Driving in France

[Shorty76]

Anyone driven in France? We're taking our 18 plate over to Disney in a couple of weeks and I've read you need headlight beam reflectors, they're basically stickers you attach to the top of your lights, does anyone know if I'll need them with the LED self leveling lights?

I'm also unsure if I need a clean air sticker so any info on those would be great, it's the vrs diesel. 

 

Cheers

[MarkyG82]

It depends on your headlight beam pattern.  If flat then not needed.  If never driving in the dark........

I would advise on a GB sticker if not on the number plate and you will also need some personal breathalisers and high vis vests for all on board. 

The last two you will not get away with if stopped.

[TimmyB]

I've taken my Octavia to France a couple of times. The lights on the VRS can be adjusted through the menu system for right or left side driving, there's no need for reflectors.

Crit'Air sticker is only for certain areas of France, but Paris is one of them. For €3.62 it's worth buying one just in case you want to go into a Crit'Air zone. https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en

 

I also found it very useful to set my digital speed display to KPH.

[wg100]

I'm pretty sure that if you have full LED headlights you can set them to drive on the "wrong" side of the road via the settings menu?

Edited 16 May, 2019 by wg100

[wg100]

8 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

It depends on your headlight beam pattern.  If flat then not needed.  If never driving in the dark........

I would advise on a GB sticker if not on the number plate and you will also need some personal breathalisers and high vis vests for all on board. 

The last two you will not get away with if stopped.

The high vis, definitely. The breathalysers I wouldn't bother with. In January 2013 – the French government officially said that the introduction of a fine for not having an unused breathalyzer with you (which was to be €11) has been postponed indefinitely.

[Frenchtone]

Yeap live a la frog and agree breath testers not required, don't think jonny gendarme would stop a uk regd car, the language problem would raise its ugly head!!

[WayTooTall]

For convenience you may want to get a tag for the Toll Roads, so you can just drive through. Remember that if paying by cash or card, the machine will be on the wrong side of the car.

https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk

[Stoofa]

I'm sure someone will come along and confirm in a minute - I'm sure it was said that latest setup, the car knows it's in France and will self-adjust the lights?

I'm on an LED Light & Columbus Sat-Nav and I'm sure somebody said I could just "drive where I liked" and the lights would sort themselves.

[vRSWitter]

Lights can be done via car settings menu so no stickers required and watch out for speed cameras, they are everywhere, and if you've not been before they look a lot different than UK ones 

[Shorty76]

Thanks everyone that's very helpful.

We've got everything apart from the clean air sticker already but I just didn't fancy putting stickers on my headlight so I'll definitely look at the menu.

 

[SurreyJohn]

Did a very similar journey in France In February  (To near Coulommiers which is about 20km East of Disney)

 

Everything already said is correct, the breathalyser is possibly suspended

LED headlights often don't need adjustment (probably wont need main beam anyway)

For a one off journey, just pay cash for motorway tolls, much simpler than registering

Crit Air is only needed if going into Paris (and some other cities), not needed for Chessy area

Keep Hi Vis in the car (in the boot is not acceptable)

Take the Car Registration document (V5), and copy of motor insurance

 

Unless stopped or involved in accident, these won't actually be used.

 

There is a current speed limit reduction on A1 motorway (at certain times for environmental reasons), if it applies with be shown on gantry signs, from memory was 110 instead of 130km/h

 

A1 motorway is busy will lots of trucks, an alternative, although further is using A26 to Riems then A4 which is often quiet

The A104 North to East Paris outer ring is horribly congested for much of the day, middle part is only 2 lanes and it gets hideous start-stop traffic jams, first part after passing Charles De Gaulle Airport is ok, but seriously consider leaving A104 then either taking N2 and D212, or the N3 towards Meaux, can then approach Disney via the D27, D5, D934

 

One final thing, in France, most fuel is pay at pump in advance of dispensing, often unmanned so you need to use a card, pumps usually have 4 or 5 hoses, if it says E90 it is 10% ethanol, E95 is 5%  ethanol etc

 

[classic]

Took our Octavia right down to the South of France near Cannes. Agree with everything already said, particularly the tolls, it was easy enough to pay at the booth.

As said, change from miles to km in the car settings menu and the digital speed display of the mfd will show km for your speed.

