Current "safe" speed(ing) limit on French autoroute?
Discussion
Johnniem said:
myvision said:
Speed 3 said:
I'm considering one of these too. We only travel once a year to the Alps these days but the queue saving alone would be worth it. There is a note on the website that International postage is €10 so I assume you can get them posted outside of France ?
Yes they will post to your home address outside of France had mine now for four years.First barrier every year is a 'will it won't it' moment.
There is a bit on the website that tells you if the battery is still good or not i think the battery life is seven years or thereabouts.
Drove through the Colmar region up to Calais last week from Italy, didn't notice any speed cameras...but, I did notice alot of unmarked "poverty spec" Police Renault Meganes with the speed guns pointing at us...
130kph on the cruise is pretty brisk progress I think, speed cameras in Switzerland are the cheeky ones I think.
130kph on the cruise is pretty brisk progress I think, speed cameras in Switzerland are the cheeky ones I think.
Speed 3 said:
Johnniem said:
myvision said:
Speed 3 said:
I'm considering one of these too. We only travel once a year to the Alps these days but the queue saving alone would be worth it. There is a note on the website that International postage is €10 so I assume you can get them posted outside of France ?
Yes they will post to your home address outside of France had mine now for four years.First barrier every year is a 'will it won't it' moment.
There is a bit on the website that tells you if the battery is still good or not i think the battery life is seven years or thereabouts.
https://www.tolltickets.com/
Cameras in rural areas are not what I'd call prevalent, but if there's a sign saying controles automatiques I'd be expecting to see one within the next couple of KM. They can be up high on a pole, or in a unit slightly higher than a bollard, on the nearside or offside, but they generally have what looks like hazard tape on them. If it gets you, you can't have many complaints. One thing to look out for, on autoroutes/dual carriageways they might be in the central reservation (often behind a bridge) rather than on the verge. Either way they'll be signposted.
The temporary ones in roadworks etc look more like a cross between something off Robot Wars and a compressor trailer minus it's wheels. Again they might have a bit of hazard tape on them. If there's a temporary speed restriction, expect to see a camera.
If you see a sign saying controles frequents or something similar then there might be police radar checks. It pays to be on your guard, but I didn't see any.
There's still plenty of roads you can put the hammer down, both on the autoroutes and rurally.
The temporary ones in roadworks etc look more like a cross between something off Robot Wars and a compressor trailer minus it's wheels. Again they might have a bit of hazard tape on them. If there's a temporary speed restriction, expect to see a camera.
If you see a sign saying controles frequents or something similar then there might be police radar checks. It pays to be on your guard, but I didn't see any.
There's still plenty of roads you can put the hammer down, both on the autoroutes and rurally.
vacant-100 said:
...
If you see a sign saying controles frequents or something similar then there might be police radar checks. It pays to be on your guard, but I didn't see any.
There's still plenty of roads you can put the hammer down, both on the autoroutes and rurally.
This has been my experience (couple of times per year over 5 years).If you see a sign saying controles frequents or something similar then there might be police radar checks. It pays to be on your guard, but I didn't see any.
There's still plenty of roads you can put the hammer down, both on the autoroutes and rurally.
Exige77 said:
I have the emovis tag long term. (10 years) I get the Italian tag only when I need it from tolltickets. Just keep it for the trip then send it back.
https://www.tolltickets.com/
Snap, great service, they (tolltickets) do a pick up and drop off at folkestone services if you are using the tunnel/ferry from Kent for all the tags.https://www.tolltickets.com/
With the French tag (permanent tag), I had a battery replacement this summer from them, faultless service.
vacant-100 said:
Cameras in rural areas are not what I'd call prevalent, but if there's a sign saying controles automatiques I'd be expecting to see one within the next couple of KM. They can be up high on a pole, or in a unit slightly higher than a bollard, on the nearside or offside, but they generally have what looks like hazard tape on them. If it gets you, you can't have many complaints. One thing to look out for, on autoroutes/dual carriageways they might be in the central reservation (often behind a bridge) rather than on the verge. Either way they'll be signposted.
