Calais crossings
Has anyone crossed through Calais recently? We are motorhomers who have regularly crossed and overnighted at the Calais dockside Aire but have recently braved the longer Newhaven crossing due to comments in the newspapers. Has anyone any up to date information
re the situation in Calais. We intend to cross end of January?
Comments
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The situation is very fluid at the moment - there are plans to 'bulldoze' part of 'The Jungle' where lots of migrants are currently living, and also plans by Medecin Sans Frontieres to extend the other camp currently just outside Dunkerque.
I think from a safety point of view, at the moment, there is no problem providing you take the sensible precautions of not stopping and leaving your vehicle unattended - and check after check-in that there is no one inside, on top of, or underneath your
vehicle.Just keep an eye on the news reports as things are changing day to day.
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Welcome Tardie. I must admit that if I were crossing to France or returning home, I would use Newhaven. Your van could be damaged by somebody just attempting to get in (broken door). If and when we go across the Channel, it will definately not be via Calais.
Watching programes on the news showing migrants using drastic tactics tells me that no way am I going to get my car and caravan damaged when there is an alternative. Some people might not agree with my view but they are entitled to have their say.0 -
I understand the worries and concerns some people feel, but over 12 million passengers per year use the Dover ferries, and more than that number now use the tunnel. The total must now be approaching 30 million passengers per year, yet the numbers of holiday visitors reporting problems from migrants remains tiny. One in a million perhaps? It's the lorry drivers who have the hassle.
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Has anyone crossed through Calais recently? We are motorhomers who have regularly crossed and overnighted at the Calais dockside Aire but have recently braved the longer Newhaven crossing due to comments in the newspapers. Has anyone any up to date information
re the situation in Calais. We intend to cross end of January?Go onto the Eurotunnel Wb site, there is a link to current situation telling you how many crossings per hour for both UK and France, and delays including the diversion at the Folkestone end, I look at it a few times a week. Hope this helps
Admiral
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I must say we did four crossings each way this year, using Dover or the Tunnel, and had no problems whatsoever. We are just about to book another crossing in February - from Dover to Calais. It won't stop us using this route.
Timings on most other routes are just not as convenient for us - or the price is more than we would wish to pay.
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I was planning to go Newhaven to Dieppe return in June, same as last year when I was most impressed with the service and ease of getting through both ports - and no sign of an immigrant. Quoted £155 return by email for a 'normal' size car and caravan by
DFDS which was cheaper than last year. I knew when phoning them to get my senior discount my caravan at 7.3 metres would cost more but was shocked to be told the price had gone up almost £90 to £240 within a few days. 'All prices change' said the French lady.
In that short space of time, I queried? So I used my Tesco vouchers to go Eurotunnel out and paid £84 through the CC to return from Calais. Have no worries about going through Calais although I cannot legislate for any summer-time port blockades by the French!0 -
I saw a report on BBC News 24 that many migrants have now 'migrated' to Dunkirk as security has been beefed up so much at Calais.
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Having hit problems,but only on the return leg,via the Chunnel last June we have opted for out via Chunnel and back via Le Havre;total cost with dog friendly cabin was £260.Val Da is more sanguine than I am about a trouble free return via Calais but added
security may avoid last year's issues at the Chunnel.The benefit of a split in/out for us is that we can plan a more interesting return leg rather than retracing our steps to Calais.Let's all hope for a better situation at the ports in 2016.0 -
Ken, interestingly the only problem we had last year, was at Le Havre on one return journey in July! This was because there was a very long queue for 'security' and strict checks were taking place on every vehicle - apparently because migrants had got through
to Portsmouth by stowing away.0 -
Ken, interestingly the only problem we had last year, was at Le Havre on one return journey in July! This was because there was a very long queue for 'security' and strict checks were taking place on every vehicle - apparently because migrants had got through
to Portsmouth by stowing away.Write your comments here...I will report back later in the year then,Val.