Only thing that caught me out was driving through a town, I stopped at a pedestrian crossing for someone waiting to cross and nearly got rear ended by the car behind !! Lots of horn blowing went on and the guy wouldn’t set foot on the crossing until I’d driven off. I guess cars have priority !

Edited 16 May, 2019 by classic

[J.R.]

They dont but pedestrians know that nobody stops and are fearfull of their lives and the vehicles behind you contain ignorant muppets. I have had the self same people stop, get out and threaten me for walking across the crossing making them stop, the main use for passage piétons is parking for the Tabacs 

 

If you stopped at what appeared to be a pedestrian crossing as part of an interchange with traffic lights then the cars behind were right to klaxon you, the pedestrian would have needed to push the button to turn the lights red and again for an unfathomable reason they never want to press it!

 

Even after 15 years I am uncomfortable driving through lights that have the stripes across the road when people are standing beside it.

[PetrolDave]

I've driven on holiday in France most years since 2006 so here are my thoughts/comments...

 

Only Octavias with Halogen headlights (like mine) need beam deflectors stuck on the headlights.

 

While we remain an EU member the blue UK section on number plates is sufficient, but if/when we leave the EU separate UK badges will be legally required.

 

The CritAir sticker is only needed if you are going to drive in or through one of the towns currently implementing the system (Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Paris, Strasbourg & Toulouse).

 

The Emovis toll tag is a great time saver as the queues at the toll booths where you pay with cash can be very long, I wouldn't travel to France without one.

 

Hi-vis vests must be in the vehicle for EVERY occupant.

 

To avoid "discussions" with Gendarmes I always carry 2 breathalysers.

 

Remember that speed limits on autoroutes are lower when it is raining...

 

Prioite a droite still exists in many places - there's a junction near a pedestrian crossing on the riverside in Amboise that can be particularly confusing!

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

Not wishing to be argumentative the following has been my experience on the ground for 15 years in France, not suggesting that anyone should take a risk and if it makes you feel more secure and will enjoy your holiday in France by all means go ahead but having a law is enough in France, 99.99999% of people will obey/respect it (whilst moaning about it) so enforcement is not a priority, I have rarey been stopped whether on UK plates or otherwise and never asked for the following "must haves"

 

Only Octavias with Halogen headlights (like mine) need beam deflectors stuck on the headlights.

Agreed  but they reduce the beam to a weak puddle on the ground so masking the kick up is more desirable if it can be done

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

While we remain an EU member the blue UK section on number plates is sufficient, but if/when we leave the EU separate UK badges will be legally required.

Never ever been a problem in 40 years of driving here in UK reg'd vehicles

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

The CritAir sticker is only needed if you are going to drive in or through one of the towns currently implementing the system (Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Paris, Strasbourg & Toulouse).

Correct but in fact all it does is tell them what emissions level your vehicle is and whether you should be there on that day, if they are patrolling and if they are mindfull to stop vehicles, effectively you are saying "here I am, come and fine me!" its not like London where its all done by ANPR, they physically have to stop vehicles and its only on declared high pollution days, I have never seen or heard of anybody being fined but just the threat is enough to ensure 99.999% compliance, i live here, drive through Paris and Lille and dont have a Crit-air sticker.

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

The Emovis toll tag is a great time saver as the queues at the toll booths where you pay with cash can be very long, I wouldn't travel to France without one.

Agreed but I've never had one in all these years and most of you on holiday will have a passenger to operate the pay machines, never had a queue for a toll in all this time but during the mad rush for les grande vacances there will be further south.

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

 

Hi-vis vests must be in the vehicle for EVERY occupant.

No-one is ever going to ask or check believe me, people used them on their dashboards in the early days of the gilet jaune blocages but now nobody sympathises with them. Even the gendarmes dont carry a full set and would never wear one even when diverting traffic on the autoroute.

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

To avoid "discussions" with Gendarmes I always carry 2 breathalysers.

Absolutely unecessary, you will never have a discussion, the law was effectively revoked by reducing the fine to zero, it was just a way to keep people happy by giving them another hoop to jump through and to make money for the people lobbying them exactly like the gilet jaune law.

 

1 hour ago, PetrolDave said:

 

Prioite a droite still exists in many places - there's a junction near a pedestrian crossing on the riverside in Amboise that can be particularly confusing!

