Has anyone stopped at Cite Europe recently (1 Viewer)

[Wagoneer]

Yes the road to/from the pet passport area is now 2-way otherwise you couldn't go back to the check-in area once you've sorted out your pets (not one way as it shows on the old view), but it's the bit FROM Cite Europe's road into the PP road that I'm interested in ... I can't see any reason why you can't now go IN though that gate instead of having the 'motorway' tour to get to check-in.

If no one can have a shuftie I'll have to drop ET a line and see what they say ... after all, if we could go in that way it would mean a few more mins in bed!

I would suspect the sliding gate is probably closed at night (it does have razor wire attached to the top) to prevent unauthorised pedestrian access to the check-in area.

If you arrived at the ET check-in at night and decided to abort (for whatever reason), I guess ET staff would open the gate remotely to allow you to exit the check-in area.

 

[Larby]

Just to throw another comment into the mix, I left Cite Europe turning right at LIDL to get the ferry last week. I noticed soon after a sign on the right which stated it was an entrance for those with reservations.

 

[jockaneezer]

We got in that way ok about 4 years back. A couple of years ago, when Operation Stack was on, we tried to nip in that way to avoid all the stationary lorries on the dual carriageway, but they'd placed a string of small concrete blocks halfway across the gateway. We were quite desperate to get into the terminal because of all the chaos and we'd been trying to contact Eurotunnel unsuccessfully by phone, for a split second, I did consider reversing in down the wrong side of the road, but thought better of it, luckily, they'd kept a passage clear for non commercial traffic to the tunnel on the dual carriageway, but we didn't know about that till we found it. This year, we drove down to the pet gate, but were unable to use it, and I cant remember why ! So access seems a bit of a lottery, but we'll keep popping by, only adds 3 or 4 minutes if it's closed.

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[jongood]

Well we got on at Wissant after a 15 minute wait, somebody who looked like they were going to go did and I just beat another mh into it ( they d only just come in). There was some incredibly inconsiderate parking going on. 3 british mhs were taking 6 spaces between them by deliberately parking askew.

We were disturbed at 3.30am by the Gendarmes knocking on the door of the idiots (some of which were also british) who had parked on the access road and at the back of the buses through the night.

The queue s werent too bad so we had half an hour in the waiting area looking at those parked in Cite Europe thinking that looks OK when we saw quite a number of what I call criminals run across the back of the shop and over a bridge with the Gendarmes in pursuit.

Just saying what we saw at about 8.30am yesterday.

Jon

 

[dabhand]

Don't know when that was but when we were there on Tuesday morning at the Pet Passport centre I actually walked THROUGH the fence entrance itself, nothing to stop me or a car, no checks, no people, nothing ... this is the entrance BEFORE you go to the check-in etc so you're not yet into the 'secure' area - are you mixing it up with the one that you can use AFTER the checking as that does have security on it or is it a while since you've been?

Saturday am, on reflection, you are right about the barrier, that was the one by the cafe after check in which is the one
I tried driving through but the one by pet reception was shut with fence across at 6am Saturday morning.

 

[Minxy]

Saturday am, on reflection, you are right about the barrier, that was the one by the cafe after check in which is the one
I tried driving through but the one by pet reception was shut with fence across at 6am Saturday morning.

So it looks like overnight they close the gate and during the day/daylight hours it is left open, which is what I thought might be happening.

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[Tantalus]

We were there on Monday night - the following morning we unexpected met up with Trixie, Cal54 etc which was nice! Told them the quick route to get to ET rather than the scenic one which once took us into the truck bit!!!

CE is great for a stop over, very clean, level and never had any issues there in the numerous times we've used it over the years. Can't be beaten for being able to stay in bed for as long as possible before getting up to go round to ET, less than 10 mins travel! We were up early though so went round to see if we could get on an earlier crossing instead of our 9.20 am one and just managed to get on the 8.20 am ... no waiting, other than the usual passport, gas etc checks ... we just sailed through as everyone else was already on board and we were the last! Back in the UK before we should even have departed ... great stuff!

We have used Wissant and other aires before but if you have a morning crossing to the UK or a night one from the UK you can't beat CT in my book.

Good to know that we aren't the only ones to manage to go into the freight terminal. In mitigation, it was early and dark and the sat-nav said 'exit right then keep right' - so I did - but it was too soon. Heck it's a mission to get out again including an escort vehicle to go through the security fences and lorry parking. Nobody growled at us though.

