Le Centre d'hébergement et d'accueil d'urgence humanitaire (CHAUH) in the French municipality of Sangatte near Calais, was a refugee camp located inside a warehouse used during the construction of Eurotunnel. It opened in September 1999 to cater for an increasing number of Kosovars fleeing the war and trying to reach the UK. Between 60 et 70’000 people, mainly coming from the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq stayed in the camp during its three years of operation. Situated 800m from the entrance to the Channel Tunnel, it was overcrowded and exasperated the French authorities. Nicolas Sarkozy, then French Minister of the Interior, ordered the closing and demolition of the camp in December 2002. I visited the place shortly thereafter.

8 Analog photographs
Digital prints mounted on aluminium, 110 x 73 cm each.
Pasquart Fotoforum, Festival of photography 2023 [→] , Biel / Bienne

Photo of the installation at Pasquart Fotoforum: Beat Schweizer [→]