Sangatte
Encyclopedia
Sangatte is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais department on the northern coast of France
on the English Channel
.
Like many place names in French Flanders
, the name is of Flemish (Dutch) origin (Zandgat) and means "gap in the sand".
and is the location for the tunnel's French cooling station, its British counterpart being at Samphire Hoe
. In addition, it is the French end-point for the HVDC Cross-Channel
, the connection between the UK and French electricity grids.
who, on the July 25, 1909, was the first person to fly across the English Channel
. He flew from the beach at Sangatte, to the cliffs at Dover
to claim the prize offered by the Daily Mail
. The crossing took 37 minutes in his aeroplane, Blériot XI
, built in collaboration with Raymond Saulnier. It was powered by a 3 cylinder 25 hp engine.
At the western end of the beach a statue of Hubert Latham
overlooks the sea. 50.93044°N 1.7211°E Latham was another pioneering cross-channel pilot whose earlier attempt on July 19, failed.
, colloquially dubbed Sans-gate (Lit. 'without gate') (see Channel Tunnel
article for details).
Nicolas Sarkozy
, then Minister of the Interior, ordered its closure.. There were riots in 2001 and 2002. The camp was closed in 2002.
show Top Gear, the three presenters Jeremy Clarkson
, Richard Hammond
and James May
crossed the Channel
in an amphibious Nissan Hardbody and instead of finishing at Calais
after leaving Dover
, they ended up 8 kilometres (5 mi) along the coast in Sangatte.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Pas-de-Calais department on the northern coast of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
Like many place names in French Flanders
French Flanders
French Flanders is a part of the historical County of Flanders in present-day France. The region today lies in the modern-day region of Nord-Pas de Calais, the department of Nord, and roughly corresponds to the arrondissements of Lille, Douai and Dunkirk on the Belgian border.-Geography:French...
, the name is of Flemish (Dutch) origin (Zandgat) and means "gap in the sand".
Engineering
Sangatte became internationally famous because of the works for the Channel TunnelChannel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
and is the location for the tunnel's French cooling station, its British counterpart being at Samphire Hoe
Samphire Hoe
Samphire Hoe is a new part of Kent, United Kingdom, consisting of reclaimed land made from 4.9 million cubic metres of chalk marl dug to create the Channel Tunnel, deposited on the seaward side of the famous White Cliffs of Dover. It is accessible by the public via single-track tunnel controlled by...
. In addition, it is the French end-point for the HVDC Cross-Channel
HVDC Cross-Channel
The HVDC Cross-Channel is the high voltage direct current connection that operates under the English Channel between the continental European and British electricity grids.-1961 cable:...
, the connection between the UK and French electricity grids.
Pioneering Cross-Channel flight
'Blériot Plage' is named to commemorate Louis BlériotLouis Blériot
Louis Charles Joseph Blériot was a French aviator, inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft, when he crossed the English Channel. For this achievement, he received a prize of £1,000...
who, on the July 25, 1909, was the first person to fly across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. He flew from the beach at Sangatte, to the cliffs at Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
to claim the prize offered by the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
. The crossing took 37 minutes in his aeroplane, Blériot XI
Blériot XI
The Blériot XI is the aircraft in which, on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel made in a heavier-than-air aircraft . This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the early years of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in...
, built in collaboration with Raymond Saulnier. It was powered by a 3 cylinder 25 hp engine.
At the western end of the beach a statue of Hubert Latham
Hubert Latham
Arthur Charles Hubert Latham was a French aviation pioneer. He was the first person to attempt to cross the English Channel in an aeroplane...
overlooks the sea. 50.93044°N 1.7211°E Latham was another pioneering cross-channel pilot whose earlier attempt on July 19, failed.
Refugee camp
Sangatte also achieved notoriety as the location of a controversial refugee campRefugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
, colloquially dubbed Sans-gate (Lit. 'without gate') (see Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
article for details).
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, then Minister of the Interior, ordered its closure.. There were riots in 2001 and 2002. The camp was closed in 2002.
Population
| 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3309 | 3340 | 3332 | 3199 | 3326 | 4046 | 4591 |
| Census count starting in 1962: Population without duplicates | ||||||
In popular culture
In the BBC TwoBBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
show Top Gear, the three presenters Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...
and James May
James May
James Daniel May is an English television presenter, journalist and writer. He is best known for his role as co-presenter of the award-winning motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond....
crossed the Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in an amphibious Nissan Hardbody and instead of finishing at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
after leaving Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, they ended up 8 kilometres (5 mi) along the coast in Sangatte.