Advice on driving in France

You need spare bulbs, a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, a warning triangle and headlamp deflectors (to be fitted at all times - both day and night) so you don't dazzle the on-coming traffic to your left.

Speed limits are similar to ours but you can do 130 km/h on motorways provided the road surface is dry, otherwise the limit is 110. They have fixed-site speed cameras radars automatiques (sometimes also on motorways on urban sections) but they are much fewer in number than in the UK and every one is located on a database in the public domain that includes a photograph.

http://www.radars-auto.com/

The police do tend to afford a discretionary 20 km/h over any given posted limit though, even if the cameras do not.

French roads are rather dangerous in that surfaces are skid-smooth, straight sections are long and bends at the end of each are sharp. Then you've often the killer plane trees to contend with on either side that aren't always shielded by a barrier.

A yellow diamond means you've right of way. When a black line is through the yellow diamond, you must give way to traffic coming from the right, even at junctions, or stop at an approaching traffic light.

The toll motorways are a joy though as traffic is usually light and free-flowing. Except on the 1st and 15th of August...

John,

Steve's excellent post covers it. When you get used to driving on the right you will find it a joy compared to UK driving.

One other tip is that queues for Peage (toll) roads are often for cash payment. It is worth checking how to pay by card, it's very quick with hardly any wait.

Steve.

Thanks Steve and Steve. Luckily there is also an article in the Times today on this subject.
John

If you've got a camera detector remove it. They are totally illegal in france.

Not according to the above website.

Word of warning about your second day. You have concentrated off the ferry and arrived at your destination,the next day you can some times go into "autopilot" and find yourself on the "wrong" side of the road.A LHD car helps to prevent though.
Keep an eye open for the direction signs if you see them you have probably missed your exit, as they tend to be oposite the exit.
Enjoy it's great fun really!

Howard

quote:

A LHD car helps to prevent though.

I have driven LHD cars in Europe and North America and it's easy, the brain quickly adapts to the mirror image behaviour. A RHD car on the right hand side of the road however will be a new experience.
John

John
See this forum
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=38463

and this
If you are driving to France, you should be aware that having a radar detector in your vehicle is illegal in France, whether in use or not. If caught, you are liable to a prison sentence, a fine, confiscation of the device and confiscation of the vehicle. You should therefore ensure radar detectors are removed from your vehicle before commencing any journey to France.

taken from here

http://www.consulfrance-londres.org/article.php3?id_article=376

Jon

I have driven in France on dozens of occations and have never bothered with all the bollocks ie, spare bulbs, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, headlamp deflectors etc. I did on our first few trips but now I simply don't bother. Neither do I bother with the GB sticker etc.

With regards driving on the right, the first ten or fifteen minutes will be a bit nerve racking thereafter it just becomes second nature and you shouldn't have any problems.

Last winter, I drove down to Austria for a ski break and I didn't bother with the so called mandatory wheel chains either.

Regards

Gary

I've never been stopped for a producer here in the UK. On that basis I shan't bother with getting an MOT, or insurance.

If you get stopped by the cops in France it's better and less stressful to have everything in order.

I find myself in agreement with Steve! Wonders abound.

A couple of extra tips from the memorybanks of Rico...

RHD in a LHD world: simply concentrate on having your passenger next to the centre line, not yourself. not an issue on the peage.

PEAGE REST AREAS: those rest areas just after the toll stations are excellent, with good facilities for a comfort stop, shade sails to avoid heating up while stoped, and really accurate automated tyre pressure stations - makes for a lovely smooth (rapid) onward journey with your pressures matched to load and temperature.

ON THE LEFT IN ERROR? if you find yourself on the wrong side (in, say, a carpark) heading towards worried locals, don't offer "we're from the states" by way of an apology (as some twat did the other day while attempting to head-on my family in a suburban street).

LYON: bloody one-way systems.

have a great trip, John!

quote:

If you've got a camera detector remove it. They are totally illegal in france.

It's my understanding that GPS map identification of fixed sites is OK. The French publish this information anyway. Radar devices that detect mobile cameras or speed guns are certainly not.

You will have the equipment confiscated and find yourself a couple of hundred Euro's poorer.

