. Strange.........
> ...


You can get any co ordinates you want using Google Earth.

Here's the co-ordinates for the entrance to the motorhome parking on Boulevard du Kent at Cite Europe.

55° 55.967' N

1° 48.663' E

It doesn't work through Google maps, you need to download the Google Earth program.

I find it invaluable for pin pointing places of interest to go and photograph.

Addendum.

The co ordinates are displayed in the bottom righthand corner of Autoroute 2010. If they aren't there, click on TOOLS, then OPTIONS
and click which ever type of go-ordinates you prefer.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Zozzer said:


> You can get any co ordinates you want using Google Earth.
> 
> Here's the co-ordinates for the entrance to the motorhome parking on Boulevard du Kent at Cite Europe.
> 
> ...


Co-ords are available on Google Maps.

Cite Europe MH parking is also on the MHF Database Here


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

When you get off the train in France just keep to the right and take the first right and it's signposted from there. Coming out to go back to England, turn left out of carpark, left at 1st roundabout, keep right,and it's signed from there.

Joe


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

They certainly are, I've just clicked a few bells and whistles and I've got them along with a few other little additions I'll probably never use.


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

esperelda said:


> > . . . There must be a way to get the GPS co-ordinates from autoroute when I put Coquelles into the search and choose the 'Ferry Point' but I haven't worked out how to get them yet . . .
> 
> 
> If using Autoroute 2010 the coordinates should be shown at the bottom right of your screen, changing as you move the cursor around the map.
> ...


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

rogerblack said:


> If using Autoroute 2010 the coordinates should be shown at the bottom right of your screen, changing as you move the cursor around the map.


Ctrl + Alt + C will copy the co-ordinates of the cursor position ready to be pasted somewhere else.

Dave


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

Well, isn't it annoying when the answer has been there all along - I feel rather stupid for not noticing that the co-ordinates are shown in Autoroute in the bottom right hand corner! Thank you so much for pointing this out to me, and the other tips.
While we're at it here, does anyone know of a handy conversion table on the net to put the co-ordinates in from the Aires book so that I can change them to the version required in Autoroute?


> Co-ords are available on Google Maps.


 I have looked on google maps, put in a location but cannot see the co-ordinates anywhere - I looked in all 4 corners of the screen, just to be sure!


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Just look at the top of the map screen. On the right hand side is the word new in red click on this and a drop down menu appears.
Scroll down until you come to latlongtip. Click on enable and then click on save changes.

Back to the map with your curser. Hover where you want the coords for and press the shift key.

Dave p


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

Excellent, thanks DaveP, very useful. I've also discovered that if you right click the location and click 'What's here' it puts the co-ordinates into the Search box. Live and learn, live and learn.


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