Blimey, those Austrians don’t mess about, do they?!  

It's worth carrying the universal insurance document - the "Constat Amicable" - which is used by both parties to record the details of an accident. Copies can be downloaded in both French and English. Also on insurance, check your cover for driving outside the UK: some policies which are comprehensive here only provide basic cover when abroad.

It's my understanding that a GB sticker is no longer required provided your number plates have the blue "GB" patch. If not, you can get stickers for a couple of quid on e-Bay.

21 hours ago, Q102 said:

Never realised dashcams were banned in Austria & Germany

 

And I believe Switzerland and Belgium

 

All to do with their privacy laws.

Spent about 4 weeks a year in France each of the last 15 years.

 

About 12 years ago approaching a vehicle check going into Roanne they initially flagged us in but when they saw the reg number waved us past (so not targeting UK drivers?)

 

About 8 years ago on the A16 a Gendarme pulled out behind us with lights flashing about a km before the Aire du Baie du Somme (or something) and I thought it was us, pulled into the aire slip and pulled over just to watch him go past with a "Follow Me" sign in the rear window - he has pulled the car behind us, don't recall how fast the other car was going.  Having been through several times that is a regular speed check area.

 

Two years ago left Challons en Champagne at 0600 to drive to Calais, stopped just before the autoroute and breathalyzed - they were stopping everyone.  Never asked to see my breathalyzers or anything else.  There were four vans and 6-7 Gendarmes.  Happy I hadn't had wine with the meal the night before, now if I am driving the following morning I don't drink.

 

Generally stick to the limits and you won't attract attention, speed and you will.  Their penalties are draconian if you are well over the limit, including on the spot ban and seizure of car if no-one else can drive.

 

I don't believe they target UK drivers or are corrupt as many on Pistonheads believe, if they were I am sure I would have been pulled by now.  I have seen, been passed by may Gendarmes, Police Municipale and CRS (yes three police forces) and none has shown any interst but I stick to within a few KM of the speed limit on the speedo so true will generally be low.   In the past I have passed fixed cameras at over the limit and been photographed but nothing ever happened, now I don't take the chance.

 

To Dos

• Take copies of driving licences, passports, insurance certificates , V5 or if leased the permission to take car abroad, as well as the originals
• Carry Hi-Viz vests (inside the car) and warning triangle
• Don't believe the sat nav speed limits - frequently wrong
• Keep a spare pair of spectacles in the car for any driver who needs them (I believe it is mandatory in Germany)
• If you want to carry breathalyzers you will get them in the motoring section of the big supermarkets for a euro each.
• Remember the drink drive limit is lower than the UK.
• Look out for the yellow diamond with a black line through it.
• Don't assume they will move over to let you join a dual carriageway, it is your responsibility to filter in, not theirs to make space.  I moved over to let someone in one day and the car behind closed the gap before he could!
• There is no "margin for enforcement" on speed limits, if stopped at 51 in a 50 you will get a ticket and points on your shadow French licence, there are many non-eforcement monitors around here which show your speed as you approach with a smiley face - they also tell you how many points if you are over the limit. 
• Relax and enjoy yourself.

6 minutes ago, IJWS15 said:

Look out for the yellow diamond with a black line through it.

 

What does this mean?

IJWS!5, 

& remember the Drink Drive limit is the UK is not all the same,

  Scotland having a lower limit, and also different speed limits for vehicles classes from other parts of the UK.

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30329743 

Edited 3 July, 20187 yr by Offski

Ha! It's a mine field out there!  

 

Safest bet: don't drink and drive. It is possible to enjoy a very nice meal with sparkling water. Well, works for me...

 

My brother-in-law was stationed in Ferrara, Italy for several months. He said "everyone" drinks and drives. But, he said, if you get in an accident and are over the limit, you go straight to jail.

Speed camera's, it costs more to reclaim the fine through the reciprocal system than the value of the fine, so it is not done. I have a chum here in finistere who is a retired Sargeant of the Gendarmerie, he explained that normally Uk regd cars are waved thro' because of the language probs, the Brits think everyone have or should have a command of english

Whilst doing my deep interior clean of the car a few weeks ago I found the twin pack of disposable breathalysers I kept for driving in France. They were well out of date, so opened up the packet and a voucher for money off Virgin Wines fell out.... 