I have spoken to people first hand who have had this happen. Very often they get spotted at tolls and a car stops them further down the road.

Steve.

John

All good advice from prev comments, also consider the distance, France is a huge country and driving long distances for your first trip would not be advisable, if you are heading straight down to SF suggest you aim to get to Burgundy (8 hours or so) from coast, nice place to stay over even if you don't like wine! - you can then drive from lyon heading west or east.

Also bear in mind the whole of France goes on holiday from end of July for around a month with makes roads lot more busy - look out for the German's and Belguims also - BON VANCANCE!

I have driven in Norway and Sweden in a RHD car, and it was initially disconcerting to drive round 'round abouts' the other way to normal, esppecially as it the first one the car in front went the British was at the Northern Terminal at Gothenberg Ferry Port! After that it was fine.

In Norway the rule is Priority to the right, which means one has to go slowly at junctions even when on the main road as entering traffic has priority! This used to be the rule in france but I am not sure if it still is. On some of the major roads in Norway this has been altered as well, for mostly newly constructed roads...

On balance I am sure it is right to be correct in letter and every detail concerning fire extinguishers and so forth. The Philips Road Atlas of Europe has all the legal requirements, and what you need to have in the car, for all the Europeans and Western former USSR States.

Being stopped by the Police is then no issue as there is a usually some understanding, if you have made every effort to try to comply with the law in the their country.

Good motoring from Fredrik

If you haven't already gone and to add a little to the already, mostly, great advise posted..
Priority from the right has mostly gone except either no one told the Parisiennes or they thought it more exiting to ignore it. Likewise in some southern cities like Nice. Maybe that's just the Parisiennes on Holiday!!

Also
The phenomenen of forgetting you are supposed to drive on the other side can be mirrored after you return to UK.. anything up to 2 weeks after you return (depending on the amount of time you've been away) and often after you've got back into the car after shopping. It only seems to happen once per trip.
Bon Voyage

quote:

all the bollocks ie, spare bulbs, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, headlamp deflectors etc

Don't be so cocky. We were stopped last year near the Gorge du Verdun by a Police check and they insisted on seeing all of the above plus passports, insurance documents etc. Something tells me also that the French Police may be inclined to make your life pretty hard if they took you in for something like this. UK police would at least be chatty/friendly whilst carting you off.

Also I heard Hi-Vis jackets are to be used by law if you break down on a French Motorway and get out of your car, although I must admit the Police who checked us didn't ask to see them.

Jonathan

PS if driving a RHD car I always keep on the correct side of the road by remembering to always place myself (as driver) at the pavement side of the street. It helps you remember which side to aim for when turning left or right at junctions. Roundabouts are easier as you get lead onto them by the curve of the road.

quote:

Something tells me also that the French Police may be inclined to make your life pretty hard if they took you in for something like this. UK police would at least be chatty/friendly whilst carting you off.

I don't think you can generalise. French police can be a bit lazy and this is something you can work to your advantage. Not many of them speak English so the language barrier tends to get in the way of idle chit-chat. As I speak French I've found, on occasions, that they can be chatty to the point they forget why they stopped you...

On re-entering France on a coach at the border with Belgium they were supposed to search everybody's bags. They didn't search mine (not that I had anything to hide.)

I just read an article from The Times syndicated to one of the rags down here that mentions new initiatives in France to address foreigners flouting the law (esp. speed limits) while in France.

Cars may now be impounded until a local judge decides it is time for the offender to continue their forward journey. I guess they're free to continue sans vehicle.

IIRC the gist was instant for offenders more than 50k's over the limit (with 130 on the peage that's a very reasonable (as in certainly not draconian or harsh) ceiling of 180).

Stats quoted were in the vecinity of 25% of foreign vehicles snapped on the 1500 French speed cameras last year were Spanish, around 20% were of dutch registration, and only 8% bore UK plates.

move along please.

quote:

have driven in France on dozens of occations and have never bothered with all the bollocks ie, spare bulbs, fire extinguisher, warning triangle, headlamp deflectors etc. I did on our first few trips but now I simply don't bother. Neither do I bother with the GB sticker etc.

