Hi,
has the overnight parking now been stopped on the sea front at Dover?
Where does everybody else stop when catching a very early morning ferry
Many thanks Basa
------------- Basa
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Hi, I dont have a booking yet, just looking at the options.Went by LD lines into Spain last year from Portsmouth but the prices are horrendous with BF in July (with a cabin)
Thought I would look at Dover Calais by ferry or the Tunnel
basa
If you want to park up rather than a campsite maybe Tesco at Whitfield, about 2 miles from the dock on the A2 - it's no noisier or quieter than the seafront.
If you are going for a ferry that earlier its well under 10 minutes straight down into the port.
Longfield Farm CL is also close by, doesn't have loos or showers, does have ehu. We used it 2 years ago and will do again this year. Pay on arrival and leave any time. Go past the house, NOT through the gates!
Many of us 'old hands' do what Franbee suggests and get a late evening ferry and spend the night on the French side. That way you can be up and off early. If you drive just an hour or so down the autoroute in whatever direction you are heading you will find perfectly good 'Aires' on the autoroute to spend an overnight. Aire des Deux Caps and Aire de la Baie de Somme on the A16, and the Aire near Ste Hilaire des Cottes on the A26 are all find for an overnight and have showers for morning ablutions.
To get a 6.00 am ferry you'll have to be up at 4.30, at the port for 5.00 am, then the crossing, and the hour time difference, plus disembarking and it will be 9.30 when you arrive in Calais.
If you sleep on the French side you can be up at 7.30 - grabbing as much sleep as you can, and off down the road half an hour later. You will be well down the road by the time your planned 6.00 am ferry arrives in France and much more rested.
I have tried staying at Black Horse and then getting the early ferry as well as getting the evening ferry and then staying at Aire de la Baie de Somme which is approx 60 miles from Calais. Its also a very pleasant place.
No question get the evening ferry no worries about oversleeping or last minutes haggles !!
One thing not to do is hope to find a layby nearer Dover for the night. They will be full of trucks.