How safe is Gravelines?

[Myles Ward]

Apologies… I know it’s popular but just a little sceptical as it’s so close to Calais. Also… is it really busy? TIA

 

[suavecarve]

Apologies… I know it’s popular but just a little sceptical as it’s so close to Calais. Also… is it really busy? TIA

Abut 3 years ago a couple of bikes got stolen off the back of a motorhome who I think is a member here, otherwise, I dont remember anything (just because my wife is looking over my shoulder and wondering who is sending me heart emojis, this should wind her up)

 

[irnbru]

If I thought by reading forums it was a dodgy area id save myself the grief and park at least an hour away.

 

[DerryW]

Chaser will vouch for Gravelines. its normally his first and last stop. always spoken highly of there.

 

[glenn2926]

We love it. Great first and last night. Particularly like l’ eclusier restaurant for our last night.

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[scousebird]

We've stayed there a few times without problem and with plenty of space although we were there in low season.

 

[chaser]

Apologies… I know it’s popular but just a little sceptical as it’s so close to Calais. Also… is it really busy? TIA

No problems, we have heard this bike thing many times but we have been probably 20 times and never seen any sign of trouble.
And no, it isn't busy.
We have spent whole weeks there and love it.

 

[Stealaway]

You can stay in central Calais now in perfectly safety. New super secure Aire for 10€ a night.
Oh and Gravelines fine

 

[Wagoneer]

If you're going in that direction, you could stay at a secure campervan park near the railway station in Brugge (can't remember the name). Cost about €20. Restaurant adjacent the site. From there you can get a free bus into Brugge from the railway station....but don't mention you're from the camper park...otherwise you'll have to pay !!!

We've stopped there many times on route to Germany.

 

[sylvester1954]

We often stop by the nearby lakes less than a mile from the centre of Graveline. Lots of room, usually half a dozen MH's, vans, free and safe.

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[Myles Ward]

Thanks so much for your replies. Very much appreciated. I think we’ll stay there due to the proximity of the site.

 

[jongood]

Surprisingly have never had a problem in Gravelines. Coming back to UK it Works best for Dunkirk. If we're going calais or tunnel ( like tomorrow) either Le Crotoy or Berck. We used to love Wissant but far too much nocturnal activity now.

 

[popotla]

"How safe is ....................?" is a question that isn't easy to answer, though the answers above are all excellent ones. The best one can say, perhaps, with regard to a place that's thought to be or known to be unsafe or worse, is that "I stayed/went there and nothing happened to me".

A couple of years ago my wife and I overnighted in a walkers' car park near Fulwood, Sheffield. We assumed, of course, it was a safe place. Who could have guessed that during the night, I would be dropping - hopefully unseen - from our living space through the hatch into the driver's cab and gunning it out of there. But for that hatch, we might not be alive today.

Off topic. Sorry.

P.S. There's always a first time.

 

[orridge]

It’s 25 km’s and lots of towns away from Calais we have stayed there plenty of times and never had any issues or even seen any migrants there.

We stayed a thé aire at Marck last night as wanted to be closer to Calais and had a quiet peaceful night.

Spent the morning in the cité de Europe car park doing some work calls saw one migrant who came up to the van I til my wife explained the error of his ways and was left in peace.

 

[steve69]

"How safe is ....................?" is a question that isn't easy to answer, though the answers above are all excellent ones. The best one can say, perhaps, with regard to a place that's thought to be or known to be unsafe or worse, is that "I stayed/went there and nothing happened to me".

A couple of years ago my wife and I overnighted in a walkers' car park near Fulwood, Sheffield. We assumed, of course, it was a safe place. Who could have guessed that during the night, I would be dropping - hopefully unseen - from our living space through the hatch into the driver's cab and gunning it out of there. But for that hatch, we might not be alive today.

Off topic. Sorry.

P.S. There's always a first time.

Good Grief!!....You can't leave it like that!...Tell us more.

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[Rumour and Innuendo]

We tend to stay away from the coast on our way out and back. Depending on the direction of travel, we make for Watton. It is quiet and has water and waste (charged for by token) and is next to a river. Short walk into town and feels very safe.

Watten

Details for Watten a Overnight parking - with services Watten, Nord, Hauts-de-France, France, 59143

www.searchforsites.co.uk

 

[Antony bleasdale]

We left a couple of chairs out whilst we walked into town, they where gone when we returned

 

[jongood]

We left a couple of chairs out whilst we walked into town, they where gone when we returned

Could have been a camping cariste. Although using chairs is tolerated at Gravelines You're not actually supposed to leave them out.

I suspect the original question was regarding the amount of would be invaders around the area.

 

[chaser]

We left a couple of chairs out whilst we walked into town, they where gone when we returned

Could happen anywhere, even on expensive campsite, you have to remember you are among people from all walks of life in the other vans, not necessarily locals.
Leave stuff out, expect it to be gone.

