The Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp

Mar 3, 2025

In 2015, a wave of migrants fleeing conflict created the Calais 'Jungle,' a harrowing camp for those desperate for a new life in the UK. Eyewitness accounts reveal the tough realities faced by up to 10,000 inhabitants amid squalid conditions. The complexities of local tensions and media portrayals are examined, alongside the efforts of officials trying to manage the crisis. As the camp faced demolition, reflections on hope, desperation, and the ongoing fight for a better future resonate deeply, highlighting the humanitarian aspect of this crisis.

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ANECDOTE

Early Migrant Encounters

In August, during peak season, Jean-Marc witnessed migrants trying to enter vehicles at the unprotected port.
He had to run to border force, urging faster controls due to the distressing scene of scared, crying people.

INSIGHT

The Jungle's Genesis

The migrant crisis escalated with the Syrian civil war and other conflicts, leading to a day centre outside Calais.
This centre, providing aid to migrants, became the nucleus of the 'Jungle' camp.

ANECDOTE

Highway Stone-Throwing

Jean-Marc, while driving on the highway near the port, experienced migrants throwing stones at his car.
He felt scared due to the inability to move and the incoming stones, highlighting the dangers.

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In 2015, Europe was in the grip of a migrant crisis, as more than one million people fled regions including the Middle East. Many set their sights on a new life in the UK. But, in order to get there, they had to cross the English Channel.

One of the most common methods was to hide aboard vehicles destined for Britain at the French port city of Calais. This led to the creation of a squalid migrant camp outside Calais, known as the "Jungle". It was populated by seven to ten thousand people at its largest.

Jean-Marc Puissesseau was head of the Port of Calais during the crisis. He speaks to Ben Henderson.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

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(Photo: Chris Patten hands over flag during Honk Kong handover ceremony. Credit: Guillaume Pinon/NurPhoto via Getty Images)