Ferry/Eurotunnel booking tips

[olive]

I will shortly be driving back to the UK for maybe a 3 week round trip.

Coming back will be easy to predict when I will arrive at Dover to within say half an hour. Going there will be harder unless I stay in a hotel the night before say an hour from Calais which might actually suit. If I do that anyone have any suggestions coming from Rouen direction?

How rigid are the companies on arrival in an ordinary car? i.e. if you are early or late do they just put you on the next crossing with space?

Any tips on best deals? e.g. book in advance or just turn up.

[MartinEB]

We used the channel tunnel in June last year. Stayed in Calais overnight and had booked a crossing for (I think) 10am, got to the channel tunnel earlier and had the option to use the booked crossing or select one of the two earlier crossings available. Very simple, everything is automated at a touch screen. Very efficient.

Not too sure of the procedure if you turn up late though?

[costakid]

I would be very wary of staying in Calais or within 30 minutes. The area is over run will illegal immigrants. DO NOT leave anything in your car overnight.

[MartinEB]

That might be the case now, but it certainly wasn't when we stayed there last June, we actually expected to see hoards of migrants (as publicized in the popular press) but didn't see any at all?

[costakid]

We have friends who have a house in France. The travel between the 2 on a regular basis with there pets. The have had to stop using Calais ferry port as when they stop just before the ferry to let there dogs lift there leg they have been intimidated by Illegals on quite a few occasions.
I travelled from Belgium to the Euro tunnel a few month ago and they were all over the dual carraigeway up to 25 minutes drive outside Calais.

Would be very unnerving for older or female drivers.