Nice cross-sell, but I'll bet the voucher's out of date, too.  

The French have some crazy rules but priorité à droité is the worst. Seemingly random in application and observance. Stupid system.

On 6/29/2018 at 18:28, ukomegan said:

Be careful, a lot of what we class in the UK as dual carriageway is 90 (80 from Sunday) 

 

I'll have to keep an eye out for that then, everywhere I've read said dual carriageways were 110kph.

 

On 7/2/2018 at 10:23, Q102 said:

Never realised dashcams were banned in Austria & Germany

 

They're alright in Germany. 

 

Interesting thread, I've done lots of Euro trips but most of the time I only do France as far as Veurne, this time I will be going to Spain so doing the full length of it. I've read lots saying the french target us but I suspect if you behave you'll be alright. The trip to Italy I just sat at 130kph the whole time but it was motorway. I wanna avoid Paris so I think I'm gonna end up using some non motorway routes. 

36 minutes ago, XLBaconDoubleCheese said:

I've done lots of Euro trips but most of the time I only do France as far as Veurne, this time I will be going to Spain so doing the full length of it. I've read lots saying the french target us but I suspect if you behave you'll be alright.

I've driven on holiday in France every year since 2005 (including the Rhone valley and the Mediterranean coast) many of those times in what might be considered a "target" car for the Gendarmes (the UK police certainly "took an interest" on several occasions) but never been hassled at all - we stick to the speed limits (remembering to slow down when it's raining) and try to keep a low profile.

1 hour ago, XLBaconDoubleCheese said:

 

Interesting thread, I've done lots of Euro trips but most of the time I only do France as far as Veurne, this time I will be going to Spain so doing the full length of it. I've read lots saying the french target us but I suspect if you behave you'll be alright. The trip to Italy I just sat at 130kph the whole time but it was motorway. I wanna avoid Paris so I think I'm gonna end up using some non motorway routes. 

Was based in Gib for 30 months, drove home most leave periods. In 40, 000 miles of driving in both countries I never had any issues with the Gendarmes, Policia Locale or Guardian Civil - apart from crossing into/out off Gib. 

 

Not sure what route you're taking from France to Spain (Irun?) , but in all the time travelling to and from home I never went any where near Paris. You see it displayed on the Distance To boards when travelling up and down the west coast. 

 

Travelling down the spine of Spain to Malaga will take you through Madrid. That can be tricky, especially the parts that are underground.

 

The frequency of service stations are greater in Spain than France, every 10 or 15km or so. 

 

Enjoy. 

16 hours ago, SWBoy said:

we stick to the speed limits (remembering to slow down when it's raining)

That rule never made any sense to me: I've driven in rain heavy enough to need wipers but visibility remained over a mile and the road stayed dry, and in rain free conditions when the road was soaked and wipers were needed to deal with spray.

18 hours ago, juux said:

The French have some crazy rules but priorité à droité is the worst. Seemingly random in application and observance. Stupid system.

I'm surprised the EU hasn't standardised traffic rules and regulations across the member countries.  You'd think it'd make the roads safer if you didn't have to remember changes every time you cross a border.  For instance, from Luxembourg, you've got 4 countries nearby that all have different speed limits and other anomalies, such as the French one you mention above.

 

Probably the main sticking point would be speed limits though.  Germany would never accept a blanket speed limit on the autobahns and the other member countries would not accept removing blanket speed limits on their motorways.

IJWS15: In your list of helpful tips you included " There is no "margin for enforcement" on speed limits, if stopped at 51 in a 50 you will get a ticket and points on your shadow French licence, there are many non-eforcement monitors around here which show your speed as you approach with a smiley face - they also tell you how many points if you are over the limit. "

A few years back the head of traffic enforcement (can't recall the exact title) was asked about this on the main news programme. He said they allowed 10% over plus 1 km/h. That works out at 144 km/h on the autoroute or 90 mph.

Do you know if this has changed or is the policy different depending on the type of road?

 

The only time I was stopped in over 30 years of regular motoring in France, the police were totally professional and easy to deal with. I was caught doing nearly 90 in a tunnel with a 70 limit and a couple of bike police pulled me over. We ended up having a friendly chat, mainly about rugby, to the point where I thought I might be let off. Then they said they had better do the paperwork......cost me €80.

