Driving in France
Discussion
Off on a road trip to France on Sunday for 3 days. We are taking the Eurotunnel then driving from Calais to Paris. Is there anything we need to ensure we have in the car while driving through France? Do we need a high vis jacket? Or breathalyser?
Also I does anybody have a link of the website that works out your route and all the associated toll road costs?
Also I does anybody have a link of the website that works out your route and all the associated toll road costs?
Hi-Vis vests will suffice,one for the driver,and one for each passenger.
Loads of info here:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/driv...
Loads of info here:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/driv...
Watch out for "priority on the right" in towns. Denoted by a yellow square sign at entry to the town. Means drivers entering from side roads on your right have priority over you even if you're on a major dual carriageway. Only applies on a minority of intersections though. Absolutely insane law.
Sam.F said:
And don't even chance speeding on the autoroute within about 100km of Calais.
The French coppers have a very French attitude to speed.As seen by the link below, they don't get keen until 50 kph over the limit
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...
Provided it's not raining, they don't seem to start ticketing until 160kph
in 130 kph limit.
Pop the cruise on 155kph and you will be fine.
dcb said:
The French coppers have a very French attitude to speed.
As seen by the link below, they don't get keen until 50 kph over the limit
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...
Provided it's not raining, they don't seem to start ticketing until 160kph
in 130 kph limit.
Pop the cruise on 155kph and you will be fine.
130 in the rain.As seen by the link below, they don't get keen until 50 kph over the limit
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...
Provided it's not raining, they don't seem to start ticketing until 160kph
in 130 kph limit.
Pop the cruise on 155kph and you will be fine.
145 otherwise (probably 150-155 indicated)
Back off 4-5km from the tolls, they like easy picking from people barreling into the slower approach zone near the tolls.
French police are lazy but fortunately predictable.
dcb said:
The French coppers have a very French attitude to speed.
As seen by the link below, they don't get keen until 50 kph over the limit
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...
Provided it's not raining, they don't seem to start ticketing until 160kph
in 130 kph limit.
Pop the cruise on 155kph and you will be fine.
Police maybe, speed cameras no. I got flashed on the motorway doing a GPS indicated 132kph a few days ago. Not that it should matter as the fines don't get to the UK (although I have a slight worry they'll stop me at Calais in a week's time and ask for money!). BUT, 2 of my friends did get done for a couple of hundred euros or so 3 years ago for doing 145kph in the wet (so 110 speed limit) on the autoroute. The general impression they got was that they would have got done for more if they weren't attractive women in fancy dress in a Porsche 993....As seen by the link below, they don't get keen until 50 kph over the limit
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.ph...
Provided it's not raining, they don't seem to start ticketing until 160kph
in 130 kph limit.
Pop the cruise on 155kph and you will be fine.
On a side note, apparently the mandatory breathalyser carrying thing has been postponed: some friends just moved to France told me this. Also, my mother lives here (near Nice) and has just confirmed she doesn't have any and no-one she knows does yet either. Not conclusive proof I'll grant you, but given that they didn't sell them on the overnight ferry to Caen and I couldn't buy them from a motorway service station we stopped at 10 mins after we got off the boat (that sold hi viz and everything else), I'm not overly concerned that I don't have any on this trip (bloody forgot them at home)
Did a France, germany, Switzerland, Italy and back trip earlier in the year.
France was boring and actually didnt feel the need to speed. Germany (black forest) and into Switzerland was incredible. Back through France 800miles in 12 hours hotel to front door was just an MPG game
Speed didn't really come into the trip but a pace on going through the valleys in Switzerland side by side with an Aston was a memory forever.
France was boring and actually didnt feel the need to speed. Germany (black forest) and into Switzerland was incredible. Back through France 800miles in 12 hours hotel to front door was just an MPG game
Speed didn't really come into the trip but a pace on going through the valleys in Switzerland side by side with an Aston was a memory forever.
Just take everything - GB sticker, headlight beam deflectors, MOT and insurance certificates, V5, high viz jackets, self test breathlysers, spare bulbs and warning triangle - and stick to the speed limits too.
What we always do, and that's the only way you can be sure you won't be forking out for a bloody good lunch for the police crew that pulls you over on the A16 just outside Calais.
What we always do, and that's the only way you can be sure you won't be forking out for a bloody good lunch for the police crew that pulls you over on the A16 just outside Calais.
Jaguar steve said:
Just take everything - GB sticker, headlight beam deflectors, MOT and insurance certificates, V5, high viz jackets, self test breathlysers, spare bulbs and warning triangle - and stick to the speed limits too.
What we always do, and that's the only way you can be sure you won't be forking out for a bloody good lunch for the police crew that pulls you over on the A16 just outside Calais.
Not bad advice. Triangle, spare bulbs, licence, passport, birth certificate (they're really interested in where you were born here for some reason) log book but you only need one high vis jacket in France and the breathalyser is not needed. You MUST disable speed camera warnings on your sat nav too. What we always do, and that's the only way you can be sure you won't be forking out for a bloody good lunch for the police crew that pulls you over on the A16 just outside Calais.
psgcarey said:
Why? I did this 5 hours ago, it was fine no jams at all.
If i were visiting Paris on business, i would use the A1 as well. However, if you're going to Paris for a break, that road is fugly and the shanty town build under the bridges isn't too clever either. Just spoils the experience IMOGrenoble said:
Back off 4-5km from the tolls, they like easy picking from people barreling into the slower approach zone near the tolls.
French police are lazy but fortunately predictable.
In years driving/riding in France that is my recommendation too.French police are lazy but fortunately predictable.
Le flick let more things slide for bikers too from my experience. I have gone through laser speed traps, and le plod just waved to signal to slow down whilst car drivers get pulled down the motorway. It helps they can't tell we are Brits until we pass
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