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Gravelines Aire - An update


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There must be a lot of members who use the Graveline Aire (Rue du Port) so in case you were not aware there will be a charge of 6 Euro per night from 01 March to 30 September.

This will be payable by credit card only into a pay machine at the end of the official parking bays. Tonight, Friday 27th. the meter is 'Hors de service' which I think means that it is not working, it was likewise also not working two weeks ago.

The town council have made some changes to the site, you can not park at the very end (By the old derelict house) nor can you park on the harbour wall at the far end although you still can at the entrance end.

I believe that there is another 'aire' at Fort Grande Phillipe which is the other side of the harbour but I have no address or post code for that one.

I don't mind paying six Euro but I wish they had installed a cash machine as tens of thousands of councils in UK have done for 'pay and display' having an isolated, card reader is just asking for credit card crooks to go in with their clooning kit and pick up details of everyones card, it's so easy.  

  

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The campingcar-infos website indicates that the Gravelines facility at Rue du Port is for parking only. An 'aire de services' (without parking) is at Rue de la Gendarmerie about 600m (as the crow flies) to the north-east of the parking-area. 10 minutes-worth of fresh-water at the aire de services cost €2 (in 2011) payable by bank-card.

 

I've never used a bank-card to pay for parking or motorhome services, not so much because I'm overly concerned about card-cloning, but I'm wary of my card being grabbed and retained by a faulty machine. There's no doubt that this can happen occasionally and I don't want it to happen to me when I'm abroad. However, having seen, over the years, a good few aires service-pedestals smashed open for the cash in them, and others wrapped with chain to try to prevent theft, I can appreciate the attraction to local authorities of a bank-card payment system.

 

There's no sign on the campingcar-infos website of any official motorhome parking/service facility at Grand-Fort-Philippe, though I think Camping de la Plage (open April through October) at Grand-Fort-Philippe may have a motorhome service-point. Low-season daily charge for motorhome + 2 adults around €8.

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Guest JudgeMental

well..will be staying there in a few weeks on way home for early ferry from Dunkirk (as we do if on ferry)

 

I wont be using credit card as I cancelled them when i thought i was pick pocketed in Benidorm, but later found wallet in van *-) Hey ho i have enough cash so no worries..what they goin to do shoot me? *-)

 

the lack of dog s**te in spain is such a civilised change from those disgusting French :-D

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Should be at Gravelines this time tomorrow, so will see if machine is working or not. There is an aire de stationment at Grand Fort Phillippe, Boulavard de La Republic, N51.00130622, E2.10898876 with view over to Petite Fort Phillipe (not all the aires are listed even on camping-car infos!). This aire is however closed when a fair uses the site, but then vans are allowed to park on sea front just down road.
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robertandjean - 2012-04-27 10:55 PMThere is an aire de stationment at Grand Fort Phillippe, Boulavard de La Republic, N51.00130622, E2.10898876 with view over to Petite Fort Phillipe

R&J Thanks for the details on Grand Fort Phillipe, when I arrived at Rue du Port yesterday there were a few places to park but when I woke up this morning every single official slot (and a few non official) were occupied and the site was jam packed.

I want to use Grand Fort Phillipe as a 'back up' if I arrive lateat Rue du Port and there are no spaces.

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Derek Uzzell - 2012-04-27 7:54 PMThe campingcar-infos website indicates that the Gravelines facility at Rue du Port is for parking only. ............................................................I've never used a bank-card to pay for parking or motorhome services, not so much because I'm overly concerned about card-cloning, but I'm wary of my card being grabbed and retained by a faulty machine. There's no doubt that this can happen occasionally and I don't want it to happen to me when I'm abroad.

Derek - Yes, Rue du Port is parking only, there is no water, no electricity, and no waste disposal, but that suits me OK.

On the cash versus card debate, yes there is a danger of some yobs trying to get the cash out but the answet IMO is daily collections, that way it will soon become known in th eunderworld that ain't much cash to grab. I agree with you about the machine grabbing your card, yet another reason not to go pushing it into unknown orifaces in foreign lands ha ha. 

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  • 1 year later...
Guest adhple
We stopped on the Gravelines Aire for the night (July 5th) we tried to pay with a card for the 6e only to find the machine did not work. Nobody checked to see if we had paid, We asked a local moter homer and he shrugged his shoulders and said ‘shssss’
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Guest searchforsites

Never paid as we arrive around 1am and usually leave before 8am.

The only night we stayed longer the machine wasn't accepting cards and when the attendant arrived he was too drunk to care!

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Evening folks,

 

We stayed there 29th june and could,nt get the machine to accept our credit card which is very annoying because it means we are reluctant to leave the van in case someone comes checking. other people had varing degrees of success.

 

norm

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Guest peter
We were there early july and the machine didn't work. A regular reckons as it is solar powered from the top, some people cover the top so that it receives no charge. Consequently we don't either. :D
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