driving in France

tim68

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Hi all. I hope you don't mind me asking here, I am thinking of driving to Disneyland Paris from South Wales in December and trying to work out what I need as far as documents and what is required by French law.

so far I have (please correct me I'm wrong)
GB sticker
first aid kit
hi-vis vest
fire extinguisher
Headlamp Beam Converters
warning triangle ?
breathalyser ?

as for documents

Driving licence with its counterpart and registration documents. and I will get euro brake down cover, have I missed anything, thanks very much
 
Tell your insurer !

If you are only going to Disneyland then its join the autoroute @ eurotunnel and stay on one road for a few miles -- no great shakes but using Mr Googles maps you could extend your visit and see some some stunning countryside & join in French life -- Christmas Markets perhaps ?
 
Theoretically you should have a spare set of bulbs. Never known anyone get checked for that though. Most importantly just stick to the speed limits, pretty harsh on the spot penalties for breaking them, and if going fast enough can even have your car taken away.
 
Take your insurance documents, originals not copies of everything.

You can do 1 breathalyser but the advice I've read suggests 2, in case one is faulty or the police ask you to use one - in which case you'd have to go and buy another immediately to remain legal.
They're sold in 2s here anyway.

Hi vis vest needs to be inside the passenger compartment, not in the boot as you're supposed to put it on before you get out in the event of an emergency (makes sense really).

I don't think you actually need bulbs or the extingisher
Compulsory equipment abroad | AA

I got pulled years back on the autoroute - I was doing about 135kph but the traffic cop showed me his speed gun reading 150kph.
The only reason I didn't see the cop was I was being tailgated by one French driver while another forced his way past me on the right then cut across to avoid hitting a truck. I was concentrating on not getting rammed or stuffing the undertaker into the truck that I only clocked the blue focus on the hard shoulder after we'd passed it. My own fault I shouldn't have sped up to try and get out of their way and made them do the work.
The French drivers were clearly racing and I suspect the speed reading was the undertaking car but they kept on at full speed but I pulled in and slowed down to the limit.

Off the autoroute/peage stick rigidly to the limit for the reasons Epicurus mentioned, even though many French drivers will be all over your bumper because of it.
It's also worth noting that if you can't pay an on the spot penalty in cash they're able to impound your car until you can, so make sure you have some Euros in the car when you get off the ferry just in case you get taken by surprise by a speed limit change.

Last time I drove in France they had very prominent warnings about cameras but they've removed all of them and it's not legal to have speed trap detectors or sat nav displays with camera locations visible either.
 
Driving in France / Switzerland / Italy / Germany / Austria

Here is a list of things to take / be aware of when driving in France:
  • A GB sticker displayed on the back of your car, unless your vehicle has 'Europlates' that already display this information.
  • A warning triangle that you must place on the road in the event of a breakdown, to alert other drivers that you're there.
  • A high visibility jacket that you must put on before exiting the vehicle in the event of a breakdown or if you're pulled over by the police. Keep hi-vis jackets inside the passenger compartment of your vehicle, not the boot.
  • Headlamp converters, which will re-align your headlights so that they don't dazzle oncoming motorists when driving on the right.
  • From July 2012, motorists in France will be required to carry an NF-approved single-use breathalyser. Our Alcosense Single Use Breathalyser is fully NF-approved, and comes in a twin pack so you'll still be covered if you use one.
  • During the winter, snow chains must be fitted to your tyres when driving on snow-covered roads in compliance with the relevant road signs.
  • If you're travelling with children under 10, make sure you take along the correct child car seat for their age and size.
  • It's also recommended that you carry a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit to assist you in emergency situations, and a set of spare car bulbs in case you need to replace one.
  • In built-up areas in France, priority is given to vehicles coming from the right - known as "priorité a droite".
  • It's against the law to carry any radar detection equipment. If your sat nav has a speed camera detection function, you must switch it off.
  • You should use dipped headlights when driving in poor visibility during the day.
  • If you are stopped by the French police and handed a fine, you should always make sure you are given an official receipt.
  • Valid full (not provisional) driving licence
  • Driving licence paper counterpart - if you have a photocard licence
  • Vehicle registration document (V5c) - the original not a copy
  • Motor insurance certificate
  • Passport(s)
  • 112 is the European emergency call number you can dial anywhere in the European Union in case of accident, assault or in any other distress situation.
 
You don't say what car you drive but check the manual before you go as many cars have the option to align the headlamps for driving on the wrong side of the road with ether a menu option, lever under the bonnet or a quick trip to the dealer. Others have a neutral beam that is fine for left or right hand driving and some cars with intelligent headlamps, know when you arrive in France from GPS data and change them for you.

But if you don't have any of these options PLEASE use the stickers

When I was last driving up to Calais in the dark, the amount of BRITISH cars coming the other way that were half blinding us because they hadn't bothered was incredible and there is nothing more dangerous that driving in heavy rain when the oncoming traffic is giving you an eyeful of headlamp
 
Breathalysers are a bit of an oddity, as in theory you are supposed to carry them, but they can't fine you if you don't: From the AA:
Breathalysers
1 March 2012 - the French government confirmed that from 1 July 2012 drivers of all motor vehicles and motorcycles (excluding mopeds) must carry a breathalyser. The regulation will be enforced from 1 November 2012 and anyone stopped after that date who fails to produce a breathalyser when requested will receive an on the spot fine of €11.

