Aire near Calais

[funflair]

Hi

Looking for some place to stay before the ferry from Zeebrugge on Sunday, want to arrive on Friday and spend a bit of time, town, beach, not sure as the weather might be dodgy.

Is Calais harbour still OK, Jen is a bit of a worrier and tells me there are problems, I tell her ahhh stop worrying.

What about Le Touquet Paris Plage, getting expensive but otherwise is there anything to do.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Calais harbour aire is due to close any minute if it hasn't already to be built on. They are going to build another one on the outskirts apparently.
We stayed as Wissant, about 20 minutes from Calais along the coast road past Sangatte. Nice little town, there's a beach but we didn't go to it as it was persisting it down Good aire, no water but black and grey dumps. The pitches are quite spacious and kind of semi screened by fences in groups of two or three. Coaches park in the middle of it overnight so you will be waking up early when they leave. Other than that it was really quiet.

 

[MikeD]

We always use the aire at gravelines, around 15mins from Calais, near the town Centre and nice and quiet

 

[TUCANO]

I have always stopped overnight in the Dunes at Sangatte and never had any bother, ever. There are always a number of vans there but not as many as there used to be.
The French Navy is supposedly claiming the land to build upon it but don't know when.
Norman.

 

[jongood]

HI Martin and Jen

Have a look at Le Crotoy. 2 aires - one we prefer is at the back of the port. large enough that you can always get on, nice views out and good cyclepaths. One goes right around the bay to st valery - off road but tarmacced most of the way. close enough to town to walk in about 5 minutes. 6 euros/24 hours.

le touqeut is nice but too expensive now. wissant is good and free but gets rammed. gravelines also nice but bit more limited.

hope trip has gone well. see you at PB.

Jon & Sue

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[jonandshell]

Calais seafront aire is just fine. Ignore the doom mongers.
The only thing being built on is the old municipal campsite as far as we could see.

We stayed there last month.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Calais seafront aire is just fine. Ignore the doom mongers.
The only thing being built on is the old municipal campsite as far as we could see.

We stayed there last month.

As I understand it the site of the aire is going to form part of the development (conference centre) being built on the old campsite. It's fine as long as it's open but it will be closing sometime this year. They are going to be providing a new aire in a different location but no info on exactly where yet AFAIK.

I have seen better info than this, including a site plan but I'm blowed if I can find it now

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/france/calais-conference-centre-in-france

 

[Techno]

Boulogne is also handy

 

[funflair]

HI Martin and Jen

Have a look at Le Crotoy. 2 aires - one we prefer is at the back of the port. large enough that you can always get on, nice views out and good cyclepaths. One goes right around the bay to st valery - off road but tarmacced most of the way. close enough to town to walk in about 5 minutes. 6 euros/24 hours.

le touqeut is nice but too expensive now. wissant is good and free but gets rammed. gravelines also nice but bit more limited.

hope trip has gone well. see you at PB.

Jon & Sue

Hi Jon & Sue

Thanks, had thought about that one after searching Campercontact last night.

Not sure about the bikes as 1 it will most likely be raining and 2 they are under a lot of beer and wine (stocked up for Peterborough).

On the Aire at Chateaudun last night so need a look around this morning.

 

[funflair]

Boulogne is also handy

Hi Andy

Did Boulogne with camping cheque a couple of years ago and no desire to go back, though we did see the Aire and it was a lot better than the camp site.

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[Steve101uk]

The aire at boulogne (on the top of the hill) is fine, stayed their often on our last night before getting the tunnel home. If you want to walk into town and make a day of it then Le Crotoy is ideal but is over an hour from the tunnel unless you use the paeage. Le Touquet is fine. plenty of shops, restaurants etc, bit more of a walk to get into town is all. Gravelines is a nice aire though I have never been into town there, just stopped overnight.

 

[lindylou]

We always stay at Brugge aire before getting the Zeebrugge ferry. Only about 20 minute drive.

