Tips for driving in France - Back now!
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On Friday im going over ot France for Long weekend. Im only going to Lorient which is about 240miles from Cherbourg. Just wondering if there is any survival tips
Not to worried as i drove in the US for a good few months but that was in a Left hand drive car ! But now im taking my own car from UK
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#9
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dont worry about the speeding fines Rhys They`re cheap
i got pulled by a bike cop doing about 160KPH
quick 45euro later you are on your way
1st time in 5 trips to the alps as fast as i can go
they will measure you between tolls but a fuel or drink stop soon brings your average speed down
enjoy pal they have great roads with good discipline
i got pulled by a bike cop doing about 160KPH
quick 45euro later you are on your way
1st time in 5 trips to the alps as fast as i can go
they will measure you between tolls but a fuel or drink stop soon brings your average speed down
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enjoy pal they have great roads with good discipline
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I'm going to France on Friday morning to for a week in Northern Vendee,about 500 miles south of Calais, leaving from Dover about 8.00am on the ferry
Are you going in the Cossie ?
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#11
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Close your eyes, grip the steering wheel tight and put your right foot flat to the floor!!!!!!
Make sure you can trust your passenger if you're going to use them to give you the all clear for overtakes.
Make sure you can trust your passenger if you're going to use them to give you the all clear for overtakes.
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PMSL!!!!! im not taking the cossie, but the VW. I need the boot in the VW and i fancy driving in with climate etc instead of windows down in the cossie lol. Though if i still got the cossie a trip might be on the cards next year as sounds like a laugh.
Cheers Stu, hopefully will have a top laugh as going camping and to a BIG Celtic festival. So lots of drinking i think is in order
Cheers Stu, hopefully will have a top laugh as going camping and to a BIG Celtic festival. So lots of drinking i think is in order
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Originally Posted by Rolls
Can't remember - think its 130k if the weather is good, 110 if its wet...
You can sit above this, but not too far above!
You can sit above this, but not too far above!
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Don't exceed the speed too much, an EVO mag journalist had to leave a car by the side of the road as they took his licence away and drove him to the police station.
EVO had to send another driver over to bring the car back
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If you don't have cash to pay the fine, you go to local station too.
They have also installed lots of cameras on m-ways now, in the central reservation - big grey boxes with glass windows, front facing too.
Not sure if you'd get away with it with UK plates, not tried yet
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To be honest, you can sit at 85-90 all the way, the road is usually clear and lane discipline is quite good which makes it easy to make good progress, and the roads are billiard table smooth too.
The only downside, is that some m-ways are only two lanes and trucks often decide to overtake each other which can take a looooooooooong time
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Originally Posted by 89XR2
Close your eyes, grip the steering wheel tight and put your right foot flat to the floor!!!!!!
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Cheers Frog!! i can see me going much over 80 as will be in a VW TDI loaded with gear and trying to save Derv
Or the directions pretty clear? Not to worried if they are in French as one of the persons going speaks Fleaunt French so thats a god send
Read somewhere its law to display GB signs on your car while your there!? Though tbh cant see me getting done for not? the same goes for the light diflectors on the main beam.
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Read somewhere its law to display GB signs on your car while your there!? Though tbh cant see me getting done for not? the same goes for the light diflectors on the main beam.
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Originally Posted by Rhys
Read somewhere its law to display GB signs on your car while your there!? Though tbh cant see me getting done for not? the same goes for the light diflectors on the main beam.
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French police can be quite jobsworthy at times, especially when they have a financial target to meet
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Hmmm havent got GB, reflective jacket, spare bulbs or beam converters and two Triangles! Got one but not two. pmsl not good then. Will get GB on Ferry and stick in window. as for the rest will risk it
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If your car has GB euro-style number plates you don't need the GB sticker, but the ferry company will almost certainly give you one for free.
And the latest euro thing is that driving bans from another country can now come home with you - only a matter of time till you start getting points for speeding overseas as well.
And the latest euro thing is that driving bans from another country can now come home with you - only a matter of time till you start getting points for speeding overseas as well.
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Speeding fines have gone up to 90 euro. Thats what people where getting when i went le mans.
Also don't use anything like a road angel etc as their illegal over there
Other than that have a good time
Also don't use anything like a road angel etc as their illegal over there
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Other than that have a good time
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I must of been lucky last time we went to France on holiday as we travelled at lets say quite high speeds for most of the time, my wife got flashed by one of those speed camara's in the central reservation a shutter popped up & flash but never heard anything, only ever saw 1 police car in a week of being there. Before i read this little post i would of thought nothing of sitting at well over 100 mph
not anymore.
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Originally Posted by Rhys
pmsl!!! Pikey.
