Somewhere to put the head down - near Calais - not an official campsite though

[sandrider]

Just looking for info on a safe place to put my head down outside Calais, I will be arriving on the Chunnel train to Calais about 10 o clock at night and I hope to put 20/30 km between Calais and a rest area where I can get a few hours kip not going to be pitching a tent just a kip mat and sleeping bag for about 4/5 hours. The same spot will be used for the return trip only this time I am getting the Chunnel train at 04.20am.

 

[Wapping]

In which direction are you heading from / to Calais? As that might dictate which hedge, ditch, bus shelter, wood, graveyard, apple orchard or motorway air, bods direct you to.

If within 30 klicks of Calais, do take a bit of care. Whilst it’s easy to see monsters behind every hedge and wall, the area is not entirely devoid of migrants. The French police have closed a couple of the motorway airs for exactly that reason.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

I’d be booking into a hotel at La Coquelles which is 5 minutes from the tunnel at Calais and has a secure car park. There’s a range of hotels with a range of prices and it beats riding 30 minutes then starting to worry about where to get my head down.

 

[Wapping]

We need a ‘Tell us yer bus shelter’ sub-section.

 

[Arsey]

For when a F1 hotel is just too pricey….

 

[gspod]

Wissant is a nice, small, seaside town 20 odd Kilometres south of Calais along the coast road D940. There is a camping car aire.

 

[EVskij]

The budget must be well tight. Shorter than a shoe string, for not even erecting (having got?) a tent.

 

[Wapping]

Licques is a nice town, 20 km from Calais.

It has an ornamental roundabout you can bivvy in. Be sure though to use appropriate camo, as your desert nomad might stand out a bit. I’d recommend a stop off at local cemetery, to steal some flowers. The occupant of the grave won’t tell anyone.

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Probably the safest place is the car park for the hotels at La Coquelles and you can sneak in for a coffee before setting off in the morning

 

[Wapping]

There are lots of abandoned WW2 structures in the Pas de Calais region. Solidly built if now a touch smelling of stale urine (human or otherwise). Rub some Vick under your nose and settle in out of the elements. Those slave labourers will not have toiled for nothing.

 

[Jazbee]

We always stay in Dunkirk (about 30 mins from Calais), a few good and cheap travelodge type places (we've used the IBIS and the Quality Hotel), good museum on the evacuation, good restaurants and nice walk around the port

 

[Arsey]

Licques is a nice town,.

View attachment 321442

Takes all sorts

 

[Wapping]

We always stay in Dunkirk, a few good and cheap travelodge type places (we've used the IBIS and the Quality Hotel), good museum on the evacuation, good restaurants and nice walk around the port

Great but maybe useless if the fellow wants to be heading from the Chunnel towards Boulogne or indeed, anywhere but Dunkirk. His direction of travel he’s kept a tactical secret.

Anyway, hotels (irrespective of price) are out. It’s a night under the stars or behind the bins that calls.

 

[Oldrat]

Lots of motorhome bids use this place to lay up.
Gravelines

I’ve stopped there several times, very quiet, plenty of motorhomes there and never seen any waifs or strays.

 

[Wapping]

Lots of motorhome bids use this place to lay up.
Gravelines

I’ve stopped there several times, very quiet, plenty of motorhomes there and never seen any waifs or strays.

They even provide the makings of a modest shelter..

 

[leadfarmer]

Look for a scabby looking van in a layby with an African lady in the cab

They've got a matress in the back

 

[Wapping]

Look for a scabby looking van in a layby with an African lady in the cab

They've got a matress in the back

This dreadful stereotyping of woman from the former African colonies of France is an outrage. It has no place on a modern, forward looking forum, such as UKGser. I am appalled and will demand a moderator deletes it.

 

[Wapping]

To give the OP a clue as to the area he is asking for locations over, this is a circle with a 30 km radius of Calais:




Even excluding the blue bit, it’s quite significant. He might well be advised to narrow it down a bit or we’ll be here all day.

For those with a memory longer than yesterday’s TellyTubbies on CBBC, Watten on the 30km border at roughly 4 o’clock was where the boatload of illegal migrants capsized, drowning several including the girl of nine. It’s a long way from the sea.

 

[DevonAl]

Lots of motorhome bids use this place to lay up.
Gravelines

I’ve stopped there several times, very quiet, plenty of motorhomes there and never seen any waifs or strays.

Lots of grass & plenty of motorhome to slide a Kip mat under if it rains.

Al.

 

[EVskij]

To give the OP a clue as to the area he is asking for locations over, this is a circle with a 30 km radius of Calais:

View attachment 321464

Aha. But think of how many scabby looking vans with an African looking Madame inside would OP get to choose from.

For those with a memory longer than yesterday’s TellyTubbies on CBBC, Watten on the 30km border at roughly 4 o’clock was where the boatload of illegal migrants capsized, drowning several including the girl of nine. It’s a long way from the sea.

What were they doing over there?! The “big blue” ditch located at 7:30-14:30. Did they have their map upside down I wonder?