Full?

[SteveG]

I keep reading posts about aires filling up early! We're not due into Calais until 4 pm on Sunday. Are we likely to find somewhere for the night?

 

[9526]

You'll always find a spot at Cite de Europe regardless of arrival time.

 

[SteveG]

Was planning on driving for an hour or so

 

[MattR]

Do you need to stay in Calais?

4pm is a commonly stated time for aires in popular areas. Many aires will have space after that time and it is still early in the season so I would suggest that most will not be full at any time.

 

[SteveG]

No, in fact I'd prefer to start our journey and get out of Calais. We're going to be heading down the A26 way

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[DavidG58]

we have just come back, all the aires we used were full, but in all cases another few still turned up and parked, there seems to be a natural overflow at most and very relaxed control on numbers

 

[MattR]

Many villages off the main roads have aires - we used an app on our android phone to find them last year. We also had a Three SIM card with data roaming so we could search on the way.

 

[JeanLuc]

If you are prepared to keep off the A26 for the first night, there is a nice aire at Watten. Not large but fairly off-the-beaten-track. Also very convenient for the V2 bunker at Eperleques if you fancy visiting that - (awe-inspiring).
The aire is in CC-Infos and also mentioned on the Watten tourist website. Free to stay €2 for water.
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[SteveG]

Thanks Jean luc, it's in the aires book, might try there. How's the Enterprise these days?

 

[scousebird]

We went to the aire at Watten last September. We arrived very late and it was full but there is a building next door that looks like an old village hall that has parking, there were already 2 MH's parked in there so we pulled in and spent the night.

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[rosalan]

About half an hour out of Calais in roughly the direction of Boulogne is an Aire at Wissant, about 100 metres before the towns name board. This is a pleasant overnight stop with a lovely little town beach about 1/2 miles walk through the summer cottage estate adjacent to the Aire. As already stated Cite of Europe park is huge, free and available space will not be a problem.

 

[TerryL]

About half an hour out of Calais in roughly the direction of Boulogne is an Aire at Wissant, about 100 metres before the towns name board. This is a pleasant overnight stop with a lovely little town beach about 1/2 miles walk through the summer cottage estate adjacent to the Aire. As already stated Cite of Europe park is huge, free and available space will not be a problem.

Last year I would have agreed, but this year was quite different. Heading south in early January, we arrived around 7.00 pm to find it almost full. Coming back in April we arrived around mid-day and there was plenty of room, but by 3.00 p.m. it was full and we saw quite a few later arrivals drive round twice then went on their way. Seems Wissant is becoming quite popular!

If you're not sure about Citie Europ and the port aire is full, there's always room at the marina, just round the corner from the port aire (unless the circus is in town).

 

[Mr Colpot]

Last week we stayed on the Friday Night at Tardinghen Aire - it was busy due the Bank Holiday but we managed to get on at 9pm. Cost 8euro with Water and Waste (10 if you want Electric which we didnt this time)
On the way back we stayed at Ambleteuse - a farm with no facilities 5 euros - was a tad windy.

 

[FIDGET]

Try Arques Aire, next to campsite about 33 miles south of Calais, note locked at 9pm un locked 7am very restful.

ADDRESS: MUNICIPAL CAMPING BEAUSEJOUR, RUE MICHELET
TYPE OF AIRE: MUNICIPAL
FACILITIES: WATER /GREY DRAIN/BLACK DRAIN/ ELECTRIC
NO. OF SPACES: 25
PARKING: 2€/ NIGHT SERVICES: 2€ WATER OR ELECTRIC
OPENING TIMES: 01/04 -- 30/10
GPS COORDS: N50.74538 E02.30448
DIRECTIONS: From CALAIS take N43 / N42 EAST to the roundabout EAST of ARQUES & take last exit onto D211 WEST. Turn RIGHT after 2km into RUE J.VERNE / F.MITTERAND (same road). Turn LEFT before Railway Bridge into RUE MICHELET & CAMPSITE

SITE DESCRIPTION: This is a waterside location, next to the large Beausejour lake & close to the 3* Municipal Campsite in a large tarmac parking area. Security is good, the car park being locked at night 2100-0700, and there is shade from trees. The Euro-Relais borne with a small raised drainage grid (hosepipe required) is next to the campsite, just outside the aire.
The parking is level & quiet, with nice walks around the lakes & lots of birds + wildlife to see. We noticed a slight noise at night from a distant factory.
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[Mr Colpot]

We have used Arques a few times and have parked at the Bourne area first when we didnt know about the parking at the back and second when we had an early ferry home and realised the barrier was across - we had to find someone to let us out the night before so we could make an early dart.

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[SteveG]

Used the Arques aire, fantastic place and all for €3.50, we managed to get an earlier ferry but arrived around 4:30, lots of room, with around 9 vans by bedtime. Moved onto a municipal site in Chalons en Champagne for a couple of nights, now on another municipal in Macon. All going great so far, apart from my phone which constantly says no service. Still, not a bad thing