Calais Aires for Eurotunnel?

[bl4derunner]

Hello, we will be returning from our first trip abroad in our first van at the beginning of February and are trying to find an overnight stop near the Calais Eurotunnel terminal so we can catch our early train back to the UK. Most of the northern French sites seem to be closed in winter so I am asking if anyone can recommend a site or aire nearby. I don't really want to park on a motorway aire or a shopping centre car park. Thanks in advance.

 

[MikeD]

Gravelines

We now always use Gravelines aire.

Not to noisy, just outside the village. Same cost as Calais :thumb:

Or if coming from or going west we use Embry aire. Quiet, peaceful with toilet and shower. :thumb:

 

[WynandJean]

Gravelines would seem to be the obvious choice. It overlooks the marina and the town is very pleasant. It's conveniently situated just between Calais and Dunkerque, so handy for both.

Wyn

 

[cliffanger]

Don't know if you are a member of France Passion, but we stopped at a lovely dairy farm: Ferme Mionet, in the tiny hamlet of Leubringhen. 15 minutes from the motorway straight into the Eurotunnel. We used to stay overnight in Le Bien Assise in Guines and spend a fortune on a last night meal, but we stayed at the farm, cost us a couple of tubs of the most gorgeous icecream and an enjoyable 'VERY little french/even less english' conversation about new born calves with the farmer!

Broken Link Removed

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

I vote for Wissant! Free aire with hardstanding, 10 minutes down the motorway from the tunnel. Its a lovely little seaside town - quite sleepy off-season but has several restaurants and a lovely boulangerie. Also a great beach for the dogs.

Almost always our first and last night but the France Passion farm looks interesting too!!

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[magicsurfbus]

There's been talk of the two main Calais aires closing down while the municipal camping facilities are relocated away from the port area, closer to Bleriot-Plage.

With that in mind, the nearest free overnight parking on arrival is the MH parking area of the Cite Europe shopping complex which adjoins the Eurotunnel site. I haven't stayed there myself as I prefer the town aires, but plenty of others on here have recommended it.

Click here to see it in Google Maps. The Eurotunnel vehicle check-in is about 300 metres to the east.

 

[scousebird]

My vote goes to Wissant as well & it's free. BUT there is no water or toilet emptying facility :thumb:

 

[TerryL]

We always use the Calais Port aire - as of beginning of Jan it was ok, and the water was on. No-one came to collect any money. It's only 10 mins from the Eurotunnel terminal.

Terry

 

[Ed Excel]

The French ports have free car parks. You can stay up to 18hrs, I've never managed to sleep that long. The French are so much more into motorhoming that they provide facilities where the UK doesn't. There's no security access, so how would they know you weren't due on a boat? Just drive back out in the morning. Never had a problem during low season.

 

[mitzimad]

wissant for us as its a nice walk into the town square

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[bl4derunner]

Thanks for all the suggestions

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice it looks like we'll have no problem finding a place to kip before catching the train.

 

[Allanm]

Another vote for Wissant. Great seafood restaurant opposite the Town Hall too. There is actually a toilet emptying drain and there was water last year. Our favourite place though is at Ferme de l'Horloge, Tardinghen. There are three other sites nearby owned by the same farm, details are at the site. One of them has great views over the channel, but don't tell everyone, I like it because it's always quiet! In the season, the baker calls round every morning too.
Here's their website, the coordinates are provided for all the aires. They are a few miles outside Wissant
Allan

 

[WAG2CRU]

EMBRY

(62990)
Aire privée, Les Salons de l'Embryenne
Ouverture permanente
Localisation

• N 50°29'38.00'' - E 1°58'8.00''
De l'A16 direction St-Omer et de l'A 26 direction le Touquet, Accès par la D108
• Route de St-Wandrille
Services

Eau 2.50€, Electricité 2.50€, vid.eaux usées, wc, point d'eau, électricité, CB
Autres services : douche et toilettes
Stationnement

6.00€, possible, 5 place(s) de parking :thumb:

 

[Gunner29]

going both ways and if its late and we don't need water/toilet emptying etc we stop at Cite Europe

 

[Petros]

Hello, we will be returning from our first trip abroad in our first van at the beginning of February and are trying to find an overnight stop near the Calais Eurotunnel terminal so we can catch our early train back to the UK. Most of the northern French sites seem to be closed in winter so I am asking if anyone can recommend a site or aire nearby. I don't really want to park on a motorway aire or a shopping centre car park. Thanks in advance.

Wiisant, without a doubt. Only about 30 mins from Calais:thumb::thumb:

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[brynric]

We've tried several.
The Calais waterfront aire has good facilities, close to beach & bars but it's noisy at night with the ferries coming in and out.
The aire at Wissant has promise, the town is very nice, but we found the lack of facilities - particularly toilet emptying - an issue.
We always stay on the Cite Europe aire if we travel from the UK overnight. It's convenient for shops but again no emptying is a problem.
So the aire we've settled on is Gravelines. It's well situated on the port, the town is pleasant and there are services (close by). We sometimes stay for a couple of days if we've hurried back across Northern France. It's an easy half hour from the tunnel.

 

[OwnedbyCollies]

Wissant does have grey and black waste but as there is no water to rinse, the area can be quite 'ripe'. It's OK if you are desperate. They have also recently introduced dustbins.

The hard standing is a bonus at this time of year however our first choice in season is about half a mile north of Wissant - le Fond de Sombre. It is one of the Aires of the Ferme de l'Horloge in Tardinghen mentioned in an earlier post. There are no facilities on this Aire but it's a lovely field and often empty when Wissant is packed to the gills. Its a lovely peaceful area and great for the dogs. We usually drive down to the Wissant Aire in the morning when the masses have left to park up for the boulangerie and our beach walk.

We go to the Ferme in Tardinghen on the way to the motorway to empty tanks and/or fill with water - 3 euros for services or 5 euros for the Aire plus services.