Calais yesterday

[meriad]

The police presence in Calais yesterday was quite something else... After the issues a few months back with a lot of the migrants in Calais breaking into the ferry port to get into cars / trucks, I knew they'd built a huge perimeter fence; but I didn't quite realise that that fence would go back about 2 miles along the motor way leading to the port. And the approximate 2 mile area before the fence starts is patrolled by fully armed police who have riot gear clipped to their belt. There must have been about 10 police vans along that stretch, and the gaps between vans were patrolled by paired police, with the gaps getting smaller as you get closer to the port ....

Can't remember when last I went - it is a while back - but since then there is also a camp that has sprung up on the left as you come out the port. It seems to be an organised one though as most of the tents are uniform and spaced neatly in rows... but wow; what a difference a few months has made; and sadly not in a good way

It's an ongoing problem that seemingly has no answer, does it

[saundra]

It's years since we went on the ferry to France glad you got there and back ok
It's a frightening situation they won't I don't think will ever be resolved
Used to like folkstone to bologne as well on the seacat

[Suff]

It's needed. #1 son just got off the ferry week before last (6 cars off) and they had to let them out via a side gate into Calais town. All because a thousand or more illegals were trying to storm the ferry.

Didn't hear about that in the press did you????

I noticed, three weeks ago, that the new fencing at the train (tall, strong and Y shaped at the top with razor wire on top), seemed to be wired to the mains. No immigrants anywhere near it and I went out on the first train out of Brussels.

It seems they have protected the tunnel sufficiently enough that the illegals were trying the port as a soft option.

It is a low grade war. Why the French do not just lift them and move them (as they have done around Dunkirk), I have no idea. Unless it is for the millions that the UK is paying to bolster their defences and police???

[molly]

We were in France about three weeks ago, using the the tunnel. On our way home we were about 50 or 60 miles from the port and we passed about 40 police wagons, the type that transport policemen about, all heading towards Calais. When we got very close we only spotted two imigrants who were wandering along the motorway. One of them was giving big waves to the police car that was passing him!! This was on the route to the tunnel though, not the ferry. I was not looking forward to the trip back but it was ok.

It is a bit scary, wondering what you are going to be faced with when you get there but so far we have had no problems.

Friends of ours were having the usual checks at the tunnel last year when leaving France and an immigrant was found hanging on under their camper van.

It is a dreadful situation and I do wonder how they are ever going to get it under control.

[Suff]

We use Caen or St Malo usually. Sometimes Le Havre. Brittany Ferries is pretty expensive but we prefer to take that route. Only when doing a lot of returns with the car will Mrs S use Calais. Partly because it's a 7 hour journey there and partly because of the trouble.

I use it when travelling from Brussels because I can get the bike over and back on the same day for £24 and it's only 1:30h from Brussels. I've never seen an issue when travelling by bike though. Bit hard for an illegal to get on my bike without me noticing...

[Kaz]

It is scary, like being under siege

[Workingman]

I hope it did not spoil your day, Ria.

I remember the days, about 2007 last time, when we would drive into Calais Port to get the 1am or 2am ferry to Dover. There would be nobody in the passport kiosk so we would drive on to the SeaFrance check-in; nobody there either. We would then follow the SF signs to the holding area in the hope of finding someone to direct us to the correct lines. Sometimes it wasn't till we got to Dover before we were checked, and often then it was a wave through. The whole thing was a joke.

[Ally]

Gosh Ria..things have changed then.

Hope you still had a good day though. x

[saundra]

I remember going to Switzerland by coach via Dover
Custom fella got on shouted is everybody English we all shouted yes
And that was it never any checks
In fact it was a total wast of time having a passport

[Ally]

I remember going to Switzerland by coach via Dover
Custom fella got on shouted is everybody English we all shouted yes
And that was it never any checks
In fact it was a total wast of time having a passport

This reminds me of when Don and I flew to Gambia in 1989.

On landing at Banjul airport and coming out to what was basically a car park, the police in attendance asked us if we were carrying any drugs.

We weren't so said no...our cases were then duly marked with a chalk cross. And no one looked at our passports.