In 2002, the refugee camp located in Sangatte was closed by the french authorities . In stead of stopping the problem, the closure of the camp deplaced the migration directly into Calais . The refugees now wander in the streets of the town, build huts in the nearby forests and industrial sites, at day time they wait on a waist ground for the food offerd by the charity’s at night they try to climb under the trucks that ship to England escaping from the French and English customs. If they fail they go back to the forest.

Calais, northern France, is a gathering point of migrants from all around the world. They can number up to 1500 at one time and most have walked for miles before reaching the harbour. Calais is the last stop before they realise their goal: England. The UK used to be a rather comfortable place for immigrants, but the migrants’ knowledge is most usually restricted to what the smugglers tell them. Most of the migrants are boys,18 years old or younger. Afghan, Eritrean, Pakistani, Palestinian… the whole world’s misery agrounds in the harbour of Calais.

The final struggle is crossing the channel. 21 miles of water separate them from England. The harbour is like a fortress, and the only way to pass is to hide in one of the thousands of trucks that will eventually board a ferry.
They are often caught. They spend the night at the police station and walk back to Calais. They try every night until it works. Meanwhile, they stay in the harbour of Calais. Since former Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy closed their shelter, the camp of Sangatte, in 2001, they have nowhere to go. So they live where they can. Each nationality has its ‘home’. Afghan people live in the forest, under polytarp and pallettes. The Eritreans squat in a building. Palestinians and Egyptians sleep on a pier in the harbour.