Red rover Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 We are crossing from Portsmouth to Caen in May, and would like to use the camp site at Ouistreham for a night stop. Any advice on the port area regarding immigrants eta.Thank You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverbike Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 If wanting to stay at the Oiustreham campsite make sure you book in advance. We tried to do the same, although later in the season, and it was fully booked with people coming off the ferries. Can't advised immigrant situation although there was a lot of searching of vans going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 Red rover Do you want to overnight at the Seasonova campsite when you arrive at Ouistreham (at around 21:30) or when you will be returning to the UK from Ouistreham (presumably at 08:.30) ? I shall be taking the ferry from Ouistreham tomorrow at 08:30 and will overnight at the Seasonova campsite tonight. I will check with the site-warden what the procedure is for people wishing to overnight there after arriving on the 21:30 ferry, but I think it is necessary to book in advance if you want to do that. Regarding migrants, there are still a lot at Ouistreham hoping to stowaway in vehicles to get to the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 The Reception at the Seasonova “Riva Bella” campsite at Ouistreham closes at 19:00 but - according to the site warden - a member of staff is present there from 21:30 to 22:30 to deal with people coming off the ferry scheduled to dock at Ouistreham at 21:30. I’ve no idea what happens if the ferry’s arrival is significantly delayed (I once arrived at Ouistreham at 01:30 due to Brittany Ferries industrial action) or disembarkation takes an unusually long time, but I can’t see campsite staff hanging around indefinitely. As I understand it, if one plans to arrive at the campsite within the 21:30 to 22:30 ‘window’, it is necessary to book beforehand, either via the campsite’s website or via an orgainisation like the Caravan Club. I was told that in the former case it will be necessary to pay on arrival or, in the latter case, payment can be made on departure. I can appreciate caravanners wanting to overnight at the “Riva Bella” campsite after disembarking from the 21:30 ferry, or if a motorhome has, say, no onboard toilet, but otherwise I‘d question the rationale of going to the campsite between 21:30 and 22:30 and then leaving the following morning. Historically we used to park at the ‘aire’ at Herouvillette http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=3470 but the number of authorised camping-car parking spaces there is now restricted and all of them are usually talen up. Nowadays we drive to Troarn (about 11 miles from Ouistreham) where there are several quiet car-parks. There is an ‘aire’ next to the ferry terminal, but it is necessary to negotiate a barrier system to get in and out http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=2587 France has had a lot of rain and the grassed pitches of the campsites we stayed at were generally too soft for motorhome parking. This was the case at “Riva Bella” and we overnighted on the reduced-tariff motorhome-dedicated tarmacked area at the north end of the campsite. This area is close to the large roundabout where the D84 road joins the town, so there’s a good deal of traffic noise. In the hope of grabbing on to lorries slowing for the roundabout, migrants congregate under the trees outside the campsite fence, so there’s also a fair bit of conversational noise from the migrants until late in the evening. I don’t think there need be any concern regarding migrant ‘aggressiveness’, but I’d be very wary of parking a UK-registered motorhome in Ouistreham itself. There was a significant police presence on the D84 road leading into Ouisterham, with police vans parked at the roundabouts and ’shepherding’ lorries into the town - but the police can’t be there all the time whereas the migrants can and, at the least opportunity, will try to get on to a lorry. From where we were parked in the campsite It was possible to see migrants running after trucks at the roundabout and it’s a miracle that no one has been killed (yet). Yesterday morning security was tight at the ferry terminal, with soldiers patrolling and plenty of police and customs officers checking vehicles for people stowing away inside or hanging underneath. The lorries are now segregated from other vehicles and inspected intensively. One truck near to us was checked by customs officers and (apparently) given the OK as the driver closed up the rear doors. Shortly after that police officers arrived, the truck’s rear doors were reopened, the police entered and five stowaways were removed and led away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 We are crosssing 15th May and sounds like its not a good place to stay near the port. That is such a shame as would have liked to check out the area. Derek you have given some good advice. It seems the imigrants collect around rhe port areas and camp so I think we will drive about an hour away and look for an aire. will keep researching. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 There are ‘aires’ fairly close to Ouistreham, but the number of spaces designated for motorhomes in each is evidently quite limited. https://www.calvados-tourisme.com/fr/dormir/aires-camping-cars.php#dsbM[glGeo]=12~49.1824~-0.4396~49.3168~-0.1168 At around 10pm it might be practicable to road-side park by the Pegasus Bridge museum and overnighting on the car-park on the road through Ranville should be OK. In the past we’ve stayed in Herouvillette in a sort of lay-by by the exit from the village towards Troarn, but this proved to be noisy in the morning so we now drive to Troarn itself. There’s an ‘aire de services’ at Troarn by the Super-U supermarket’s car-park, but there are several out-of-the-way car-parks in the town itself that will pretty much guarantee a quiet night with minimal chance of noise the following morning. If you are prepared to drive for an hour (and the direction would suit you) you should be able to reach Villers Bocage that’s about 27 miles from Ouistreham and where there’s normally plenty of room in the car-park that contains the ‘aire’ service-pedestal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Thanks Derek. Some good suggestions there. Will make plans around those.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 The latest issue of MMM magazine (June 2018) has two letters on Page 13 relating to ‘migrant problems’ at Ouistreham, with both letters mentioning overnighting on the aire de services next to the ferry-port. http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=2587 I strongly advise UK motorcaravanners not to stay on this aire as any motorhome with a UK registration-plate will be considered fair game by migrants hoping to reach the UK by stowawaying in/on a vehicle. These guys have come a long and risky way to arrive at Ouistreham and have time on their hands. It won’t matter whether it’s day or night, or how unlikely actually making it through the ferry-port’s customs and police inspections will be, or even that there’s a 50-50 chance that a UK-registered motorhome parked on the aire (or anywhere else in Oustreham town) will be heading into France rather than waiting to go on the ferry to the UK - a UK-registered vehicle will be a sitting target. Overnighting at the Seasonova “Riva Bella” campsite on the outskirts of Ouistreham SHOULD be safe enough: otherwise it would be wise to drive some distance after disembarking from the ferry before stopping, and to overnight not too close to Ouistreham before embarkation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Thanks Derek. Looks like we will be travelling away from the port. I was looking at the museum in caen but some other places further away will be better by the sound of it. There are a few listed above. Looks like we will have a sleep on the boat and prepare to travel further . Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wirehaired Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/france/lower-normandy/calvados/ranville/campsite-les-capucines-109842/ Last June I stayed on this camp site in Ranville,its not very far from the ferry terminal,although I went another way driving through Normandy,next time I will take the Caen ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Wirehaired - 2018-04-23 6:11 PM https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/france/lower-normandy/calvados/ranville/campsite-les-capucines-109842/ Last June I stayed on this camp site in Ranville,its not very far from the ferry terminal,although I went another way driving through Normandy,next time I will take the Caen ferry. We use, and have for decades les Capucines in Ranville. The owner accomodates the late ferry arrival and the barrier copes with the early sailing. Suggest you book but only as that brings a modest discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wirehaired Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Yes I stayed for nine days last June,reason was it was close to Pegasus Bridge as I have an interest in WW2,I did book but when I was there I think people could have just turned up,the Lady who ran the place was very nice,i plan on going next June but will take that Caen crossing,it was quite a drive I live in the Norrthwest, stayed a night in Kent then took the ferry from Dover, as I didn't have loads of time the Caen crossing would have been better and no tolls involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 “Camping des Capucines” at Ranville has the advantage of being open all-year http://campingdescapucines.com/ but I’d question its value for a brief overnight halt for a motorcaravanner coming off the ferry at Ouistreham at 21:30. I can see it being more useful for overnighting if one plans to take the 08:30 from Ouistreham the following morning and do not want to stay at the (cheaper and closer to the ferry-port) Seasonova “Riva Bella” campsite, or can’t find a parking space at the aire not far away at Herouvillette, but is it really necessary to stay on a campsite or on an ‘aire’ for a few hours after the ferry-crossing before driving on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Derek Uzzell - 2018-04-24 8:30 AM “Camping des Capucines” at Ranville has the advantage of being open all-year http://campingdescapucines.com/ but I’d question its value for a brief overnight halt for a motorcaravanner coming off the ferry at Ouistreham at 21:30. I can see it being more useful for overnighting if one plans to take the 08:30 from Ouistreham the following morning and do not want to stay at the (cheaper and closer to the ferry-port) Seasonova “Riva Bella” campsite, or can’t find a parking space at the aire not far away at Herouvillette, but is it really necessary to stay on a campsite or on an ‘aire’ for a few hours after the ferry-crossing before driving on? Arriving at 21:30 if your lucky, is at our age time for a decent nights kip. If you don't need that or feel you will get it on the port or adjacent aire thats fine, but I don't share that coinfidence in and around Ouistreham. And I only have a 12 minute drive into Portsmouth, not a whole days drive to get on the ferry to add to our fatigue level. If arriving on the earlier ferry, then the last place I want to overnight is locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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