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Update ;the Daily Mail has an online report that Eurotunnel have reflooded drained marshland around the perimeter of the Tunnel complex in order to "add an extra layer of natural protection against intruders" .They must be taking the whole business much
more seriously than they did at the start of last year.0 -
Surely the simple answer for those worried about problems is to time your crossings so you do not have to stop any where near Calais. I tend to favour mid day crossings out and always have done with a morning crossing back which I may now change to a mid
day crossing.peedee
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We have decided to risk Calais this year however if there are any issues it WILL be the last and use other routes in future. When we last came through Calais at August bank holiday in 2014 security was high and our car and caravan were thoroughly searched. Given that someone suggested lorry drivers should get different jobs to avoid the problems, I am now waiting for someone to tell me it is my fault for towing a caravan through Calais that makes the migrants want to break into it.
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Hi Flatcoat, I hope you have a good holiday, but your car and caravan may well be searched whichever route you choose. We were even searched at Plymouth going out, but not a problem - the ship wasn't going without us.
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The only problem we had was on the return Tunnel journey in October when we were delayed for nearly four hours, when we were loaded there was another delay as Migrants had tried to board the carriages via the emergency doors, guess what, it was our carriage
that they had tried to board and it had to be fixed before the Fat Controller would allow us to set off for BlightyAdmiral
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It's not the searching I am objecting to, it is running the gauntlet of the so called refugees. I am sure there are already drug runners using caravans. There was a case recently of a very sophisticated set up using private ambulances using North Sea ferry
routes.0 -
It seems that the migrants don't want to apply for asylum in France. Can't think why!
Never seen any problem using the tunnel at Calais but there is a risk of disruption. The bigger problem is French strikers picketing and blocking access to all terminals which happens from time to time and creates longer disruption than migrants.
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It seems that the migrants don't want to apply for asylum in France. Can't think why!
Never seen any problem using the tunnel at Calais but there is a risk of disruption. The bigger problem is French strikers picketing and blocking access to all terminals which happens from time to time and creates longer disruption than migrants.
Write your comments here...true enough but the unwelcome presence of groups of migrants intent upon capitalising on the opportunities which such delays offer to them is a discouragement from choosing the Calais crossing.This was our experience in June last
year;it severely challenged my socially liberal views when I was faced with the stark and rather threatening reality of their presence on the autoroute.0 -
We did see small groups in 2014 on the hard shoulders and there was an attempt to storm the port that same weekend. The security people said there had been incidents reported of motorhomes and caravanners being threatened with bricks etc for not stopping
Hence the sudden introduction of vehicle searches which hitherto had not been considered necessary.0 -
Yes we did Val Da ,22nd of June am was when it all first kicked off and we finished up queuing on the Autoroute exit by the roundabout in order to access the Tunnel Complex,The following day was when it got really bad.On the Monday morning there were small
groups of young males trying their luck moving amongst the vehicles as we waited in stationary traffic-there was then a four hour delay at the Complex (incident in the tunnel was an electrocution)followed by two hours delay at Dartford and standing traffic
on the M11;a journey to be remembered but not repeated.Hence home via Le Havre next time.Maybe we were unlucky because we have never had it before at the Chunnel but once was enough for me.Still going out that way because IMO the return leg is when issues
may arise in 2016.We shall see what happens.0 -
On our two crossing in 2015 we only saw four young men ambling along the autoroute heading for the tunnel, it looked if they were out for an early morning stroll
Admiral
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We have been checked coming back in, quick look in the caravan and we were off again. I dont mind them looking but it would be obvious if we were broken into as windows and doors are allways locked whilst travelling and I dont think they would like
to get in the car with our Boxer dog0 -
We saw a group of 4 guys walking along the auto route by bologne back in October but they could have been drunk French teenagers!
We came out via the tunnel on Xmas day and landed at 11pm ish and saw no immigrants. On our return last October we came back on the ferry via Calais and yes we saw the huge camp they have but there were high fences and loads of police patrolling around so
we weren't worried. Coming back on Saturday (week today) with the caravan via Dunkirk and not worried at all. It is what it is. We don't want the car or caravan damaged IF we see migrants, but if it does it is all repairable or replaceable through insurance.Neww never wants to show the millions of people having safe hassle free trips, they show the small number of people having bad trips!
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