 

[canopus]

I think the overhead signage has improved recently as you approach the terminal with freight and cars clearly de-lineated.

 

[Tantalus]

It actually didn't help me that a lorry came up behind me flashing his lights. In hindsight, he was telling me I was in the wrong lane but all it did was distract me. I wasn't able to actually look at the sat nav and didn't see the smaller text on the sign until too late. The 'Freight Terminal' wording is smaller lettering underneath the TUNNEL bit. Be aware if you are a driver/navigator!!

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[rb62]

So it looks like overnight they close the gate and during the day/daylight hours it is left open, which is what I thought might be happening.

It was open at 7.00 am this morning when we went to pet check in

 

[carls]

Yep used it last night 26th no issues filled up with petrol at the Carrefour gaurage ans emptied the grey and toilet cassette without any issues. That evening we when into mousieur Work for dinner which we walked to , the cost was 18€ for dinner all you could eat buffet

 

[FIDGET]

We arrived at about 7.30pm ,& sat nav took us to the tunnel entrance.
I headed to the pet passport place which is on the right at the entrance.
they explained if I approached the gate & turn right as you leave through the pet passport exit , the electric gate will open too allow me to turn left to the aire. the light was fading , boy was I pleased to park up for the night ,in the morning chatted with @chaser .

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[Crazylegs]

I read elsewhere that the Gendarmes were advising m/h’s not to overnight within 150 kms of Calais.

 

[peterc10]

I read elsewhere that the Gendarmes were advising m/h’s not to overnight within 150 kms of Calais.

Never heard of that.

Give us a hint as to where elsewhere may be. The Daily Mail maybe?

 

[DavidG58]

We arrived at about 7.30pm ,& sat nav took us to the tunnel entrance.
I headed to the pet passport place which is on the right at the entrance.
they explained if I approached the gate & turn right as you leave through the pet passport exit , the electric gate will open too allow me to turn left to the aire. the light was fading , boy was I pleased to park up for the night ,in the morning chatted with @chaser .

interesting idea, are you saying you could check the pet in the night before travel? never thought of doing that can't really see the advantage other than knowing it is sorted

we did see vehicles approach the gate and saw it open, in fact we saw a motorhome follow someone straight through and turn right when I would have expected them to be going to the pet passport area

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[peterc10]

David I think he is saying that his sat nav took him the wrong way, so the only way to get out was to turn right just before check in.

 

[DavidG58]

David I think he is saying that his sat nav took him the wrong way, so the only way to get out was to turn right just before check in.

thanks Peter, sorry Fidget, at this time of night I need a proof reader before posting

 

[Minxy]

interesting idea, are you saying you could check the pet in the night before travel? never thought of doing that can't really see the advantage other than knowing it is sorted

We were able to do that a couple of times but then on the last occasion around 3 years ago I think we were told it's not allowed so I emailed ET and asked then question, explaining that we've been able to do it before, to be told it is against their policy to check your pets in the night before, it has to be on the day of travel and normally only a couple of hours before your crossing.

It used to be very useful as it saved us having to queue in the morning and thus usually get on an earlier crossing, or have a longer lie in.

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[Minxy]

thanks Peter, sorry Fidget, at this time of night I need a proof reader before posting

40% proof?

 

[DavidG58]

40% proof?

43% tonight but only had one and plenty of tonic

 

[Crazylegs]

Never heard of that.

Give us a hint as to where elsewhere may be. The Daily Mail maybe?

It was a posting by a couple who were overnighting on or close to the 26, the Gendarmes woke them and advised them to move as they were experiencing problems locally with migrants, the above advice was given to the poster. Such is the nature of F/b I can’t find it now, but it seemed like a believable post as they posted to warn others rather than having a rant about anything.

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[stewartwebr]

We stopped there about 2 weeks ago. I was very surprised at the amount of vans there. This has clearly become the replacement to the sea front aire. I drove down past the new aire and there was 2 motorhomes in the actual site and 3 motorhomes in the aire. When I returned to the van, I was sad enough to count the motorhomes and there 48 vans.
Such a shame that the council spent so much money creating such a lovely aire, unfortunately IMHO they chose the completely wrong location. I bet the business around the area are feeling the effects of the move. I also passed the site of the old aire, what a transformation and no sign of the exhibition centre that was proposed, just an open park where the campsite used to be and ongoing works at the aire