That isn't strictly correct; nowadays many of the new cameras are not signed in any way. When they first started using cameras they were all signed but that changed several years ago. Some new ones are, many aren't. Likewise, their radar-check locations are not always signed.I recall seeing one sign on a rural main road, forget which Dept., which warned of a camera area for '64 kms', or thereabouts, so they might be some distance from the sign, assuming there are any cameras at all. They'll also stick small tripod radars behind the crash barrier so all you see is the top of the unit which looks as if it's sat on the barrier. I suspect a lot of drivers never even see them.
I've seen Gendarmes hiding in the green 'bollard/divider' on exit slips/junctions, just poking his head / radar over the top and also actually in the shrubbery alongside the road, so they aren't always keen to advertise their presence.
768 said:
Maybe it's luck, but I've never had an issue doing 150kph.
I do ease off comfortably before the peage and for maybe an hour in/out of Calais. Changed the Waze icon and its name. Not sure if that's smart or not.
I'm not sure that easing off before the peage will make much difference as, in my experience, the majority of cameras / radar checks are nowhere near the peages. I tend to see more customs checks at peages than police. Some Gendarme areas have started using drones to monitor autoroute traffic but obviously a driver would need to be clocking on to be spotted by a drone-operator.I do ease off comfortably before the peage and for maybe an hour in/out of Calais. Changed the Waze icon and its name. Not sure if that's smart or not.
ruhall said:
768 said:
Maybe it's luck, but I've never had an issue doing 150kph.
I do ease off comfortably before the peage and for maybe an hour in/out of Calais. Changed the Waze icon and its name. Not sure if that's smart or not.
I'm not sure that easing off before the peage will make much difference as, in my experience, the majority of cameras / radar checks are nowhere near the peages. I tend to see more customs checks at peages than police. Some Gendarme areas have started using drones to monitor autoroute traffic but obviously a driver would need to be clocking on to be spotted by a drone-operator.I do ease off comfortably before the peage and for maybe an hour in/out of Calais. Changed the Waze icon and its name. Not sure if that's smart or not.
seyre1972 said:
ruhall said:
768 said:
Maybe it's luck, but I've never had an issue doing 150kph.
I do ease off comfortably before the peage and for maybe an hour in/out of Calais. Changed the Waze icon and its name. Not sure if that's smart or not.
I'm not sure that easing off before the peage will make much difference as, in my experience, the majority of cameras / radar checks are nowhere near the peages. I tend to see more customs checks at peages than police. Some Gendarme areas have started using drones to monitor autoroute traffic but obviously a driver would need to be clocking on to be spotted by a drone-operator.I do ease off comfortably before the peage and for maybe an hour in/out of Calais. Changed the Waze icon and its name. Not sure if that's smart or not.
I've been on the receiving end of a couple of camera initiated fines. Last one was for 116 kmh in a 110kmh. That last one was a bitter pill to swallow as it was on the A8 along the south coast out of Nice and the road is constantly changing from 130 to 110 and back again and it was busy and it was sometimes hard to clock what the limit actually was so I *thought* I was driving cautiously. Other one was for 135 in a 90. Oops! They are tough on speeding and have been for some time now. I personally would be very careful anywhere at all in France and to be honest the 130 kmh is okay anyway to cover distance at an acceptable rate. It's not a massive hardship though I do miss the days of sustained 100 mph+ journeys. Probably not any faster in thirstier cars, but it felt like you were getting there quickly.
I thought of this thread after chatting with a friend this evening; he arrived back from a few weeks in France earlier this week. A speeding penalty arrived in the post the next morning - a few kph over the limit. He was doubly annoyed as he had one on his last visit a few months ago so was taking extra care and thought he was sticking to the limits; he wasn't even in a fast car, just a motorhome 
He's also been driving in France for many years and this year is the first time he's had speeding tickets.
He's also been driving in France for many years and this year is the first time he's had speeding tickets.
Edited by ruhall on Wednesday 2nd October 22:17
Those of us who live in France, rather than take a week long jolly and consider ourselves experts, will, as I did on page 1, tell you to stick to the limit, or it may well cost you.
1) They can get your details.
2) Fining you is not fining a native.
3) Fining natives results in yellow vest activity, which takes time and money.
4) Fining you is an administrative process. It’s easy. They get your passport details so will deny you entry next time (even if merely transiting) until you pay the fine.
