This research contributes to understanding the passage, and more broadly the condition of illegal immigrants (called " clandestins " in French). The proliferation of emigrant squats at the European borders, and also within Europe, for the last twenty years indicates the changing relations with foreigners in the European societies. In this process, the immigrants tend to be stereotyped as " illegal " and their living conditions are extremely insecure. In France, along the Channel coast, most of them live in shelters and receive support and emergency assistance from humanitarian organizations. The display of security measures and the police force by the French state since the late 1990s has succeeded in keeping the emigrants at the margins leading to many debates in the French society. This makes it an interesting research topic for social geographers to explore and witness the issues involving migrants and to contribute to the understanding of what has emerged as a major social issue. This thesis proposes to study the current geography of the " clandestin " issues highlighting the spatial dimensions of social relationships between emigrants and society. This research is drawn on an inductive approach and is based on fieldwork conducted in Cherbourg and its surroundings. The qualitative method includes a participant observation as a volunteer for the association Itinérance in Cherbourg and the use of photographs. The reflections are based on comparing harbour cities located on the Channel (Dieppe, Calais, Dunkerque) and a few places in Northern France (St Omer, Norrent-Fontes, Angres, Steenvoorde).
