The Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp
Witness History3 Mar 2025

The Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp

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.

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

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