Eurotunnel & First Time In Motorhome On The Continent Advice - Help Please! (1 Viewer)

Wombles

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We are soon flying out to pick up our new PVC & think we have most of that sorted (with a little help before from Funsters (y)) but trying to plan our trip back & researching online & on the forum brings up lots of options but can't decide what's best so looking for some advice from experienced members please! :hi:
1. About to book Eurotunnel Calais to Folkestone - if we go for around 4am return is there a realistic chance of getting some sleep staying at Cite Europe from 8pm onwards the night before or is it too busy/noisy then? Want to try & avoid too much traffic on the M25, M4 & M5 but do need a good nights sleep before that journey.
2. Any hints or tips about staying at Cite Europe would be good - is it the car park near the Carrefour that most Funsters use to stay & is this the closest one to the Gendarme station?
3. Route back from Germany to Calais - does this route look sensible http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp#fromNode=0|Hiddingsel, 48249 Dülmen, Germany||7.403074|51.837114|toNode=0|62231 Coquelles, France||1.814884|50.935912 or are there better options? We are looking for easiest & quickest route as not sight seeing this time. Are there any especially good places to stop to eat & rest on this or other suggested routes?
 
Jul 29, 2013
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Did Dortmund back in May this year and actually did the home bound Dortmund to Calais in a day to enable a bit of time at Cite Europe and then an early train to Folkestone,didn’t do any sight seeing though but the traffic UK side was very very light at 05.00 in the morning.
Just stuck it in sat nav and away we went.(y)(y)(y)
Have a good trip good luck and enjoy the new van.
 

John&Kate

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1. About to book Eurotunnel Calais to Folkestone - if we go for around 4am return is there a realistic chance of getting some sleep staying at Cite Europe from 8pm onwards the night before or is it too busy/noisy then? Want to try & avoid too much traffic on the M25, M4 & M5 but do need a good nights sleep before that journey.
2. Any hints or tips about staying at Cite Europe would be good - is it the car park near the Carrefour that most Funsters use to stay & is this the closest one to the Gendarme station?

1: We go out on an evening crossing (approx 22:00), and kip over at Citi Europe, ready for travelling the following morning, the peak traffic has subsided on M25/M20 and makes the journey easy. We always get an early morning return journey from Coquelles (09:00) and our last night is always a camp over at Citi Europe.

Its not that noisy, yes you can hear the noise from the complex but it never keeps me awake. The Aire is right opposite the entrance to Carrefour.

Happy travels (y)

I hope it wasnt you clogging up the CAMC travel lines this evening, was trying to get hold of a rep to book the Eurotunnel our weekend to Honfluer next weekend .. On hold for almost an hour, no bugger answering the phones !!!!!!! :mad:

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Nov 5, 2013
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We always sleep OK at Cite Europe but we do wear earplugs! There are always vehicle movements going on just the other side of the fence at the tunnel but nothing excissive.
Boulevard du Kent,yes opposite Carrafour and gendarms at top of car park.

image.png


Your route map link doesn't show a route,not for me anyway :(
 
Dec 17, 2016
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Stayed at Cite Europe a few days ago. Outside the Carrefour. Lots of vans there. We left at 6.30am after a good night's sleep. A number of vans left before us but I hardly heard them.
Your route looks ok but round Antwerp can be slow. There are motorway service stations you can stop for a break.
 
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Wombles

Wombles

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4. Any good Stellplatz in the Dortmund area? Can see a few on Campercontact but any feedback if you have visited there might be good :)

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Jul 29, 2013
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Dürrwang-Mörlein have Avery nice one but don’t know if they allow anyone other than customers to use it might be worth calling them, or even the dealer you are buying from may have one?
 
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Wombles

Wombles

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Thank you everyone for all the replies so far (y)
@John&Kate - not us! We are lucky to have a Frequent Traveller partner organised through this forum :)
 
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Have a good trip and enjoy your new van!

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John&Kate

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Thank you everyone for all the replies so far (y)
@John&Kate - not us! We are lucky to have a Frequent Traveller partner organised through this forum :)

Good cause I still couldnt book the train !!!! :D2

Were building up to frequent travellers .. We live on the doorstep of the Portsmouth ferry, but choose to use the train, its so convenient and quick. Its not uncommon to get on an earlier train if you get there before your allotted train, when we went across in August we arrived 2 hours before booked train and got on a train hour and half early, and same again coming home.

