Philjp Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Came through Calais this morning 24/06/09 08:30 shuttle. Arrived last night Noticed Police bikes at all the roundabouts. Went down to East enders to check out the wine Noticed on the way back up Motorway to Citie Europe A large Camp being set up on the side of the road....When we drove into Citie Europe there where dozens of Vans full of riot police There was extra bard wire around the fence of the shuttle the car park for buses and lorries was closed Entrance to the M/H park was guarded by security they unlocked a chain across the entrance and let you in and out..There where armed police on the roofs of the buildings extra security with in citie Europe So we did not stop the night Went down to the aire in Calais Lots of police Patrolling some times four vans in convoy at the Railway station they stopped and searched any one carrying camping bags etc.. When we drove into the shuttle booking area there was riot police sat in vans at the booking in booths there was extra security checks on any vans. The British border people asked where we had come from we told them Calais aire .., the y advised us it was not safe to stay any where in Calais ... We understand there is to be a large protest demonstration this weekend It is all to do with the stow away asylum people.... I did not see the ferry area but was told it is the same Riot police every where Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 See http://www.ainfos.ca/en/ainfos22822.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeti Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Great,just great they are trying to do what Napoleon and Hitler couldn't do,and with this drippy shower in charge they may just succeed!!! >:-( >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philjp Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Cheers Don Calais is really crawling with Police every where .I am glad i am out after reading the posted web site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thanks for this, had read about the camp and demonstrations but never thought of it being so big. Leaving today at 3pm, Calais for the night but think we will move a bit further south now, Le Touquet will do. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philjp Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 The Aire at the sea front was full at 3pm Wednesday, no overnighting allowed at Citie europe. We spoke to some Dutch people they were turned away from Ferry port. there were about 50 Vans parked up on the Yacht basin along with dozens of lorries. You would be better off out of Calais.The British Border People where Quiet serious that we should not have spent the night in Calais.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesy Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thanks for the loink Don an interesting article and interesting comments by the Mayor of Calais >:-) I see that the protest are due to last to 29/6. I think it's quite stange that anarchists "plan" demonstrations and set date limits :D . Hopefully someone passing through will update us on the situation and numbers involved. Is this the first of a series?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Philjp - 2009-06-24 6:48 PM Came through Calais this morning 24/06/09 08:30 shuttle. Arrived last night Noticed Police bikes at all the roundabouts. Went down to East enders to check out the wine Noticed on the way back up Motorway to Citie Europe A large Camp being set up on the side of the road....When we drove into Citie Europe there where dozens of Vans full of riot police There was extra bard wire around the fence of the shuttle the car park for buses and lorries was closed Entrance to the M/H park was guarded by security they unlocked a chain across the entrance and let you in and out..There where armed police on the roofs of the buildings extra security with in citie Europe So we did not stop the night Went down to the aire in Calais Lots of police Patrolling some times four vans in convoy at the Railway station they stopped and searched any one carrying camping bags etc.. When we drove into the shuttle booking area there was riot police sat in vans at the booking in booths there was extra security checks on any vans. The British border people asked where we had come from we told them Calais aire .., the y advised us it was not safe to stay any where in Calais ... We understand there is to be a large protest demonstration this weekend It is all to do with the stow away asylum people.... I did not see the ferry area but was told it is the same Riot police every where Went to the Cite de Europe on Tuesday no sign of any police but the centre was very quiet which I put down to economics but I suppose people might have been staying away in case of trouble. Yesterday drove along A26/A16 to the Tunnel and no visible signs of an increased police presence. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Last month Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, said the UK’s lax asylum system and benefits culture had ‘imposed’ thousands of illegal migrants on her town. In a blistering attack in which she also called for millions in compensation, Mrs Bouchart said the UK was entirely to blame for the those who use the port as a staging point. Umh maybe she's right . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 We were planning on stopping at Cite Europe tomorrow night (23.30 Chunnel crossing)! Where the heck should we stay? 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klyne Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Mel B - 2009-06-25 11:20 PM We were planning on stopping at Cite Europe tomorrow night (23.30 Chunnel crossing)! Where the heck should we stay? 8-) Mel I have a 4X4 with a roofbox and they have introduced height barriers all round the shopping centre. In an attempt to find a way in I drove past the motorhome parking area. It had a security guard on duty and a chain across the entrance so I assume they were being careful who they let in. I am not sure, of course, if this is normal or not. There were some motorhomes parked there at the time. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philjp Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 Try the Aires on the seafront or Yacht Basin.. If you know the way in you should pass the yacht basin.loads of M/H there Tuesday Night. No cost unlike the Aires.... Sat Nav cordinates for sea front aire N50 57.962 E001 50.622 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wills Wagon Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Philips comments sum up the position. There last evening Thursday 25 June. A protest march is being held on Saturday from Calais lighthouse to Eurotunnel and there is heavy police presence everywhere. Petrol pumps near Eastenders are boarded up and security at ferry port tight. Every passport is being checked, our van was searched twice, after immigration and before we boarded. At Citi Europe the motorhome park is being used by coaches as well and entry is controlled by a guard. The security at Citi Europe is tight with Citi Europe security people on every access and walking round in the centre itself. Police are on the court house roof and each corner of the motorhome park and are also patrolling the entry roads from A16. Police motorbikes and van loads of national police are everywhere. Feels very intimidating but if numbers of police are anything to go by I suspect trouble will be limited. As we left the docks we saw about 35 motorhomes on the aire and the Calais caravan site next door looked quite busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Day Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Came up the A16 from Le Toquet on Thursday morning (25th) to join the shuttle, never noticed anything different from usual, no more Police only the usual half asleep customs and immigration officals!