starvin marvin Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Does anyone know if the parking area at the Port du Plaisance in Gravelines is open? I seem to recall that there has been mention on this Forum that it is or has been closed recently. I guess this is the nearest Aire parking to Dunkirk. I know there are no services here, the municipal Station sanitaire is locally elsewhere. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Hi, The Gravelines one we tried to find (as in the Aires book) was definitely closed - they are building a sports centre there I think. We went to Auchan in Dunkirk and slept in their car park with no problems. Early morning shop, very cheap fuel on exit (I think diesel was 0.99 euros) - that was towards the end of December. Worked for us ;-) we were then able to have an early and easy start to Aachen in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 We always overnight in Norfolkline's office car park. If we're coming from the UK, we leave the port and go right round the first roundabout and go back in to access the car park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 The old Aire is closed but the one on the port is open I think.......No facilities but you can use the campsite nearby for that. It is a convenient and peaceful stop within a short walk of centre with some decent eateries bread shop etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 JudgeMental - 2010-01-14 4:42 PM The old Aire is closed but the one on the port is open I think.......No facilities but you can use the campsite nearby for that. It is a convenient and peaceful stop within a short walk of centre with some decent eateries bread shop etc... Hi Judge, thanks for the reply, and to the others too. I'm not sure if you and Catinou are talking about the same place. The aire in "All the Aires etc...." is on the port in Gravelines, which I guess is the one you think may be open. However if Cat' was there in Dec 09 and they are building on it??? The GPS is N50 58.966/E002 08.487 for the Gravelines Aire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minstrel Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 The gravelines aire was in November very much in use. There was a new (I think) parking area for motorhome parking and the borne itself was a few metres away. As the Judge says, it's a short walk into the town for bread cafes etc. I can't believe that since November they have started redeveloping it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 I was there October and the port one was open, it has been discussed to death on here before. wish people would check the facts before posting these rumours. they seem to grow wings and fly.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Hi, We also were there in Autumn and parking on marina certainly very much open and can not see how a sports centre could be built on space available. Have checked on camping-car infos web site and no indication there of any problems and French vanners are very quick to report any difficulties. So agree with Judge best to take no notice of these "reports" of closure; we certainly will be heading there in the Spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 In September we visit the aire at Gravelines on the side of the water/port area and it was definitely being wel used. To be fair, it doesn't look to be that old anyway especially since some of the area looked newly devleoped/landscaped, and I can't see how they could possibly build a sports centre on the 'strip' which it occupies, with part of it being the landing area for the local small fishing boats ... I think there'd be a mutiny! We only stopped there to have tea as we had to catch our train back at a silly hour so stopped the night at Cite Europe, but if we'd had the time to stay for the night we certainly would have. There's a nice walk along some of the towns old perimeter walls and it is only a short walk to the centre of the village - when we were there they had a funfair set up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 Thanks for all the replies. We'll be going there on Sunday night, and it sounds as though it should be functioning. If I get the chance I'll post an update on the situation. Again, many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Do not forget to visit Madam's fish and chip shop in the town just a short walk from the Aire. And do not block access to the boat gangways, the Police will move you and tell you off. ( In English as well!). G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted January 15, 2010 Author Share Posted January 15, 2010 hallii - 2010-01-15 12:08 PM Do not forget to visit Madam's fish and chip shop in the town just a short walk from the Aire. And do not block access to the boat gangways, the Police will move you and tell you off. ( In English as well!). G Thanks for the advice. Don't do fish n chips, I'm a weighidiotcher, with a guilty complex, but nonetheless tempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 hallii - 2010-01-15 12:08 PM Do not forget to visit Madam's fish and chip shop in the town just a short walk from the Aire. G Or the unassuming bar/restaurant on corner in square. we had one of the best Moules avec frites we have ever had there :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Just to clear up any confusion over the Rue Du Port aire at Gravelines. We checked it out over the weekend and I'm happy to report that it is still very much open for business as usual as you can see :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 starvin marvin - 2010-01-14 5:10 PM JudgeMental - 2010-01-14 4:42 PM The old Aire is closed but the one on the port is open I think.......No facilities but you can use the campsite nearby for that. It is a convenient and peaceful stop within a short walk of centre with some decent eateries bread shop etc... Hi Judge, thanks for the reply, and to the others too. I'm not sure if you and Catinou are talking about the same place. The aire in "All the Aires etc...." is on the port in Gravelines, which I guess is the one you think may be open. However if Cat' was there in Dec 09 and they are building on it??? The GPS is N50 58.966/E002 08.487 for the Gravelines Aire. The aire we went for at Gravelines was not so close to the water as the recent photos but matched the photo of the one in our book. I can only assume there were / are 2 as we spoke to a French guy and he definitely confirmed the one we were looking for was closed. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_C Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Way2Go - 2010-03-29 1:41 PM Just to clear up any confusion over the Rue Du Port aire at Gravelines. We checked it out over the weekend and I'm happy to report that it is still very much open for business as usual as you can see :-) I seem to recall that the parking closest to the water was supposed to be reserved for boat owners and that the official motorhome parking was the other side of the road? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Way2Go Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 Andy_C - 2010-03-30 10:37 AM . . . I seem to recall that the parking closest to the water was supposed to be reserved for boat owners and that the official motorhome parking was the other side of the road? Andy There's a single yellow line with red lettring on the road which said something like 'reserved for campingcar' or something like that. I can't remember the exact wording off hand and I've blown up the picture but can't read it.We were only there for a couple of hours during lunchtime so it wasn't really a problem for us . . . . assuming it was a problem in the first place :-)W2G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 At Gravelines you have to make sure you don't park where the boats come in and unload, it's pretty obvious though as most of the motorhome parking is on the right side of the track running down the middle. When we were there last year we parked at the boat unloading area as we'd only stopped for a while to have tea but were advised by another motorhome owner that it was not permitted to stop in that spot for the night. It may be a small 'port' but it is still used by the local fishermen so there's no point in upsetting them and spoiling it for others. I just wish we'd had the time to stop there for longer as it was very pleasant indeed. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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