Hope you have FUN (y)
 
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Wombles

Wombles

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Thank you @rb62 - this is the suggested route from AA Routeplanner - Dulmen to Calais

Via E40
280.8 miles
Start: Kreuzweg 30, 48249 Dülmen, Germany
Head northwest on Kreuzweg toward Paul-Gerhardt-Straße
0.1
Continue onto Bergfeldstraße
0.4
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Coesfelder Str.
1.4
Continue onto B474
1.5
Turn left to merge onto A43 toward Wuppertal
12.6
At the interchange 9-Kreuz Marl-Nord, keep right and follow signs for A52 toward Gladbeck/Gelsenkirchen-Buer/Marl
24.7
Continue onto Essener Str./B224
27.1
Turn right to merge onto A2 toward Oberhausen/Emden
34.5
Continue onto A3
41.3
At the interchange 14-Kreuz Kaiserberg, keep right and follow signs for A40 toward Venlo/Duisburg
41.8
Keep left at the fork and merge onto A40
Entering the Netherlands
68.5
Continue onto A67
102.9
Keep right at the fork to continue on A67/E34, follow signs for Antwerpen/Eersel
Entering Belgium
115.0
Continue onto E34
153.0
Keep left at the fork to stay on E34, follow signs for Ring Antwerpen/Brugge/Gent/Haven 1000-2000
156.4
Keep left to continue on E17, follow signs for Gent/Sint-Niklaas
186.9
At the interchange Gent-Centrum, keep right and follow signs for E40 toward Oostende
219.0
Keep left at the fork to continue on A18/E40
Entering France
245.0
Continue onto A16
280.0
Take exit 42b toward E15
280.8
Arrive: 62231 Coquelles, France
Section time: 4 h 31 min, Total time: 4 h 31 min
 
D

deleted-member02

Deleted User
Thank you @rb62 - this is the suggested route from AA Routeplanner - Dulmen to Calais

Via E40
280.8 miles
Start: Kreuzweg 30, 48249 Dülmen, Germany
Head northwest on Kreuzweg toward Paul-Gerhardt-Straße
0.1
Continue onto Bergfeldstraße
0.4
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Coesfelder Str.
1.4
Continue onto B474
1.5
Turn left to merge onto A43 toward Wuppertal
12.6
At the interchange 9-Kreuz Marl-Nord, keep right and follow signs for A52 toward Gladbeck/Gelsenkirchen-Buer/Marl
24.7
Continue onto Essener Str./B224
27.1
Turn right to merge onto A2 toward Oberhausen/Emden
34.5
Continue onto A3
41.3
At the interchange 14-Kreuz Kaiserberg, keep right and follow signs for A40 toward Venlo/Duisburg
41.8
Keep left at the fork and merge onto A40
Entering the Netherlands
68.5
Continue onto A67
102.9
Keep right at the fork to continue on A67/E34, follow signs for Antwerpen/Eersel
Entering Belgium
115.0
Continue onto E34
153.0
Keep left at the fork to stay on E34, follow signs for Ring Antwerpen/Brugge/Gent/Haven 1000-2000
156.4
Keep left to continue on E17, follow signs for Gent/Sint-Niklaas
186.9
At the interchange Gent-Centrum, keep right and follow signs for E40 toward Oostende
219.0
Keep left at the fork to continue on A18/E40
Entering France
245.0
Continue onto A16
280.0
Take exit 42b toward E15
280.8
Arrive: 62231 Coquelles, France
Section time: 4 h 31 min, Total time: 4 h 31 min
I would take the times with a pinch of salt, almost impossible to do the journey in 4h 30m.
It's probably closer to 6hr, maybe a bit longer in a van.
Safe journey (y)

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Ridgeway

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4am crossing coming back = 3:45am offload at Folkestone, not sure you need to go that early, 6am would be enough and enjoy the extra 2hrs on the new mattress:)
 
Jul 29, 2013
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I would take the times with a pinch of salt, almost impossible to do the journey in 4h 30m.
It's probably closer to 6hr, maybe a bit longer in a van.
Safe journey (y)
Quite agree I think we took around 6 hrs with a few tea breaks also there was big roadworks that had to be manoeuvred .
Just don’t rush and enjoy Cite Europe is open all night for parking.(y)(y)(y)
 

EX51SSS

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Tbf, Cite Europe is perfect and I think your timing is right. You can get over to the UK and just enjoy your travelling home without stupid hold ups. I'm getting the 01.22 and hoping to get there a bit earlier and I can be home without traffic problems by 06.00 or 07.00.

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Camdoon

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Arrived at Chunnel from CdE last week and got the 6.50 (changed dates so had to go at this time) hitting the M25 at 0730. Plan A had been to have a kip at Tesco Dover but thought we would chance going for home. One of the easiest trips - Ive seen the road busier at 2200hr and 1000hr.
 