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 We're currently at Euro Tunnel at Folkestone awaiting the next train - we had hoped to get on the 22.19 but unfortunately it was fulll, so we've having to wait for the 23.30 (as booked). Chatting to the staff, we were told that they are actually advising people NOT to cross tomorrow! Thank goodness we booked for this evening. Still not sure where to stop, will probably try Cite Europe and if that's no good head elsewhere out of Calais, looks like it could be fun there tomorrow and we certainly don't want to get caught up in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 We stayed at Calais plage on the night of the 16th before coming back the next morning, now that was ten days before the estimated trouble but from 2.00pm till about 11.00pm they wwas a constant coming and going of riot police at one time there was three vans parked up and the police were all stood around talking! one even cleaning his teeth :-D we were very curious as to what was happening then! but felt very safe, as I said the Queen doesnt get all this security. What I couldnt understand is WHY would anyone want to go through France to reach this Country?? they can only be one explaination were too soft at giving out handouts when is this country going to wake up to itself and realise its doing no one any favours!! except the illegalls of course!! And let the doogooders give these poor people Their Homes and Jobs!! >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 At the risk of swaying into "political territory" and away from motorhomes, I have to point out that it's not the "illegal" immigrants that are using and abusing the benefit system. By the very nature of the word "illegal" they enter the country and go underground, working as domestics staff in hotels, in restaraunts, and other "black market" jobs. They are not allowed any medical or social services back up. Many work long hours for very little pay, and some are kept as slaves by their bosses. Many women and children are used in the sex trade and are being raped and abused daily. If they are picked up they are deported back to their country of origin, where many are subjected to jail or death. The "genuine" people who claim political asylum only get 2/3rds of the allowed benefit payments, they get it in the form of vouchers that can only be spent in certain shops and are not given cash as change. They are not allowed to get jobs while their claim is being investigated and if they do their status is reviewed. They are mostly kept in what are basically jails or secure accommodation and have to report in regularly, again or their status is reviewed and they can be deported. There are people who will rip off any system and abuse our hospitality, but I am proud that we are a civilised country that people will pay thousands of pounds, risk their lives and travel thousands of miles to try to get to. The genuine cases are being tortured, raped and murdered back in their native country, if you or your family were living like that wouldn't you risk everything to get away? Or if you were just wanting a better life and standard of living for your family and to earn a bit more money wouldn't you move to another part of the world? Our country has been a place where people have emigrated to ever since the ice retreated 20,000 years ago. It has been peacefully and violently invaded for all that time. Social conditions, education and the welfare state are being eroded by modern technology costs and the price of drugs and treatments more than the cost of providing stuff for a few thousand extra people a year. Bankers and politicians have robbed more money over the past five years than anyone, most of those are white and were born here so immigrants, illegal or otherwise, are not the only ones ripping the backs out of the system. But to get back on topic, you could try staying at Gravelines on your way back to the ferries. It is about half way between Calais and Dunkirque and is a very nice town. It has two or three parking areas, supermarkets and a good vet in the town centre. We used it in May for the first time and it was really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Back onto the subject as its an aguement that has too many sides to it, just one thing though! if people are going underground and living that way or existing which is more accurate :-S why Britian? why not France or Germany? its because they are advertisements in these places telling these poor people that they are going to be rich in Britain!! We were recommended gravelines and made for there!! we found the Aire Closed and building going on! a camp site that was full of statics and packed to the gunnells! a large car park that served as a bus terminus and had a lot of kids and teenagers playing in and a parking place overlooking the water near the lighthouse I suppose it could be classed as an Aire but had no water etc; and was very full No Space at the Inn :-S so we headed back and went to Les Erables at Escalles ! wishing we had gone there in the first place No Way would I recommend Gravellines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whisturx Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Stayed on the Calais Plage aire on Monday 29th June. Full by 7pm but passed all the riot vans leaving Calais on the motorway that morning. Talking to the locals it all came to nothing. The only noise was the fog horns from the ferries as although the beach was crowded a sea mist sat on the waters edge all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I'm in full agreement with Tommo. I think you should let all these poor souls into the UK. They could run a free train a week for them to come across and that would soon clear the French side. This could be paid for with the wages it would save on British security at the channel ports and Eurotunnel. Just a thought. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 The place we stayed was next to the marina. There were no services but we went to a campsite, not the municipal one, an paid 3 Euros to dump the waste and top up with water. I don't want to carry on the argument here about whether people who are desperate should be helped or whether we should just turn away and leave them to their fate. We never get the truth on this subject anyway from either side of the argment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 We went to France on 23rd June and we have just arrived home this is the 1st I have heard of the troubles not seen or heard any news since being away . We stopped at City Europe last night and thought it strange that we were the only ones there from just after 6pm until 06.30 am this morning.We also though it strange all the shopping trollies and trollie bays have been removed including all the waste bins.It would have been a quiet night until the massive thunder storms from 11.00pm until just after 04.00am this morning the parking area was like a lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Re Gravelines: Don't know where you were maggyd but just spent 2 nights on marina at Gravelines, lovely situation and easy walk to historic town centre. Nothing like you describe! Free parking, offical aire, but no services. Now at Hondschoote as we continue our meander round the north. (Will post full details of all aires visited on return). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 We passed where you are talking about the Marina on our way out, but it was packed by then it is a nice situation but No Water! that is what I said! but the one that we had in our Tom T still had its sign up but it was a building site! We had understood that the Aire we were making for was near the sand dunes and had water and facilities! We dont travel with a tank full of water so we wouldnt be able to stay where you were for a couple of days! while we were waiting to visit the Vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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