Driving in France - any top tips?
- Thread starter dannyp1
- Start date
1 You will need your vehicle registration documents (V5)
2 You have to bring your full licence documents with you (ID card as well as
the paper counterpart)
3 You must carry a warning triangle
4 It is illegal to talk on a mobile phone while driving, even with a
hands-free headset
5 If you are driving a foreign registered vehicle, a sticker showing the
country of origin, must be attached to the vehicle.
6. You now need to carry a reflective vest when driving in France
7. Headlamp beam adaptors: failure to adapt your headlamps at any time, day
or night, will render your vehicle unfit for use on the road and could
invalidate your motor insurance.
8. A complete set of light bulbs: all lamps, including lenses and reflectors
must be in working order, even during daylight hours. Failure to be in a
position to replace an exterior bulb could result in temporary cessation of
your journey and/or an on-the-spot fine.
First Aid kit and fire extinguisher: The European Good Samaritan Law
requires every driver to stop and provide assistance when an accident is
encountered, providing it is safe to do so. This may require a first aid kit
and fire extinguisher and it is advisable to have these items when driving
in France but not a legal requirement.
Speed Limits (the second figure indicating the reduced speed limit in rainy
conditions)
o Motorways: 130/110 km/h (81/69 mph)
o Route nationales/departmentales (usually dual carriageway): 110/100 km/h
(69/62mph)
o Other roads: 90/80 km/h (56/50mph)
o Built-up areas/towns - 50 km/h (31mph) or as signposted
See http://www.go-to-france.co.uk/pages/Driving.htm
Bet you wish you're staying at home now eh? [
]
2 You have to bring your full licence documents with you (ID card as well as
the paper counterpart)
3 You must carry a warning triangle
4 It is illegal to talk on a mobile phone while driving, even with a
hands-free headset
5 If you are driving a foreign registered vehicle, a sticker showing the
country of origin, must be attached to the vehicle.
6. You now need to carry a reflective vest when driving in France
7. Headlamp beam adaptors: failure to adapt your headlamps at any time, day
or night, will render your vehicle unfit for use on the road and could
invalidate your motor insurance.
8. A complete set of light bulbs: all lamps, including lenses and reflectors
must be in working order, even during daylight hours. Failure to be in a
position to replace an exterior bulb could result in temporary cessation of
your journey and/or an on-the-spot fine.
First Aid kit and fire extinguisher: The European Good Samaritan Law
requires every driver to stop and provide assistance when an accident is
encountered, providing it is safe to do so. This may require a first aid kit
and fire extinguisher and it is advisable to have these items when driving
in France but not a legal requirement.
Speed Limits (the second figure indicating the reduced speed limit in rainy
conditions)
o Motorways: 130/110 km/h (81/69 mph)
o Route nationales/departmentales (usually dual carriageway): 110/100 km/h
(69/62mph)
o Other roads: 90/80 km/h (56/50mph)
o Built-up areas/towns - 50 km/h (31mph) or as signposted
See http://www.go-to-france.co.uk/pages/Driving.htm
Bet you wish you're staying at home now eh? [
]
Mercurial
New member
If it's La Rochelle will you be visiting http://www.bar-andre.com/ ? (Antidote to the hassle flagged up in Rodney's reply).
Mercurial
New member
Being timed between tolls isn't new and does happen but I've never known of anybody who's been caught out by it. I guess you'd have to be fairly tanking it to get caught and, besides, stopping for fuel should sort out your average speed.
One thing to watch for, though, is being careful about the countdown speedlimits when approaching tolls; the police do check speeds.
One thing to watch for, though, is being careful about the countdown speedlimits when approaching tolls; the police do check speeds.
The toll thing is actually that the police will laser you some time before the toll, radio ahead and arrange for you to be pulled over by their colleagues waiting at the toll.
You will get no warning, and they will often hide to zap you.
Happens a lot more during the run down to Le Mans week (and back), and will often happen close to the ports to catch the people late for the ferry.
You will get no warning, and they will often hide to zap you.
Happens a lot more during the run down to Le Mans week (and back), and will often happen close to the ports to catch the people late for the ferry.
Honestly don't worry about most of the guff I posted. Those are the rules which we looked up on a recent trip to France.
Personally I borrowed most of that stuff from a friends BMW (warning triangle, first aid kit etc), and the spare bulbs you can either keep or give back to the shop unused, or not bother.
You can get flashed by cameras but they can't send the fine back home.
You will need to carry cash in case you get stopped by the police for speeding etc
Yes we got timed between tolls so had to rest-up for a while on a lay-by.
Be careful of the French style of parking, they only know if they are in position if they hit your bumper!
But driving in France is beautiful and the roads are great.