22 hours ago, Fin69 said:

Was based in Gib for 30 months, drove home most leave periods. In 40, 000 miles of driving in both countries I never had any issues with the Gendarmes, Policia Locale or Guardian Civil - apart from crossing into/out off Gib. 

 

Not sure what route you're taking from France to Spain (Irun?) , but in all the time travelling to and from home I never went any where near Paris. You see it displayed on the Distance To boards when travelling up and down the west coast. 

 

Travelling down the spine of Spain to Malaga will take you through Madrid. That can be tricky, especially the parts that are underground.

 

The frequency of service stations are greater in Spain than France, every 10 or 15km or so. 

 

Enjoy. 

 

I'm stopping at a mates place just south of Alicante. Google maps says down the A1 to Paris then A71/A75 down to Spain. Now driving to Italy Google maps saved me lots of time, was super accurate and was very efficient but I really dont think Paris is a good idea. I'd rather spend an extra hour on the road and avoid it I think. 

6 minutes ago, XLBaconDoubleCheese said:

I'm stopping at a mates place just south of Alicante. Google maps says down the A1 to Paris then A71/A75 down to Spain. Now driving to Italy Google maps saved me lots of time, was super accurate and was very efficient but I really dont think Paris is a good idea. I'd rather spend an extra hour on the road and avoid it I think. 

The problem area when avoiding Paris on the Western side is Rouen where the autoroutes have a big hole and Rouen is a car park (think M25 and some).

 

What I normally do is stay on the A29 past Rouen to junction 9 then head South via D929, D6015, D131E, D131 and D490 crossing the River Seine on the Pont de Brotonne (D490) before joining the A13/A28 near Bourg-Achard.

Nor sure if this route will be of any benefit to you - see attached. 

 

I always put in Le Mans and that takes you away from Paris, and takes you into Bordeaux, and cross at Irun. I used that route when visiting friends in Javea which is near Alicante.

 

On Roadtrips, rather than going to and from leave, we would have regular 48 hour stop offs, for sight seeing and so on, so I wasn't really in a rush or care about the distance travelled. 

 

Your criteria may be very different. 

3 hours ago, SWBoy said:

The problem area when avoiding Paris on the Western side is Rouen where the autoroutes have a big hole and Rouen is a car park (think M25 and some).

 

What I normally do is stay on the A29 past Rouen to junction 9 then head South via D929, D6015, D131E, D131 and D490 crossing the River Seine on the Pont de Brotonne (D490) before joining the A13/A28 near Bourg-Achard.

 

3 hours ago, Fin69 said:

Nor sure if this route will be of any benefit to you - see attached. 

 

I always put in Le Mans and that takes you away from Paris, and takes you into Bordeaux, and cross at Irun. I used that route when visiting friends in Javea which is near Alicante.

 

On Roadtrips, rather than going to and from leave, we would have regular 48 hour stop offs, for sight seeing and so on, so I wasn't really in a rush or care about the distance travelled. 

 

Your criteria may be very different. 

 

Hummmm, I might have dropped a clanger then  I booked an overnight stop at Bourges & a second night in north east Spain. I'm spreading the drive over 3 days so we have plenty of time (in comparison to our 2 day drive to Naples at least!) for taking longer routes. Train arrives in Calais at 11am, so even if we take 7 hours we still have enough time for dinner and a few hours downtime. 

 

The other option is to go east of Paris, A26 to Reims then down to Troyes and west over to Sens. 

Edited 4 July, 20187 yr by XLBaconDoubleCheese

Rouen is a nice stop. We spent a couple nights there in a hotel next to the cathedral. Eat in Restaurant Phillippe.

 

Bordeaux is another excellent place to stay over a few nights. I think to sit outside a restaurant or cafe/bar you must smoke.

 

We've pretty much exhausted our first stop towns. Next trip it will be Beaune on our way to Italy.

12 hours ago, freelunch said:

I think to sit outside a restaurant or cafe/bar you must smoke.

That's not my experience as a lifelong non-smoker, but you must expect others to smoke.

Yeah, I was being facetious. My point is, unless you're sitting upwind from the smokers, you might as well be smoking. So, on a lovely day, it can be more pleasant to sit inside.