October 2012 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed from 1 November 2012 to 1 March 2013.

January 2013 - the French government announced that the implementation of the sanction for drivers not carrying a breathalyser – a fine of €11 – has been postponed indefinitely.

So theoretically you are still required to carry a self-test breathalyser when driving in France but there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance.

The original official announcement stated that one unused, certified breathalyser must be produced showing the French certification mark NF. Carrying two single-use breathalysers will ensure that if one is used or damaged, you will still have a spare to produce. The breathalyser produced has to be in date - single-use breathalysers normally have a validity of twelve months.

Unless you particularly enjoy arguing the toss with Les Gendarmes it's probably safest to carry a twin pack :)
 
Breathalysers are a bit of an oddity, as in theory you are supposed to carry them, but they can't fine you if you don't: From the AA:


Unless you particularly enjoy arguing the toss with Les Gendarmes it's probably safest to carry a twin pack :)
The best reason for carrying a spare breathalyzer is that if the police ask you to use one of them, or if it's damaged or out-of-date, then without a spare you wouldn't be allowed to drive away. They're generally only available in packs of 2 anyway.

I'm talking about if they ever decide to enforce the rule, of course. Best to be on the safe side, though.
 
forgot about this thread, thanks everyone.

I have a Hyundia I10 2010 model, had a look in the manual couldn't find anything about altering the headlamps.

I bought a couple of things today from halfords, an AA europack included the following

  • Includes Hazard warning triangle and First aid kit.
  • Headlamp beam converter and a universal bulb kit.
  • Reflective emergency jacket and Magnetic GB plate.
  • AA European drivers handbook and Magnetic GB plate
and a twin pack of Breathalysers

sat-nav I bought last week

from Calais to Disney seemed pretty much straight forward looking at google maps, just planning a route from Neath (South Wales) to Folkestone. sat-nav goes straight from M4 on to M25 but would rather avoid that part of the route if I can.
 
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I've driven in France countless times....the one thing I would say - especially if you venture onto more rural roads - is that the French cannot drive for toffee and, when going round blind bends, always expect some 97 year old local to be on your side of the road driving a little yellow coloured Citroen, whilst smoking a cig.
 
i thought you were going to say "whilst smoking a joint" lol
 
"I've driven in France countless times....the one thing I would say - especially if you venture onto more rural roads - is that the French cannot drive for toffee and, when going round blind bends, always expect some 97 year old local to be on your side of the road driving a little yellow coloured Citroen, whilst smoking a cig."

Sorry that just rubbish -- have you actually been to France ?
 
I've done thousands of miles in France, and they're worse drivers than us, with the exception being lane discipline on the motorways.

They're World Champions at tailgating, will think nothing of overtaking on blind corners, everywhere is a valid parking space and they think indicating is for losers.

@tim68

Don't forget you need reflective jacket for every person in the car AND they need to be kept in the cabin not the boot or roof box.
 
Yes, that seems the opinion of someone who has never driven in france but has 'read' lots about it. The reality is very different. There's nothing says 'I'm back in Britain' than encountering the middle lane hogger minutes after leaving dover.
 
thanks mjn

only will be me in the car, hi-vis jacket already in the glove box :)
 
You can get breathalyser kits from Halfords. They often have them at the counter.

Bon Voyage!
 
I've done thousands of miles in France, and they're worse drivers than us, with the exception being lane discipline on the motorways.

They're World Champions at tailgating, will think nothing of overtaking on blind corners, everywhere is a valid parking space and they think indicating is for losers

Sorry this is just rubbish !
 
I'll get a dash cam for my next trip. :thumbsup:
 
I do most of my European driving in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Austria.

From best to worst drivers in my view:
Austrian
German
Dutch
French
Belgian

That's from any combination of lane discipline, road manners, tailgating, concentration at the wheel and road worthiness of their vehicles. Austrians are the best to me because although you can get some youngsters that drive like nutters, they have by far the best yet most treacherous roads. If you lose concentration even for a second in some of the conditions and on some of the roads they have, you can find yourself plummeting or skidding to your doom. It seems to make them good, aware drivers!
 
As a pedestrian I found the traffic in Rome, just as bad if not worse than in NYC....mentalists.
 
We drive into France (and beyond) a few times each year. Indeed we are heading back over this weekend to do a wine restock.

To be honest, I find driving in France much more pleasurable than the UK and don't have an issue with French drivers on the whole.

Sure you get dithering old fools pulling out on you in sleepy little villages but that happens in Lincolnshire as well.

Normally if I find myself getting tailgated. it's by something with a GB sticker and a roof box racing to make the ferry.

The most aggressive drivers I come across however are the ones with NL stickers on them. Once they cross their own border, the Dutch drivers seems to throw caution to the wind yet driving inside The Netherlands is again, quite pleasurable.

Remember that in most EU countries, due to the size of the country, everything is a lot less crowded which leads to less busy roads.
 

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