overnight stop after Calais
Hi
We are planning to get a later train from Dover to Calais, and would like to stop after about 1-1/2 hours for an overnight stop, we are heading to the Dordogne - Sarlat. I don't mind stopping in large laybys or Aires, although first trip to France so guidance appreciated
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Don't know anywhere that close to Calais i'm afraid as always stayed further away but i'd be careful about staying in laybys or aires that close to Calais although you will be on the side heading South but it's not what i would do with sites plentiful and cheap to choose from.
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Every year for about 10 years we used to do exactly the same and stopped at motorway Aires with our caravan and two children. If you were on the A26 I would recommend two Aires near the Arras crossroads - Aire de Souchez and Aire de Baralle, 1 to 1 and a half hours from Calais. However, if you are going to the Dordogne you may not choose that route.
I would choose a 24 hour service Aire and park in the caravan bays which should be well lit. Also avoid proximity to large towns. We have never had a problem except that sometimes on a Friday night the caravan bays were taken by lorries so we would often park in the lorry area. You can use the shower in the services but it may be one Euro for the key. We were usually quite tired and slept through the sounds of the motorway, refrigerated lorries etc.
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If you are travelling south via the A16 (Rouen direction), there are two picnic areas at the Aire de Baie de Somme which make very nice night stops. This is a large motorway service area about 60 miles south of Calais.
We have used them a number of times and have had a very peaceful night as HGVs are not allowed. Good dog walks too.
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We have used this site travelling south and ideal if you want a bit of security/quietness if not happy with Aires, 1 hour 40 minutes from Calais on the A16 and A28 is a great ACSI campsite called Campsite Sainte Claire at Neufchâtel-en-Bray before Rouen, also only a mile off the main route.
Link to site <HERE>
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DaveFL2 do they mind if you arrive late? Thank you JimE the Somme looks like a good choice too.. I think we will take the A16 route so to avoid Paris
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I agree it is a great site but the only one in France we have ever arrived at in June and found fully booked by 3.15pm. Also it is over one hundred miles so to do it in an hour and forty minutes is a bit faster than we drive!
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To add again a ditto recommend for Baie de somme.
We are a car and caravan outfit also.
It was fairly busy in late August and full by late evening. Managed to stop semi hitched by lifting jockey off the towball to level van.
Nice spot though and well worth a quick overnight if desired.
Noted that the police make regular patrols. Will probably be stopping there again hopefully very soon.
Link to the fast route south to the Dordogne & beyond with minimal toll costs is :-
http://about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm
Enjoy
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We are going in 10th June so should be quiet
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We are going in 10th June so should be quiet
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We have used Campsite Sainte Claire at Neufchâtel-en-Bray a few times and can recommend it but would strongly advise advance booking (via email) as it gets full very early. Not done it in June but friends have and reported it quite full.
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You are right, Bewick, but the questioner hasn't said what time she will be arriving at Calais and that will be the deciding factor in where they can stay for the first night.
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From the OP's initial question
"We are planning to get a later train from Dover to Calais, and would like to stop after about 1-1/2 hours for an overnight stop".
To me that puts them right into Sainte Clare territory.
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Yes you could be right again, although to me "get a later train" might mean 10 pm, therefore arriving in France about 11.30 pm, but unless she tells us we will never know, will we. Cheers.
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We are going to aim for a train between 9 and 10pm. If that helps. Does anyone know the next nice aire after Baie de Somme? As I'm assuming most sites won't want you turning up after 10-11pm
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There isn't another 'nice' aire after Baie de Somme. The ones on the A28 from Abbeville (presuming you're heading in that direction) are not good in my opinion, no separation from the traffic and would be very noisy. If you don't get a train until 10.00 pm then that will be 11.00 pm French time, losing the hour time difference, so 11.30 ish before you arrive in France, and another hour and a half to reach Baie de Somme. That would be far enough for us, anyway. You can have a good seven hours sleep and still be up and away before breakfast.
If you're going the other way (sticking to the A16 towards Paris) then I don't know about Aires because we've only done that way during daylight - but beware if you are, as going through Paris that way will take you through a height limited tunnel on the A86 (which has caught out people with caravans and motorhomes).
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Ok, think I'm all sorted now. I have booked the Eurotunnel for 9.20 in the evening going to stop at Baie de Somme, have a sleep and breakfast then head on to Soleil Plage with plenty of stops for a lovely 13 night June holiday. Will be quite a long journey but no worse surely than a bad journey to Cornwall, I can recall one that took us 10 hours due to traffic!! Anyway the journey is all part of the holiday and with no children to worry about it will be fine
First time going to France so wish us luck 
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good luck, Angie...
that site looks gorgeous.......might check it out on our next travels that way....
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You will enjoy the area
We stayed at 'camping Le Perpetuum' just a few miles away from your site and there is so much to see locally and also day trips. Be sure to visit Rocamadour the clifftop village about an hour away and Domme about 30 minutes, both very scenic with many eating places.Enjoy your trip.
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