EX51SSS

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Arrived at Chunnel from CdE last week and got the 6.50 (changed dates so had to go at this time) hitting the M25 at 0730. Plan A had been to have a kip at Tesco Dover but thought we would chance going for home. One of the easiest trips - Ive seen the road busier at 2200hr and 1000hr.
There's always chances but more chances of getting a clear run at. 4.00 than after 7.00 anywhere in the UK
 
Nov 5, 2013
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Thank you @rb62 - this is the suggested route from AA Routeplanner - Dulmen to Calais

Via E40
280.8 miles
Start: Kreuzweg 30, 48249 Dülmen, Germany
Head northwest on Kreuzweg toward Paul-Gerhardt-Straße
0.1
Continue onto Bergfeldstraße
0.4
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Coesfelder Str.
1.4
Continue onto B474
1.5
Turn left to merge onto A43 toward Wuppertal
12.6
At the interchange 9-Kreuz Marl-Nord, keep right and follow signs for A52 toward Gladbeck/Gelsenkirchen-Buer/Marl
24.7
Continue onto Essener Str./B224
27.1
Turn right to merge onto A2 toward Oberhausen/Emden
34.5
Continue onto A3
41.3
At the interchange 14-Kreuz Kaiserberg, keep right and follow signs for A40 toward Venlo/Duisburg
41.8
Keep left at the fork and merge onto A40
Entering the Netherlands
68.5
Continue onto A67
102.9
Keep right at the fork to continue on A67/E34, follow signs for Antwerpen/Eersel
Entering Belgium
115.0
Continue onto E34
153.0
Keep left at the fork to stay on E34, follow signs for Ring Antwerpen/Brugge/Gent/Haven 1000-2000
156.4
Keep left to continue on E17, follow signs for Gent/Sint-Niklaas
186.9
At the interchange Gent-Centrum, keep right and follow signs for E40 toward Oostende
219.0
Keep left at the fork to continue on A18/E40
Entering France
245.0
Continue onto A16
280.0
Take exit 42b toward E15
280.8
Arrive: 62231 Coquelles, France
Section time: 4 h 31 min, Total time: 4 h 31 min

Exactly the route we use back to Calais when we've been to see our friends in Cloppenburg near Bremen,but were not in a rush so take two days (y)

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davidroxburgh

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I cannot comment on route as my dealer was near Saarbrucken. However I found Road works did slow me down compared to the sat nav estimate.

Very good luck with the new van and journey. Let us know how you get on.
 
Sep 10, 2013
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Can’t believe all you early morning travelers. We always use a ferry both ways and never been on one before 12 noon in either direction. Like to have the streets well aired before I set off nowadays. To many years of early mornings cured me of the attraction.
 
Jun 22, 2012
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Absolutely delighted to hear that you are finally going to get the the van, have no advice about the journey I'm afraid but thrilled for you both.

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Jul 6, 2016
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I would say that most German dealers are happy for you to stay on their premises for the first night with EHU.

That's what we did and it allows you time to check everything is working OK and ask questions, if necessary, before you set off the following morning.

We drove from Bielefeld, Germany to Calais with 2 stopovers, the last one in Bruges.
 
Feb 19, 2017
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Oh Wombles I’m sad that I was unable to persuade you to spend a day or two in Germany on your first trip to the near continent. City Europe is ok but in truth it’s a shopping center car park. We would have a night in somewhere like St Omer then catch a ferry at a sensible time, however you may have something to get back for, whatever we wish you a very happy new van. X
 

EX51SSS

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Can’t believe all you early morning travelers. We always use a ferry both ways and never been on one before 12 noon in either direction. Like to have the streets well aired before I set off nowadays. To many years of early mornings cured me of the attraction.
I think there's a difference in travelling for an hour or so from Kent into Essex than travelling minimum 6/7 hours in easy traffic or 12/15 hours in bad traffic

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Wombles

Wombles

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Thank you for all your comments & good wishes :) It will be a bit of a learning curve but hopefully a good adventure!
@Crazylegs sure we will go back another time & try some of your suggestions (y) This time we have to try & get back asap & get the registration done within the 28 days insurance period.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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Don’t forget only send last converters C o C without the emissions details or you could end up paying over the odds for Road fund licence(y)(y)(y)
Good luck with your import paperwork(y)

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Wombles

Wombles

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Don’t forget only send last converters C o C without the emissions details or you could end up paying over the odds for Road fund licence(y)(y)(y)
Good luck with your import paperwork(y)
Thank you - have read all about this on the forum so we are prepared! (y)
 

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