Enjoy!
Go to the place Mercurial suggested, looks great, and is making me hungry![]
Personally I borrowed most of that stuff from a friends BMW (warning triangle, first aid kit etc), and the spare bulbs you can either keep or give back to the shop unused, or not bother.
You can get flashed by cameras but they can't send the fine back home.
You will need to carry cash in case you get stopped by the police for speeding etc
Yes we got timed between tolls so had to rest-up for a while on a lay-by.
Be careful of the French style of parking, they only know if they are in position if they hit your bumper!
But driving in France is beautiful and the roads are great.
Enjoy!
Go to the place Mercurial suggested, looks great, and is making me hungry![
]
dannyp1
New member
Yes, I have a mate who took his Ariel Atom down to Le Mans couple of weeks ago and was fined 90euros after being zapped.
Maybe just take a fist full of euro's and pay any fines. Any idea at what speed they will take the car away?
I'm not gonna Tank it, don't want to bugger up my holiday at the start, but its good the know the rules of the game, just in case i need to...... overtake or something[]
Maybe just take a fist full of euro's and pay any fines. Any idea at what speed they will take the car away?
I'm not gonna Tank it, don't want to bugger up my holiday at the start, but its good the know the rules of the game, just in case i need to...... overtake or something[
]
I know you have probably RTFM, but to change the digital display to kph:
With the ignition turned on, turn the button (marked with a clock face - to the right of the rev-counter) anticlockwise for about 5 seconds. This will set the digital speedometer, odometer, and trip counter to kilometers. Repeat the process to switch back to miles.
There are some headlight masking templates in the workshop manual. Let me know if you would liks a copy. If you have Litronics, you can set them to right-dip though.
With the ignition turned on, turn the button (marked with a clock face - to the right of the rev-counter) anticlockwise for about 5 seconds. This will set the digital speedometer, odometer, and trip counter to kilometers. Repeat the process to switch back to miles.
There are some headlight masking templates in the workshop manual. Let me know if you would liks a copy. If you have Litronics, you can set them to right-dip though.
Here you go:
I don't think it is shown in the owners manual.
I don't think it is shown in the owners manual.
Alex Postan
New member
You wouldn't say that if you'd ever broken down on a busy motorway. Triangles and hi vis vests are a life saver. Go to halfords - you only need to buy them once.
Diesel130
New member
Other snippets I've picked up over the years ... french police will enforce a short-term driving ban if you're doing over (i think) 30kph over the speed limit. If there's no other driver available, car will be taken to compound and you have to continue journey by foot, or get a relief driver. This happened to one of the evo magazine's testers last year!
Also, speed camera detectors are banned and big fine / confiscation is in order even if they find it switched off in the glovebox.
Also, speed camera detectors are banned and big fine / confiscation is in order even if they find it switched off in the glovebox.
First thing you will notice is how quiet your car is, all the road noise in the UK due to poor roads in absent. The motorways are empty compared to the UK, driving is so laid back and generally the Frogs are better disciplined and less agressive than the UK. Get your route directions from via Michelin as it tells you how much you need to pay at the tolls and also the location of all the fixed cameras on your route! I drove to Nice and back last year and hardly saw any Gendarmerie, only mobile camera was about 30K out of Calais hoping to nab those running late for a ferry.
We stayed in a posh hotel near Beaulieu sur Mer for a couple of nights and it was amazing to have the 996 washed overnight by the junior concierge guys and brought round the front the next morning for the head honcho to OK their efforts before departure. I am sure they see loads of exotic motors down there but they made us feel special. I am sure you will find some empty road to open her up and do what she was made for....have fun.
We stayed in a posh hotel near Beaulieu sur Mer for a couple of nights and it was amazing to have the 996 washed overnight by the junior concierge guys and brought round the front the next morning for the head honcho to OK their efforts before departure. I am sure they see loads of exotic motors down there but they made us feel special. I am sure you will find some empty road to open her up and do what she was made for....have fun.
Mercurial
New member
dannyp1
New member
Thanks Richard, you are a Tech Guru. However "3. Release and open the cover with control module" does not sound idiot proof to me, but i will have a poke around inside and report back.
triangles - ok, i'm sure my BMW has one. i will look it out.
Telepeage unit - can i buy one on the day? at a petrol station or in the Tunnel? i'm going on sturday, so unlikely anything can get to me in the post that quickly.
Thanks Diesel: 30kph - Lovely
triangles - ok, i'm sure my BMW has one. i will look it out.
Telepeage unit - can i buy one on the day? at a petrol station or in the Tunnel? i'm going on sturday, so unlikely anything can get to me in the post that quickly.
Thanks Diesel: 30kph - Lovely
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