next saturday I am driving the family wagon with family to South Of France with an overnight stop off half way
Not driven in france for 10 years at least.
What are the big dos and donts
What do I need in advance such as headlamp conversion, and breakdown kit
Thanks all
guy
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Morning Guy:)
Others will be along for the driving bit but you do need a basic First Aid kit, a warning triangle and High Viz vests for everone in the vehicle now.
Pat
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Don't forget your driving licence, copy of the V5, insurance certificate and if it isn't your car in your name, a letter from the car owner authorising you to drive it. I know this from first hand experience last year when I exceeded the 130 kmh limit on the autoroute and got pulled by the French version of Interceptors in their Impreza. Oh and some cash, €90 in my case was enough to see me on my way. They didn't check anything other than all the paperwork and they even asked to see something from my company authorising me to drive the car abroad. I didn't have GB plates or a sticker and although I had everything else including pda's list, spare bulbs and beam deflectors correctly positioned, all they were interested in were my papers - they were very thorough and my money.
I don't think the driving has changed much in France over the last 10 years. To me the main roads and autoroutes don't seem much if any busier. It is still a great country to drive through and the autoroutes are a breeze though the tolls are getting more expensive. Lane discipline on the autoroutes is good but if you delay switching back to the inside lane after overtaking for just a few seconds you'll have somebody nudging up behind you. Still too many stand -up loos on the autoroutes for my liking but the quality of food and beverage is so much better than the UK. Speed cameras aren't readily visible like over here but the road signs warnings of radar controlled limits are real as there's always a camera where there's a warning. You don't get much warning of road works, see the sign and it's not very long until you're on them.
Diesel is roughly the same price as the UK, unleaded is a bit more and super unleaded is crazy prices especially on the autoroutes.
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As said above,all the paperwork,first aid kit,triangle,bulb kit is recommended but not legally required,and the driver must have a reflective jacket available to him inside the car-other reflective jackets are only required for people leaving the car and can be in the boot.Even the triangle is not legally required if your vehicle has hazard flashers but you might suffer electrical failure or rear end smash!If you see an accident,you are legally required to stop and offer assistance-tho' if someone is already there,you don't need to.
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Diesel about 1:16 in the supermarkets, about 10c more on the autoroutes - still have some in the tank. If you plan ahead you never need to buy on the autoroute - e.g.Carrefour in Reims is just off the autoroute.
Check you credit card will work in the 24 hour machines - not all of mine do.
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10 years ago one could speed with relative impunity on the autoroutes.
Not any more, so be tempted at your peril.
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Super unleaded prices are not crazy at supermarkets and Elf stations - about 1-2 cents above 95 unleaded price. You can pay a lot more for 'special' 98 at Total stations.
Bear in mind if you are in towns or on country roads that the bonkers 'priority from the right' still applies in some areas and you won't always get a sign telling you this is the case. Also remember that urban roundabouts often give priority to traffic entering rather than traffic already going round - look for the 'cede le passage' or 'vous n'avez pas le priorite' as you approach: this means the rule is the same as the UK. If you don't see a sign you have priority. Believe me, it causes great confusion among the French, let alone the rest of us.
Bon voyage.
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I have only found ONE p-a-d junction, and I had the priority. not rural but outskirts of Arras.
once you get used to the white diamond with yellow border it is simple - you have priority at juntions unless signed otherwise until you get a white diamond with yellow border and a black bar. Think of it as "Priority Route" and it makes sense.
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Speed cameras are mounted quite low. Main hazard is tailgating French drivers. Buy a copy of the highway code (Code Rousseau) from a newsagent (Maison de Presse). The illustrations are excellent and it is easy to understand, even if you don't speak French.
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>>I have only found ONE p-a-d junction, and I had the priority. not rural but outskirts of Arras.
once you get used to the white diamond with yellow border it is simple - you have priority at juntions unless signed otherwise until you get a white diamond with yellow border and a black bar. Think of it as "Priority Route" and it makes sense. <<
Believe me, there are - in fact - lots and rarely obvious. The presence of the diamond sign is usually an indication that there could otherwise be confusion.
If you are on an N or D road keep an eye open for the white posts with red bands near the top that mark otherwise unidentified junctions so you have a chance to spot whether the side road has a stop or give-way sign on it.
I've just noticed the original OP's name. How's your other motor?
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YOu might not realise you have lost prority, there are loads in small towns, where the priority ends entering town, and is regained on exiting town. One diamond with black bar on the edge of town is all you get so you may miss it.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 24 May 10 at 14:41
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Stop signs and lines are your friends in towns. You may not see a vehicle approaching from a side street between two shop fronts, but if you can see the sign or the line - and you usually will - you can be confident it will wait for you. Once you're into the back streets, though, junctions are often unmarked and priority unclear, and that's the moment to assume you should give way to the right.
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And on D roads you may come across what you think is just a warning sign for an intersection ( Cross X in Red Triangle) it however gives p- a - d. Not many people, including the French, know that! It gets placed frequently when the road to your right is distinctly less minor that the one you are on!
To save arguments on here I am looking , but cannot find, the French Code description.
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Thanks for that, I had seen the .gouv.fr site once before and was looking for it a couple of weeks ago without success.
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Price of petrol/diesel (gazole) at, I think, every petrol station in France. You can even put in an itinerary to get prices along your route.
www.zagaz.com/
AA dos and don'ts for driving on continent
www.aaroadwatch.ie/eumotoring/do_donts.asp
AA list of compulsory equipment
www.aaroadwatch.ie/eumotoring/compulsary.asp
Note, first aid kit only "recommended" in France - but a wise thing to take on a trip anyway.
Phil
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>> Note, first aid kit only "recommended" in France - but a wise thing to take
>> on a trip anyway.
Everyone should have a first aid kit in the car all the time, even in the UK. I have even used it on the dog more than once.
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Driving in france - Pat
