I am hoping to go to switzerland next august and use the tunnel. i used the tunnel last week and unfortunately only 3 check in booths were open and the ANPR wasnt working so even on a quiet morning in march a queue had formed. seeing the, so far unused, EES shed the thoughts of massive queues in august fill me with dread. i was therefore thiking about taking a crossing late on a friday evening when it will be quieeter rather than on a saturday morning. we took a late crossing last august but were staying in a hotel, not using our caravan for that trip.
the quaestion is, are there campsites that allow a check in at midnight?
i understand Bien Assis in Guines has a 24h reception. i have stayed at rive bella in ouistreham before and people were rocking up at all hours of the night and morning.
ideally i could just stop in a layby for a few hours but i have my family with me. what other campsites offer a late check in/early check out?
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
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Many years ago we regularly used to arrive at Calais at midnight wjth a car and caravan just as you describe. Helpful people on forums used to tell us of sites in the depths of the countryside where the owner would be in bed but would leave a note pinned to his office door to give us the code for the barrier and a pitch number - you may get the same suggestions.
But frankly the idea of finding the site, finding the note, waking all the resident dogs while we drove round a site in pitch darkness trying to find the allocated pitch just didn’t appeal. So for three Friday nights we slept in three different Calais car parks, but after that came to the conclusion that big hypermarket car parks or motorway service stations were easier answers . And they all served breakfast for us the following morning.
Then we retired and decided there were easier ways of crossing the water. Overnight in a snug cabin from Harwich to Holland would work well for your trip to Switzerland.
We usually get a late night train crossing and then find somewhere to put the legs down and sleep until we're ready to drive on. Driving to Italy, we've stopped at Aire de Rely a couple of times. From memory, it's just under an hours drive and there are a small number of caravan/moho spots heading towards the exit. We have two kids and never had a problem. It suits us.
Quote: Originally posted by lattytatty on 25/3/2026
We usually get a late night train crossing and then find somewhere to put the legs down and sleep until we're ready to drive on. Driving to Italy, we've stopped at Aire de Rely a couple of times. From memory, it's just under an hours drive and there are a small number of caravan/moho spots heading towards the exit. We have two kids and never had a problem. It suits us.
Thanks, will check out that Aire, I am actually planning to move to lake Garda after Switzerland so will be driving back via Mont blank tunnel, possibly stopping in Chamonix, then somewhere in between Chamonix and Calais. On the way to Switzerland I’m looking for a convenient mid point. Any recommendations for stop offs, Garda, como or maggiore would be appreciated. I have booked manor farm in Interlaken for Switzerland.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 18/3/2026
Many years ago we regularly used to arrive at Calais at midnight wjth a car and caravan just as you describe. Helpful people on forums used to tell us of sites in the depths of the countryside where the owner would be in bed but would leave a note pinned to his office door to give us the code for the barrier and a pitch number - you may get the same suggestions.
But frankly the idea of finding the site, finding the note, waking all the resident dogs while we drove round a site in pitch darkness trying to find the allocated pitch just didn’t appeal. So for three Friday nights we slept in three different Calais car parks, but after that came to the conclusion that big hypermarket car parks or motorway service stations were easier answers . And they all served breakfast for us the following morning.
Then we retired and decided there were easier ways of crossing the water. Overnight in a snug cabin from Harwich to Holland would work well for your trip to Switzerland.
Every year for the last 11 we have made the western crossings overnight from Plymouth or Portsmouth and returned overnight the last few holidays. I considered it to be expensive but booking the tunnel with a caravan is only a couple of hundred quid less. And I have to drive 4h to the tunnel and don’t get a nice cabin evening meal and breakfast. My wife would only consider a caravan trip this year if it wasn’t France and didn’t use the ferry.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
We always get an evening crossing and drive an hour or so down the A16 to the Aire de la Baie de Somme service station. It is probably the only service station I would sleep in and if you follow the signs to the right and behind there is a dedicated area for MH`s/Caravans with picnic tables and space for about 10 units. We normally get there at about 20.00, eat, get an early night, and then an early start the next morning.