5) “You’re” leaving. f
k you.
(That’s not me saying the last, it’s what I get every day now, often under the breath/ from yoof/ shop workers asking if I’m legally allowed to be in the EU. Which is nice. Paris of course, where they totes love Brits anyway).
Yet most on here seem happy to drive at speeds you wouldn’t at home.
Road deaths increased in Jan this year when cameras were burned. Guess what? There will be more cameras. It won’t get better.
1) They can get your details.
2) Fining you is not fining a native.
3) Fining natives results in yellow vest activity, which takes time and money.
4) Fining you is an administrative process. It’s easy. They get your passport details so will deny you entry next time (even if merely transiting) until you pay the fine.
5) “You’re” leaving. f
k you. (That’s not me saying the last, it’s what I get every day now, often under the breath/ from yoof/ shop workers asking if I’m legally allowed to be in the EU. Which is nice. Paris of course, where they totes love Brits anyway).
Yet most on here seem happy to drive at speeds you wouldn’t at home.
Road deaths increased in Jan this year when cameras were burned. Guess what? There will be more cameras. It won’t get better.
Well just got back from driving across France and Spain for a few weeks and have received two speeding tickets!!
Bloody annoying as I really try and keep to the limit after being done driving from Le Mans years ago.
Only thing I can think is that I was keeping roughly (just above) the limit on the Tom Tom phone app, and perhaps it’s not quite accurate enough? Should have used Wase and at least have had the alerts.
And IMO its France that’s as bad to drive in as the uk now. At least when we were done at Le Mans it was by an actual policeman (ganderme) so you realise where and when you were speeding. Now you get a fine by post and you have no idea when or where you were speeding, so you just think of it as a tax and not a lesson about speeding!
Bloody annoying as I really try and keep to the limit after being done driving from Le Mans years ago.
Only thing I can think is that I was keeping roughly (just above) the limit on the Tom Tom phone app, and perhaps it’s not quite accurate enough? Should have used Wase and at least have had the alerts.
And IMO its France that’s as bad to drive in as the uk now. At least when we were done at Le Mans it was by an actual policeman (ganderme) so you realise where and when you were speeding. Now you get a fine by post and you have no idea when or where you were speeding, so you just think of it as a tax and not a lesson about speeding!
braddo said:
Johnniem said:
braddo said:
Johnniem said:
Similarly, from Bordeaux, a mate bagged four tickets (all delivered to his UK address), three of which were less than 10 kph over the autoroute speed limit. Last one was for 90kph in a 50, so fair enough.
130 kph is plenty fast enough. We drove from the coast, south of Narbonne to Calais in 11 hours last year, mostly with cruise control on. Perfectly acceptable.
Were all these tickets from fixed cameras on the side of the road? 130 kph is plenty fast enough. We drove from the coast, south of Narbonne to Calais in 11 hours last year, mostly with cruise control on. Perfectly acceptable.
bolidemichael said:
Our Sunday afternoon drive from Caen to San Sebastián was quiet and swift. We kept Waze on for the entire journey as always and we maintained an average speed of 70mph.
I regularly do the trip from Calais to near Toulon in one go and my overall average is always around 70mph and that's just following speed limits.I think to achieve that in the UK over 600+ miles you would have to be going some.
I'm using Waze, have the toll tag (a must if your own your own in a rhd car) and my car can manage the trip with one fuel stop (just!)
I also find that that it's well worth planning your fuel stops carefully as the autoroute prices can be much higher than a supermarket just off the autoroute.
Like most on here I'd love to press on at higher speeds and it would be fun but I'd have to do two fuel stops and it would be a lot more stressful keeping a constant eye out for the police.
Don't get me started on the 30kph in towns though...
DailyHack said:
Drove through the Colmar region up to Calais last week from Italy, didn't notice any speed cameras...but, I did notice alot of unmarked "poverty spec" Police Renault Meganes with the speed guns pointing at us...
130kph on the cruise is pretty brisk progress I think, speed cameras in Switzerland are the cheeky ones I think.
After me saying all this, came home yesterday to a French letter on the floor - yep speeding fine at Calais Port 130kph on the cruise is pretty brisk progress I think, speed cameras in Switzerland are the cheeky ones I think.
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