Looks like there is trouble at Caen/Ouistreham again. Had some very disturbing video from a pal who does transcontinental work. I thought that the Gendarmes had got on top of the problems - obviously not :(
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It was all fine when we were there in June. The police seemed to be on top of the situation but there were a LOT of migrants, so if the numbers have increased, things might have changed. We stayed at Riva Bella overnight without any problems when we arrived on ferry at 2130.
Quote: Originally posted by happybonzo on 12/8/2018
Looks like there is trouble at Caen/Ouistreham again. Had some very disturbing video from a pal who does transcontinental work. I thought that the Gendarmes had got on top of the problems - obviously not :(
So where is the video and what is it about.
I surmize you are refering to migrants but there is no evidence of that. The scene may have looked alarming at the time to one driver.
I came back from there in July and stayed at Riva Bella overnight for the early morning ferry back to the uk. There were about two dozen migrants in the wood at the roundabout playing football. We walked past them to go to town and they didn't even cast a sideways glance and the same coming back although there were a lot less. The others seemed to be in town waiting for the chance to jump onto a lorry and that was a bit scary, not to the public, but maybe for their well being. If they fell the following lorry would have probably killed them.
The next day we had no problem going to the docks at 7am. There was a police presence on the roundabout and at two places in town. When on the docks caravans were being searched.
That is what we saw and I hope it gives a scene of why caravanners should not fear for their safety.
Admittedly, it's a year since I was at Ouistreham, and things might have got worse, but it was fine then. In September 17, we saw a few migrants wandering around, but they weren't posing a threat to anyone in cars or caravans. We didn't feel unsafe at all.
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Quote: Originally posted by happybonzo on 12/8/2018
Looks like there is trouble at Caen/Ouistreham again. Had some very disturbing video from a pal who does transcontinental work. I thought that the Gendarmes had got on top of the problems - obviously not :(
So where is the video and what is it about.
I surmize you are refering to migrants but there is no evidence of that. The scene may have looked alarming at the time to one driver.
I came back from there in July and stayed at Riva Bella overnight for the early morning ferry back to the uk. There were about two dozen migrants in the wood at the roundabout playing football. We walked past them to go to town and they didn't even cast a sideways glance and the same coming back although there were a lot less. The others seemed to be in town waiting for the chance to jump onto a lorry and that was a bit scary, not to the public, but maybe for their well being. If they fell the following lorry would have probably killed them.
The next day we had no problem going to the docks at 7am. There was a police presence on the roundabout and at two places in town. When on the docks caravans were being searched.
That is what we saw and I hope it gives a scene of why caravanners should not fear for their safety.
One video shows between 10 and 20 people trying to get into the back of a moving Lorry, as do the other 4 videos - don't know how to link the video as it was sent to me on Faceache
Quote: Originally posted by happybonzo on 12/8/2018
Quote: Originally posted by HarryB on 12/8/2018
Quote: Originally posted by happybonzo on 12/8/2018
Looks like there is trouble at Caen/Ouistreham again. Had some very disturbing video from a pal who does transcontinental work. I thought that the Gendarmes had got on top of the problems - obviously not :(
So where is the video and what is it about.
I surmize you are refering to migrants but there is no evidence of that. The scene may have looked alarming at the time to one driver.
I came back from there in July and stayed at Riva Bella overnight for the early morning ferry back to the uk. There were about two dozen migrants in the wood at the roundabout playing football. We walked past them to go to town and they didn't even cast a sideways glance and the same coming back although there were a lot less. The others seemed to be in town waiting for the chance to jump onto a lorry and that was a bit scary, not to the public, but maybe for their well being. If they fell the following lorry would have probably killed them.
The next day we had no problem going to the docks at 7am. There was a police presence on the roundabout and at two places in town. When on the docks caravans were being searched.
That is what we saw and I hope it gives a scene of why caravanners should not fear for their safety.
One video shows between 10 and 20 people trying to get into the back of a moving Lorry, as do the other 4 videos - don't know how to link the video as it was sent to me on Faceache
Post last edited on 12/08/2018 17:06:31
Yes, I saw them trying to jump lorries in the town. Lorries seemed to arrive together and speed through with horns blaring to try and put migrants off. However if stopped at a red light then they managed to get open some rear doors and pile in. When I said in my post it was scary, I was refering to the above scenario. The public strolling around and eating in restaurants were not affected in any way and neither were those on the camp site.
Lots more guys than last year hanging about from belle rive into town but gendarmes everywhere
At every light and around the petrol stations.
Same high level of checks inside van and roof box and military presence on the port
But no issues
------------- 2022
North and West wales grand tour (in T5)
Matlock (in T5)
New forest and IOW (in T5)
New Forest
La tranche sur mer
jevea (Valencia)
2023
Cotswolds
Tenby
(added a Compass Rallye to crew)
Royan
La tranche Sur Mer
2024
royan
La tranche
'Wyrd bith ful araed-Fate will out'
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I went back to the UK in January and saw an immigrant get caught lying on top of the axle of a caravan.
There is much more activity at night for obvious reasons.
Just returned from Caen/Ouistreham - we spent 5 nights in the area(3 on arrival, and 2 on return - from Vendee).
We stayed at ranville Camping Des Capucines.
We had ZERO problems - we found the area to be very relaxed - I cycled from Camping Des Capucines to the ferry port (on the Canal cycle path) daily - without incident, seeing no more than a handful of migrants (at the ferry port)
This "problem" is being blown out of all proportion - as there is none.
Life goes on as normal people.
We were going to pull over near the port earlier this week and eat lunch as we had a 4.30 sailing. There were so many young men 'lurking' around that we did not dare to stop as we had a trailer & children too.
We were checked by police, Army & Customs with a sniffer dog (people, drugs...?? no idea which one as just one dog); as were most of the people returning to England. At one point I could see 12 police officers. The Army bods all needed to wear their shades - one must look cool while wandering round the port!!
Just an update,we were informed by Brittany Ferries not to park at the port overnight for the morning ferry,they are not allowing caravans and motorbikes to park on the lanes now and there is not a deal of room round the perimeter,also there was a warning not to park in the supermarket car park as they are targeting there now,we got there 2 hrs before the ferry sailed,a large police presence and the caravan was checked twice and underneath,sounds like the people who live in Ouistreham are at the end of there rather with lorries sounding their horns all the way through town and police sirens going off,about 200 migrants now and they are getting desperate even opening car doors and hanging under caravan chassis,had a word with one of the police and he just shrugged as though to say he didn't know what the answer is to the situation.
------------- We ain't much money but we do see life!!!
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