licence and driving in France?

[Ian Geary]

Some advice needed please.

Off to France this week, but have misplaced my license. It's around somewhere but got "tidied" away. I know I should take it but what's the likely penalty if I can't produce it?

- a shrug of the shoulders and a warning?
- 1000 euro fine and hours of delays?
- 5 years hard labor?

I can turn the house upside-down to find it, but would rather not.

thanks

ian

[Cheeky Jim]

Having just come back from a 2000 mile jaunt to Italy and back (via France etc)...as long s you don't go blatantly speeding, the likelihood of you being stopped is pretty slim. We stuck at 80mph (albeit in the team bus loaded with kids and camping gear)...

I don't actually think I saw a single police car on the autoroutes the entire way..

[aarondbs]

Cheeky Jim said:

Having just come back from a 2000 mile jaunt to Italy and back (via France etc)...as long s you don't go blatantly speeding, the likelihood of you being stopped is pretty slim. We stuck at 80mph (albeit in the team bus loaded with kids and camping gear)...

I don't actually think I saw a single police car on the autoroutes the entire way..

Just come back from 3 week, 3000 mile trip down to the South of France and wasn't stopped once!! but then I haven't been stopped in the UK and been asked for my license for a long long while.

I went without my photo license but did have my paper one, but I did take all the bulbs, high vis, alco sense (x2) and triangles. All the things they do check you have.

[Cheeky Jim]

aarondbs said:

But I did take all the bulbs, high vis, alco sense (x2) and triangles. All the things they do check you have.

DITTO - just in case

In 20+ years of driving, I've been stopped by the police exactly twice... both for speeding!

[OvalOwl]

This isn't going to help you much this time but I keep all my producer documents plus passport and EHIC in one place. I also have digital copies on my smartphone and take paper copies kept in a separate place to the originals when travelling.

[Le TVR]

IIRC its 135 euro for failing to produce on the spot.
Never been asked for mine in over 20 years....

[aarondbs]

OvalOwl said:

This isn't going to help you much this time but I keep all my producer documents plus passport and EHIC in one place. I also have digital copies on my smartphone and take paper copies kept in a separate place to the originals when travelling.

do you also wear a belt and braces.

[OvalOwl]

aarondbs said:

do you also wear a belt and braces.

Metaphorically speaking. A few basic tools and all the stuff the Frenchies want you to have (apart from the alcosense) are always in the car, plus a sleeping bag in winter on long journeys.

[Ian Geary]

OK, thanks for the help chaps.

It is a trip in the family wagon, so don't anticipate setting any speed records on the way to Brittany this year.

I'm sure if I start looking for something else, it will turn up soon enough.


Cheers

Ian

[A common lawyer]

11€ if you can't whip it out on the spot (ooh err missus, etc.).

If they invite you to produce, and you don't: 135€. Pay quickly and you'll pay 90€.

If you drive while disqualified, or just don't have a licence, the French have compulsory confiscation of driver-owned vehicles. While it's rare to be stopped, and while a Brit would in all likelihood be given the 11€ fine, or maybe the producer, what happens if you end up with a gendarme who can't / won't check whether you actually hold a licence, and decides that you don't have one?

I'm not trying to scare you, I guess I'm just Mr Cautious with this kind of thing!!

[Cunning Punt]

A common lawyer said:

While it's rare to be stopped, and while a Brit would in all likelihood be given the 11€ fine, or maybe the producer, what happens if you end up with a gendarme who can't / won't check whether you actually hold a licence, and decides that you don't have one?

You go to the nearest UK embassy and ask them for the document that proves you are a UK licence holder, and that it's just been misplaced, as opposed to disqualified/never issued.

Then when you get home you contact DVLA for a replacement.

[A common lawyer]

11€ if you can't whip it out on the spot (ooh err missus, etc.).

If they invite you to produce, and you don't: 135€. Pay quickly and you'll pay 90€.

If you drive while disqualified, or just don't have a licence, the French have compulsory confiscation of driver-owned vehicles. While it's rare to be stopped, and while a Brit would in all likelihood be given the 11€ fine, or maybe the producer, what happens if you end up with a gendarme who can't / won't check whether you actually hold a licence, and decides that you don't have one?

I'm not trying to scare you, I guess I'm just Mr Cautious with this kind of thing!!

[majordad]

I was stopped and pulled at random coming tru the Peage just before Calais en route to the Eurotunnel. I produced my Licence and Reg Docs. I was in my Red GT3 and had not been speeding. maybe he wanted a look.