 

[gpat]

We left a couple of chairs out whilst we walked into town, they where gone when we returned

It's about time the police made an armrest.

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[bobski]

Apologies… I know it’s popular but just a little sceptical as it’s so close to Calais. Also… is it really busy? TIA

Gravelines is always my first night from dinkirk. Gravelines 1 is next to the Marina, its hards standing but if it gets busy they move on to the grassed area. I also use Gravelines 2 which is situated next to the waterpark, its a really nice spot in summer, its free and, not as busy as the marina. Short walk or bike ride into town. I would reccommend either.

 

[davidbaldam]

We usually use the Aire at the Gravelines Waterpark. off the Chunnel, drive to the supermarket, park at Gravelines, good nights sleep then off early the next morning. Never had any problems.

 

[Antony bleasdale]

Could have been a camping cariste. Although using chairs is tolerated at Gravelines You're not actually supposed to leave them out.

I suspect the original question was regarding the amount of would be invaders around the area.

They where folded up and stored under the van

 

[jongood]

They where folded up and stored under the van

Its still an aire not a campsite.

 

[popotla]

steve69 wrote:

Good Grief!!....You can't leave it like that!...Tell us more.

Seriously? I didn't want to bore you with the details.

Around midnight the silence was broken by what sounded like someone whistling while walking in a semi-circle round our van. We (wife and I) switched off all the interior lights and from the bathroom window I could see someone out there, carrying a flashlight and walking as described. When we'd arrived, three hours earlier, the car park was empty but now there was also a car there. From time to time the guy with the light went over there to talk to someone (how many in the car, no idea). Then he would come back and start circling again. After perhaps 20 minutes of this he began shouting: "Come on out, we know you're f****** in there. "Do you speak f****** English? (the van has German plates). F*** you, come on out." And repeat with variations.

That was the time to move (we'd parked, as always, facing in the direction of travel). So I went down to the cab (the hatch is under the mattress; bed across the front of the cabin). The guy didn't see me do this. Engine, lights, and away. As we left I didn't see where he was but fortunately for all involved he didn't get in the way. From the exit we had to turn right onto the country lane. At this point the guy cut through the trees separating the car park from the lane (we saw just the flashlight coming out of there) but we were out and safe.

Without the hatch, who knows? Not a happy ending, one suspects.

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[Myles Ward]

Surprisingly have never had a problem in Gravelines. Coming back to UK it Works best for Dunkirk. If we're going calais or tunnel ( like tomorrow) either Le Crotoy or Berck. We used to love Wissant but far too much nocturnal activity now.

We're now in Merlimont-sur-plage (Camping Car Park, stayed there a few times now). Early tunnel tomorrow.

 

[Barryh]

I’ve said this before on a couple of other Gravelines threads. We like Gravelines and have stayed there many times, including after this incident when twice in the same night someone tried to steal our bikes, using a Stanley knife to slash the bike cover. We had seen a couple of lads earlier in the evening eyeing us up, and presume that they were the ones who did the deed. Of course people who haven’t had it happen to them, or seen it happen to others would say they’ve never seen any problems. The truth is stuff happens everywhere, but not to too many people. Would I use Gravelines now? Yes of course I would.

 

[steve69]

steve69 wrote:

Good Grief!!....You can't leave it like that!...Tell us more.

Seriously? I didn't want to bore you with the details.

Around midnight the silence was broken by what sounded like someone whistling while walking in a semi-circle round our van. We (wife and I) switched off all the interior lights and from the bathroom window I could see someone out there, carrying a flashlight and walking as described. When we'd arrived, three hours earlier, the car park was empty but now there was also a car there. From time to time the guy with the light went over there to talk to someone (how many in the car, no idea). Then he would come back and start circling again. After perhaps 20 minutes of this he began shouting: "Come on out, we know you're f****** in there. "Do you speak f****** English? (the van has German plates). F*** you, come on out." And repeat with variations.

That was the time to move (we'd parked, as always, facing in the direction of travel). So I went down to the cab (the hatch is under the mattress; bed across the front of the cabin). The guy didn't see me do this. Engine, lights, and away. As we left I didn't see where he was but fortunately for all involved he didn't get in the way. From the exit we had to turn right onto the country lane. At this point the guy cut through the trees separating the car park from the lane (we saw just the flashlight coming out of there) but we were out and safe.

Without the hatch, who knows? Not a happy ending, one suspects.

I hope you told the police....Sounds like a potential racist attack.

 

[brynric]

Like Barryh I had a failed attempt at bike theft about 4 years ago (reported elsewhere) We’d stayed many times previously without problems and stayed since with no issues. It’s a good spot.
Anywhere can have occasional problems. We were robbed with much more damage many years ago on a C&CC site in the Lake District.