Sangatte Center (Centre d'hébergement et d'accueil d'urgence humanitaire, CHAUH) in the french district of Sangatte near Calais, was a refugee camp located inside a warehouse used during the construction of Eurotunnel. It was opened on September 1999 to cater for an increasing number of Kosovars fleeing war and trying to join the UK. Between 60’000 et 70’000 people of all nationalities have passed through the camp in its three years of operation. Situated 800m from the entrance to the Channel Tunnel, it was overcrowded and became a problem for the French authorities. Nicolas Sarkozy, at that time french Minister of the Interior, ordered the closing and destruction of the camp in December 2002. I’ve visited its location shortly after.

Anolog photographs 2003 - 2019