overnight at Caen

[Keith T]

we are considering a short trip to France in April, and due to ferry timings, and costs, may have to return from Caen on the early morning ferry.

We have not used this route previously, so are unaware on parking at the port.

Anyone with suggestions for overnight parking at the port or very close to it please? The ferry check in would b e 07.30 AM

[Agaric]

There is an aire on the docks near the fish market at Ouistreham, plus a few more in the area.

[malc d]

Keith T - 2016-03-06 10:16 PM

 

we are considering a short trip to France in April, and due to ferry timings, and costs, may have to return from Caen on the early morning ferry.

We have not used this route previously, so are unaware on parking at the port.

Anyone with suggestions for overnight parking at the port or very close to it please? The ferry check in would b e 07.30 AM

 

 

 

There is a campsite 5 minutes from the port - Les Pommiers.

 

You can punch in a code at the barrier to leave from 7 a.m.

 

( There is an aire of sorts inside this site, but I haven't used that. )

 

:-|

[Derek Uzzell]

This December 2015 discussion refers

 

http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Ouistreham-dockside/40474/

 

Apparently the 2016 charge for overnight[ng at the ‘aire’ at Ouistreham is €10 (payable by credit card).

 

Historically, the “Les Pommiers” campsite

 

http://www.campinglespommiers.com/english

 

used to be open pretty much all year round, but I notice that - for 2016 - the opening period will be 15 APRIL to 30 OCTOBER. The campsite has an area of hardstanding dedicated to motorhome parking (about 20 vehicles) and a fixed rate that includes a 220V hook-up and the ability to empty waste-water/toilets and take on fresh-water (slowly). I’m not sure what the 2016 ‘camping-car’ tarif will be - probably around €13. The site is ‘double barriered’, with acces to and exit from the pitches-area via barriers that (as malc d says) require a code, with a second set of barriers at the campsite’s main entrance/exit that close automatically in late evening and open automatically at 07:00.

 

We have regularly taken the 08:30 ferry from Ouistreham and stayed the previous night at “Les Pommiers”, but we have habitually arrived at the campsite in the early afternoon. There are alternative ‘aires’ nearby (eg. at Herouvillette), but it should be easy/safe enough in April to overnight on car-parks at the Pegasus Bridge Museum or in Ranville.

 

Otherwise - if arriving late at Oustreham - there’s the parking-in-the-embarkation-car-lanes option.

 

 

[witzend]

What I'm always wary of with barriers is will they work for me I've been trapped behind several for various reasons and had to get let out Not what you need when going to a ferry

[Derek Uzzell]

A very reasonable concern, though if the main barrier at “Les Pommiers” failed to lift at 07:00 it would trap not only the campers but the workers who live in the static caravans.

 

Not sure what would happen if there were a power failure, but I’m certain the barriers would be ‘encouraged’ to lift by the trapped people if they failed to rise automatically.

[malc d]

witzend - 2016-03-07 9:50 AM

 

What I'm always wary of with barriers is will they work for me I've been trapped behind several for various reasons and had to get let out Not what you need when going to a ferry

 

 

 

I know what you mean - I don't trust machinery/ electronics either.

 

( using a lift is a last resort for me for the same reason ).

 

But I have been using Les Pommiers site for early morning departures for many years and not been stuck yet.

 

;-)

[vindiboy]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/49%C2%B017'13.8%22N+0%C2%B014'58.9%22W/@49.2879127,-0.2647604,14.75z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Aire here, you can also overnight alongside the River over the bridge from the Ferry Port and also stay on the ferry port after the night boat has sailed.

[vindiboy]

http://www.campercontact.com/en/france/basse-normandie-o-14-61/ouistreham/2128/motorhome-parking-aire-municipale.aspx  Another view of the Aire 

[malc d]

vindiboy - 2016-03-07 10:16 AMhttps://www.google.com/maps/place/49%C2%B017'13.8%22N+0%C2%B014'58.9%22W/@49.2879127,-0.2647604,14.75z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Aire here, you can also overnight alongside the River over the bridge from the Ferry Port and also stay on the ferry port after the night boat has sailed.

Strangely this map shows Les Pommiers campsite along the canal as Camping Seasonova Riva Bella.Never heard it called that before - have they changed the name since last September ? :-|

[Derek Uzzell]

What used to be the municipal campsite “Les Pommiers” at Ouistreham is now called "Riva Bella” and is part of the Seasonova campsite chain.

 

Details of the change-over were reported here

 

http://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/ouistreham-14150/conseil-le-camping-confie-un-delegataire-3924033

 

within the December 2015 article headed "Conseil : le camping confié à un délégataire”.

 

Apparently Seasonova will ‘lease’ the campsite for 20 years, paying the town a flat fee of € 50,000 and 10% of its revenues. Mobile homes occupied on a part-time basis during the year will remain in municipal ownership and the occupants will have their own water and electricity meters.

 

The revised 2016 opening period is quoted as 1 April to 15 November

 

http://tourisme.ouistreham-rivabella.fr/fr/hotels/camping-seasonova-riva-bella/

 

http://www.vacances-seasonova.com/les-destinations-seasonova/camping-normandie-riva-bella

 

 

Vindiboy mentions earlier that “...you can also overnight alongside the River over the bridge from the Ferry Port...”

 

It’s perhaps worth highlighting that the bridge that crosses the canal over the lock-gates has a 2-metres width limit and a kink in the centre (use StreetView with the GOOGLE map vindiboy provided). Best of luck, babes, if you decide to try taking any motorhome other than a dinky one across it!

 

If you park on the far side of the canal from Ouistreham town and want to drive to the ferry port (without using the lock-gates bridge) you’ll need to trek down to Pegasus Bridge, cross the canal there and then join the Caen-Ouistrehanm dual carriageway.

[Mike88]

The port guide for Caen is here:

 

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/guides/ports/caen

 

If you intend to catch the early morning ferry you may park in the car lanes after the last sailing of the day. I have done this and everyone sleeps in their van. You will not be alone.