Refugee issues

Unknown
Unknown Forum Participant
edited February 2016 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

Hi all,

We're hoping to travel to France in April in our motorhome either by ferry or eurotunnel which we have done before. However we;re a little concerned this year about the possibility of aggro. or interference from refugees upon our return . Has anyone any
experiences of this or are our concerns unfounded ?

 

Dorsie

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #2

    Past experience is that they have been odd occasions when refugees have tried to rush a ferry, stampeded tunnel trains, brought traffic to a standstill by walking through the tunnel or by blocking the approach roads. The French farmers have done that too more than once. But honestly who knows what the situation will be by April. That would be fortune telling. You may be delayed, you may be alarmed, but you won't be hurt. 

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,697 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #3

    Keeping my fingers crossed for travelling back through Eurotunnel, mid-August.

    David 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,392 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #4

    I am booked as per normal on the EroTunnel, Que sera,sera.

    peedee

  • EJB986
    EJB986 Forum Participant Posts: 1,153
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #5

    We use the tunnel as normal as the chance of any disruption is very remote....apart from the French workers strikes!!

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #6

    Last year no problems.  We are not letting this affect our plans and have two trips planned for this year.

  • harryb
    harryb Forum Participant Posts: 1,536
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    edited February 2016 #7

    We've seen the hassle and the worry of using the Dover/Dunkerque ports and can do without it. We have booked Portsmouth/Caen to travel down to SE France.

    If in doubt then choose another route

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited February 2016 #8
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #9

    We had four return crossings last year, and used Calais for two of them, Eurotunnel at Coquelles for another, and Le Havre for the fourth.  Of those crossings we had no disruption on any outward journey, and on only one return crossing.

    Guess where we had problems - yes, Le Havre!  Not from migrants themselves, but from customs staff who were checking each vehicle inside and out, from top to bottom. This led to long delays in the queues - and apparently they were looking for migrants, because
    some had got through the western ports to Portsmouth.

  • Shrimpfarmer
    Shrimpfarmer Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited February 2016 #10

    I would love to take our van over to France and beyond but the migrant crisis has put me right off. I put this down to being a twitter user. You hear of far more problems via that medium than ever make it onto our news channels in the UK. Its going to reach
    breaking point this year and they just don't know what to do about it. 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited February 2016 #11
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  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #12

    I would love to take our van over to France and beyond but the migrant crisis has put me right off. I put this down to being a twitter user. You hear of far more problems via that medium than ever make it onto our news channels in the UK. Its going to reach
    breaking point this year and they just don't know what to do about it. 

    You are more likely to see 'refugee' problems on the beaches of Turkey, Greece, Italy, and Spain than you will in Calais, and yet few people seem to be saying that tourists shouldn't visit those countries.

    We are booked to go again very shortly and it won't put me off.  I look to my own experiences for guidance, rather than Twitter, and as I said, we've never had problems in Calais.

  • comfrylass
    comfrylass Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited February 2016 #13

    last year were held up for operation stack for hour at dover,only saw few migraints about when got out of port and we stayed in calais for our usual wine run on way back and never saw any.certainly will not put us off.playing into their hands if folk do.

  • Dave Nicholson
    Dave Nicholson Forum Participant Posts: 408
    edited February 2016 #14

    Finlay

    Please don't let the reports in the media spoil your plans for a european holiday. 99.99% of the media stories are blown up out of all proportion.  We too used the UK ports four times last year. The only time we saw any evidence of migrants was at the railway
    station in  Passau Germany where many were being given clothing and food. It was all very civilised. Enjoy your holiday in Europe and don't worry.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited February 2016 #15
    The user and all related content has been deleted
  • triky auto
    triky auto Forum Participant Posts: 8,690
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    edited February 2016 #16

    Wink , NO problems today !!

  • meecee
    meecee Forum Participant Posts: 304
    edited February 2016 #17

    We had no problems last September.  The staff said that most attempts to get to Britain occurred at night.  You should have no trouble providing you take the recommended precautions.  Looking forward to this year's trips.

  • j100bba
    j100bba Forum Participant Posts: 45
    edited February 2016 #18

    We used the tunnel last July and were held up be "opperation stack" for seven hours on our outward journey, this knocked all our plans forward by the same seven hours so and spoiled a few bookings on the way south! We were so worried about coming home for
    the following three weeks only to get on an one hour earlier tunnel back over. Gonna give it a miss this year, and hope it sorts itself out soon!!

  • Jamsdad
    Jamsdad Forum Participant Posts: 275
    edited February 2016 #19

    I wouldn't worry- there are much greater risks , such as probabilty if an acccident on the roads almost anywhere in UK. If you worry too much you would never leave home.

  • DianneT
    DianneT Forum Participant Posts: 521
    100 Comments
    edited February 2016 #20

    With the moving of the Camp from near to Calias they will be moving elsewhere in France is my guess.  Especially with Belgium setting up a Border Control between them and France.

    DianneT

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #21

    The only noticeable thing when we drove through Calais over the weekend, was increased numbers of police along the side of the autoroute, more fencing, and no sign of any temporary tents or sleeping bags and not a single skinny young man sheltering under
    road bridges or walking along the verges.

  • Hamnavoe
    Hamnavoe Forum Participant Posts: 16
    edited February 2016 #22

    Whatever our concerns may be about any "hassle" at the Channel Ports, I'm sure they pale into insignificance compared to the "Concerns" those refugees fleeing violence have for their and their families future.

  • Camdoon
    Camdoon Forum Participant Posts: 37
    edited February 2016 #23

    I thought those at the camp refused to apply for asylum in France which under asylum laws they are obliged to do hence were migrants rather than refugees?

  • DJG
    DJG Forum Participant Posts: 277
    edited February 2016 #24

    Whatever our concerns may be about any "hassle" at the Channel Ports, I'm sure they pale into insignificance compared to the "Concerns" those refugees fleeing violence have for their and their families future.

    What a insult to France, Italy, Germany and Spain, where these people came from/through!!!!

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited February 2016 #25
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  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited February 2016 #26
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  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #27

    Why should some refugees in mainland europe inhibit a UK citizen from holidaying there. 

    Are you going to be Killed   ---- No

    Are you going to be robbed -- Maybe--- ( that can happen in this country as well ).

    Will you see poor distressed foreign people -- Yes

    Will it spoil your holiday ---- No  ( unless you are of the bleeding heart brigade )

    As others have said - life is not a rehearsal, go abroad and enjoy yourself.

    KCool

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