It exists everywhere in France, it is the default in the absence of any other signal, it is by far the most important thing to know, understand and remember apart from driving on the right, it will save your life.

[Swirly182]

We went to Disney in March. Effortless drive in the 245 estate. 

 

Make sure you have the setting checked which turns the lights on automatically in the rain. 

[TheWanderer]

8 hours ago, vRSWitter said:

Lights can be done via car settings menu so no stickers required and watch out for speed cameras, they are everywhere, and if you've not been before they look a lot different than UK ones 

 

You should be aware that it's illegal for you to install the speed camera locations in a sat nav, however it's not illegal to install them as "danger zones". 

 

Also speed cameras out there are generally plain matt grey in colour and sometimes have yellow & black hazard tape around the edges of them, you also do generally get plenty of notice prior to the camera location. 

 

Best bet is to use the cruise control and set up the speedo or maxidot to kmh in advance (before you get off the ferry or shuttle. 

[olduns]

radar detectors also a no-no

spare glasses if needed for driving

spare car key in someone else's pocket/bag

80km/h speed limit on most single carriageway roads unless posted otherwise

dont play 'roulette' with the Cruise Control, tolerances are very low in France as regards the over the limit readings, none of the UK's 10% and x amount allowed nonsense

 

18 minutes ago, TheWanderer said:

 

 

 

Also speed cameras out there are generally plain matt grey in colour and sometimes have yellow & black hazard tape around the edges of them, you also do generally get plenty of notice prior to the camera location. 

 

 

you'll know when its there as you get overtaken by a French car who suddenly hits the brakes

 

most importantly....enjoy it 

[PetrolDave]

4 hours ago, J.R. said:

Never ever been a problem in 40 years of driving here in UK reg'd vehicles

Maybe that's because the UK has been a member of the EU for more than 40 years?

[TheWanderer]

I like driving over in France and Belgium, the roads are like billiard tables in a lot of cases. 

 

The only fly in the ointment is the thing known as HM Border Force, some of whom seem to be on ego/power trips. 

[dunc69]

3 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Maybe that's because the UK has been a member of the EU for more than 40 years?

 

Have had a place over there for 17 years. Go over once or twice a year. Emovis tag is a handy tool for the tolls. 

 

But, I wouldn’t get over worked up about all the kit needed.  

 

Never had any issues with the French police. 

Just obey the speed limit and enjoy the smooth  roads.

 

Have a great trip! 

[J.R.]

14 hours ago, TheWanderer said:

I like driving over in France and Belgium, the roads are like billiard tables in a lot of cases. 

 

The only fly in the ointment is the thing known as HM Border Force, some of whom seem to be on ego/power trips. 

 

Funny that you should say that, in hundreds of journeys I have never had anything but politeness, I am always respectfull myself but a couple of weeks ago I had a complete ar5ehole interrupt the guy dealing with me and launch into an aggressive and patronising tirade, after a while I simply said that I could see no point in continuing with the conversation, he could continue, I would listen to what he had to say but would not be responding any further, when I left i told the other guy that he had my sympathies.

 

just a tiny example "where have you travelled from sir?" my response "La Somme" but of course he was not listening and he interrupted the reply with the next rapid fire question as they do (I get that, I know why they do it and accept it now) later on after I had taken issue with his comportment and aggression he said "I am not the one who is tired after driving 22 hours without a break"

 

My crime was not seeing that there was a box painted on the road in yellow lines and I had pulled up behind the vehicle in front, clearly a real issue for the Border Force.

 

My journey from where I live was 90 minutes.

 

On my return the officers were as professional as always.

[Danbury_Collins]

On 16/05/2019 at 11:31, Stoofa said:

LED Light & Columbus Sat-Nav and I'm sure somebody said I could just "drive where I liked" and the lights would sort themselves.

 

 

That's true with my 2014 LED/Columbus equipped car - as soon as I exit the ferry, a notification pops up saying the lights have been adjusted.

[Danbury_Collins]

14 hours ago, TheWanderer said:

The only fly in the ointment is the thing known as HM Border Force, some of whom seem to be on ego/power trips. 

 

I travel 3 times a year, and have never had anything other than professional behaviour from them, and I always get searched* when leaving the UK.

 

 

* not very well