Aire de Baie de Somme is good if you are going in that direction. If not, we do sleep in the motorway services, but only in the peage sections, maybe a misplaced sense of security.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We stay at Baie de Somme if we're heading west and aire de Rely if heading south. In case it's useful, this was our journey the two times we've been to Italy:
2018
1 night Aire de Rely
1 night Dijon
1 night Camping Les Iles Tohapi Sallanches
(Tried to do a stopover here last year, but didn't allow a 1 night booking)
14 nights Conco D'Oro, Feriolo
1 night Domaine de la Colombiere
2 nights Camping des 4 Vents, Paris
2025
1 night Camping au Bord de L'Aisne, Guignicourt
1 night Camping du Pasquier, Dole
1 night Camping Mont Blanc Ecureuil, Sallanches
14 nights Camping del Sole, Iseo
1 night Camping le Signol, Nantua
2 nights Camping de la Ferme des Hauts Frenes, Eaux-Puiseaux
1 night Saint Louis Camping, Antigues
Quote: Originally posted by lattytatty on 27/3/2026
We stay at Baie de Somme if we're heading west and aire de Rely if heading south. In case it's useful, this was our journey the two times we've been to Italy:
2018
1 night Aire de Rely
1 night Dijon
1 night Camping Les Iles Tohapi Sallanches
(Tried to do a stopover here last year, but didn't allow a 1 night booking)
14 nights Conco D'Oro, Feriolo
1 night Domaine de la Colombiere
2 nights Camping des 4 Vents, Paris
2025
1 night Camping au Bord de L'Aisne, Guignicourt
1 night Camping du Pasquier, Dole
1 night Camping Mont Blanc Ecureuil, Sallanches
14 nights Camping del Sole, Iseo
1 night Camping le Signol, Nantua
2 nights Camping de la Ferme des Hauts Frenes, Eaux-Puiseaux
1 night Saint Louis Camping, Antigues
Thanks for sharing this.
How was camping del sole on iseo? I have a customer near sarezzo, the beretta fire arms factory is in sarezzo but that isn’t my customer, anyway one September evening I took a drive over to Iseo and it was stunning, 27c at 7pm. I didn’t go south of the town of Iseo but drove through a few towns north of Iseo. I saw a few campsites but they looked very cramped. I have just booked a campsite on lake Garda in peschiera del Garda.
How did you find the campsites on sallanches? Is it close enough to Chamonix to visit?
How did you find lake maggiore? I stayed in cannanero riviera about 17 years ago while on a motorbike trip. We stayed on a hotel but ate a pizza at the campsite restaurant there.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
Iseo is beautiful and I would return in a heartbeat. We had a great holiday at Camping del Sole but I wouldn't return. The pitches are tiny. To maximise their space, our neighbours parked their camper in the middle of their pitch so when their sunshade was out it was right outside our bedroom window. There wasn't enough space for us to close our window (not able to open it to close it!). They ened up only having their shade out halfway. The roads through the pitches are more like footpaths. We had to move camping paraphernalia to give some bigger units space to get in and out of their pitches. All the pitches are at right angles to the lake, so you have to sit pretty much on the outer edge of your pitch (on the road) to be able to see any water. However, we had our kayaks and SUP, so did lots of paddling, hired a motorboat and managed to get round the lake, made good use of the ferries to visit the various villages, walked up lots of hills in the stonking heat and cycled to the Riva museum.
Salkanches was fine for a stop off, we had pizza in the town last year. The Tohapi site is a great location, we walked around the lake in the evening and marvelled at yhe every changing faces of the Mont blanc range as the sun set. However, like I mentioned, we couldn't stay for just one night this year.
Camping Mont Blanc Ecureuil was very different, totally rustic, very basic but perfectly functional for our needs. In fact, it was my daughters favourite site. It was very empty, a few tents round the other side. We were by the small lake with great views of the mountain. Randomly, there is a fancy restaurant on site which looked to get busy.
I would say you could visit Chamonix from here, it's only about a half an hour drive.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I loved the Conca d'oro campsite and would definitely return. We got a lakeside pitch so we had plenty of space and the view was stunning. The pitches on the rows behind are more cramped. Again, we made the most of the lake, the local markets, the bucket cable car and local villages. My only word of warning - wear water shoes in the lake as the seaweed gives little paper like cuts.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: places that allow late check in calais?
via mobile 25/3/2026 at 8:16pm