Lin

 

[funflair]

We always stay at Brugge aire before getting the Zeebrugge ferry. Only about 20 minute drive.

Lin

Hi Lindylou, stayed there a few times but want a change now.

Thanks anyway.

 

[funflair]

The Boss says Le Crotoy it is as a description said it had shops, better be good @jonegood no pressure mate.

Martin

 

[Steve101uk]

The Boss says Le Crotoy it is as a description said it had shops, better be good @jonegood no pressure mate.

Martin

good choice, the aire is basic but does the job and is only 5 euro. If you use the one by the harbour your closer to town. Lots of seafood restaurants and shops close by. Some nice walks and good cycling. We often cycle round to St Vallery on the cycle paths. You can also get the steam train if you prefer. Lots of pics on my gallery.....have fun

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[DP+JAY]

What about Dunkirque? No services but good beach, prom for cycling etc.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Presumably you'll be coming from the west?

Grand Fort Philippe is a nice spot if there's a slot, only 8 places.

51.00143 2.10868

 

[funflair]

Thanks for all the suggestions, after finding yet another way through Rouen we are at Le Crotoy which is now €6 and fairly crammed. Bit of a walk tomorrow and then I am told we are going out for lunch, something fishy I imagine. Hopefully it dries up as the parking is filthy splodgy.

 

[Techno]

The steam train to St Valery is a nice day out

 

[chaser]

We are now sitting in the van at gravelines, second night, only 4 others here , water and emptying around the corner, about 100 yards to town with bars restaurants and chip shop , lidl and super u, also about a mile away, just don't know what else anyone could want, went to Le crotoy yesterday, it's a tip compared to here

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[Techno]

They are all featured in my aire gallery below

 

[denisejoe]

There's usually a pizza van in the town square on a Friday night. They have a wood fired pizza oven in the van! The pizzas are absolutely brilliant - they also give you a pizza wheel to cut them. We just leave it in the van now for future visits.

Denise

 

[LAM]

We are now sitting in the van at gravelines, second night, only 4 others here , water and emptying around the corner, about 100 yards to town with bars restaurants and chip shop , lidl and super u, also about a mile away, just don't know what else anyone could want, went to Le crotoy yesterday, it's a tip compared to here

Which one chaser ! Will be there shortly and I'm getting confused as to which 'Gravelines' is closed/built on

 

[chaser]

Do you meen you are actually on the road now or going shortly, if on the road , get off the motorway at j51 and follow the signs for port de plaisance, then you will probably see vans parked

 

[magicsurfbus]

One thing worth looking out for at Gravelines. If you park a British MH on the marina side of the road your hab door may open onto a substantial drop down to the moorings - go easy on the wine at night

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[LAM]

Do you meen you are actually on the road now or going shortly, if on the road , get off the motorway at j51 and follow the signs for port de plaisance, then you will probably see vans parked

One thing worth looking out for at Gravelines. If you park a British MH on the marina side of the road your hab door may open onto a substantial drop down to the moorings - go easy on the wine at night

Thanks C. Sorry, mislead you. Not currently on the road but will be travelling in the near future. I have been getting confused with some of the posts here as to whether the aire has been closed/built on, etc. Obviously, it is still possible to park there.
Thank you Magicsurfbus your comments duly noted !

 

[chaser]

Thanks C. Sorry, mislead you. Not currently on the road but will be travelling in the near future. I have been getting confused with some of the posts here as to whether the aire has been closed/built on, etc. Obviously, it is still possible to park there.
Thank you Magicsurfbus your comments duly noted !

No problem mate, it's our favourite first and last stop when we go to france, even though it's the wrong way if you are heading south from the tunnel it's only twenty minutes so neither here or there and if you are useing the dunkerque ferry it is actually the right way, if you are there on a Friday there is a market in the town square well worth a look, and bars and stuff enough for anyone .
We have never seen it that full you can't get on.
There are no facilities actually on the parking, but they are about half a mile away on there own behind the gendarmerie, follow the signs.

 

[LAM]

Thanks C that's a great help