Last winter, I drove down to Austria for a ski break and I didn't bother with the so called mandatory wheel chains either.

This is the appaling attitude of the typical British motorist or the 'I will ignore the laws of the land for they do not apply to me' brigade! You see them all the time on their mobiles when driving or speeding especially in 30/40 mph areas just so that they can catch up the car in front infact they will probably overtake the car in front that is abiding by the law....etc etc etc. What a stupid attitude! Personally I will continue to drive LEGALLY and continue to read about the fines imposed on these very poor drivers for that is exactly what they are! And no I am not an senile stupid old man, I drive a MG sports car and I drive upto the legal limit or what I regard as a safer speed for the road (slower) I am on. More importantly I try to drive legally at all times!

quote:

And no I am not an senile stupid old man, I drive a MG sports car and I drive upto the legal limit or what I regard as a safer speed for the road (slower) I am on. More importantly I try to drive legally at all times!

You don't need a sportscar to drive to the speed limit. It's not exactly mach 1. Do you wear a flat cap and driving gloves?

If being an obedient unquestioning do-gooder gives you a sense of righteousness then all is well for you.

Having all the necessary accessories on for travelling through France isn't about blind obedience, it's just common sense and is certainly no hardship. Not ever exceeding speed limits (as well as lengthening your journey times) to me is a sickeningly unquestioning conformity of the type seen by concentration camp guards in WW2 who did no wrong for they were "obeying orders."

Let your conscience be your guide and, on occasions, f*ck the law.

Carrying spare bulbs, or a spare pair of spectacles for driving in Spain, is a great idea from a common sense perspective. From a perspective of obeying the law for its own sake, once you have need to make use of the spares you are then in contravention of the law.

Those slaves to legal compliance should perhaps carry spare spare bulbs and spare spare spectacles.

quote:

I drive upto the legal limit or what I regard as a safer speed for the road (slower) I am on.

That's OK, but there are many roads where it is safer to go faster using the same judgement. Most of the speed limits were set when cars were nowhere near as easy to handle or stop.

What is it they say about rules, - For the adherence of fools and the guidance of wiser men?

That was until speed limits could be turned into a cash cow of course.

Regards,

Steve.

However having a spare set of light bulbs and spare pair of glasses (if you need them - I can see at least 5 inches without them so why would I need a spare pair) is only common sense.

Light bulbs being replaced at home without having to go to Halfords etc to urgently buy one being a lot less stressful.
Oh yes I also carry a Direct Ignition cartridge as well - I consider it like I consider a spare wheel - I hope I will never need it.
However the other week we lost two wheels and tyres which totally disabled the car.

In reply to the two replies to my response, no I do not wear a flat cap or wear driving gloves and I do not wear socks with my sandels either. I was trying to make the point that you do not have to be old to obey laws but you were obviously not able to grasp that. Your comments of 'f*ck the law' - 'What is it they say about rules, - For the adherence of fools'..... What an attitude! I must remember to wave the next time I pass you pulled over by a man in blue or when you are upside down in a ditch. Certainly if I thought you had the same musical equipment likes as me I think I would sell up and buy something else. As to any furthur comments I will not be partaking in this subject any more so please keep any new comments to yourselves, your thoughts really do not interest me. Goodbye!

Dear Wiltshireman,

You are so right. The law is an arbitrary device put there to control idiots, but none of us, in a civiliused society, have any right at all to put ourselves above the law, enacted for greater benefit of all, however much of an ass it may appear to any of us individually. No ifs and no buts!

Personally, for example I think the Council Tax is too high - I know there is wastage, I would happily see sorted out - but I must pay it, and be content!

Bravo to you!

I made a similar point to you, but no one took me up on it!

Fredrik

quote:

As to any furthur comments I will not be partaking in this subject any more so please keep any new comments to yourselves, your thoughts really do not interest me. Goodbye!

What makes you think your slavish obedience to rules, no matter how daft is any more interesting? How pompous.

Fredrik, you feel you must pay and that's fair enough for you. There are pensioners prepared to go to prison rather than pay unfair charges. Without resistance, no rules would ever change.

That may suit some. Fortunately not everyone.