Fookin good idea though
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Fookin good idea though
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15 quid for a warning triangle,
15 quid for a bulb kit (that won't fit quads)
10 quid for a bright vest
10 quid for a gb sticker, and headlight deflectors...
And thats before your breakdown cover / travel insurance etc.... - quickly adds up
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Originally Posted by Rolls
10 quid for a gb sticker, and headlight deflectors...
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Problem with buying them is that they are not re-useable, and it gets quite expensive when you go there frequently.
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A quicky too: the tolerance used to be 10%. They have now reduced it to 5% and have also lowered the speed limit in towns and villages. Basically if you are on a National (probably like B road here??? ) then it's 90Kmh unless stated otherwise (there are some "dangerous" parts at 70kmh) and as soon as you see a sign that implies some people might live there, just simply drop to 50kmh. There might not be a sign to tell you to drop to 50 so just do it. Because if they decide to get a speed van there and catch you, they will .... Especially in straight lines.... and behind bridges....
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Well what can i say it was a nice drive!! As Frog said roads are very soomth and Lane disapline is a LOT better than over here!! Roads or lovely and traffice very light all the time! Maybe thats because France is twice the size of the UK with half the cars
Got flashed by a speed camera but hopfully wont hear anything
Thourly recommend a drive though France sometime for everyone. Would love to take the cossie over.
And oh TOM TOM is amazing!!!! toke me straight to my freinds house with no stress and hassel
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Got flashed by a speed camera but hopfully wont hear anything
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Thourly recommend a drive though France sometime for everyone. Would love to take the cossie over.
And oh TOM TOM is amazing!!!! toke me straight to my freinds house with no stress and hassel
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#30
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Originally Posted by Rhys
Thourly recommend a drive though France sometime for everyone. Would love to take the cossie over.
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Originally Posted by Rhys
Thourly recommend a drive though France sometime for everyone. Would love to take the cossie over.
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Originally Posted by frog
I reckon we've done close to 2,500miles in one cossie or the other in France and they were some of the best motorways miles ever - by a mile ![Surprised](https://passionford.com/forum/images/smilies/bigcry.gif)
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Stu, I am afraid the nearest I got to the riviera was Nice on business, and I didn't get to see much of the place, never went on holiday there.
Driving near there iirc is a little more like london, lots of hot headed drivers (must be the heat)... I remember getting closer to Nice and thinking everything was happening much faster.
As for where to go, Nice, Cannes, StTropez, Monaco are the big names around there as you probably know, depends what you want.
Are you flying there, do you mind driving around the place to see the tourist sites ? If so, I am sure Nat, Pet and I can come up with a few places within an hours' drive or so
Driving near there iirc is a little more like london, lots of hot headed drivers (must be the heat)... I remember getting closer to Nice and thinking everything was happening much faster.
As for where to go, Nice, Cannes, StTropez, Monaco are the big names around there as you probably know, depends what you want.
Are you flying there, do you mind driving around the place to see the tourist sites ? If so, I am sure Nat, Pet and I can come up with a few places within an hours' drive or so
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#35
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I seem to remember the roads around StTropez etc being really good. Some very twisty roads as well if I remember rightly.
Dont quote me on that though as it was over ten years ago I went there.
Dont quote me on that though as it was over ten years ago I went there.
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Originally Posted by dangerous - reyland
they will measure you between tolls
I used to do the paris-whatever toll road in 55 mins and it was a 160km stretch.
Be carefull now, because they have a couple of fixed camera's now, but they're big and indicated.
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Originally Posted by frog
Are you flying there, do you mind driving around the place to see the tourist sites ? If so, I am sure Nat, Pet and I can come up with a few places within an hours' drive or so ![Top](https://passionford.com/forum/images/smilies/smile011.gif)
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Originally Posted by Joris_FRST
Originally Posted by dangerous - reyland
they will measure you between tolls
Colleague of mine got nicked in his subaru impreza last summer
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Stu, I am sure Pet will know exactly where to go
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Stu,
The south is beautiful and I still have to get Greg there!! and even further down where my heart really lives.... CORSICA!!! YEAHAHAH
From Cannes, going towards Nice, there are lots of fantastic places like Juan les Pins, Antibes. In land Vallauris, Grasses or Mougins are beautiful "villages".... Going more towards Marseilles, St Raphael, Frejus, Port-Grimaud, Ste Maxime....
Personaly, I wouldn't give the time of day to St Topez, not really worth your money and time. Also I am sure Pet will know of some nice little coves to stop and have a nice BBQ and swim, away from the crowds and eyes...
Don't forget to go a little inland too as there are some BEAUTIFUL places to see too...
I am sure you'll have a fab great time!!
The south is beautiful and I still have to get Greg there!! and even further down where my heart really lives.... CORSICA!!! YEAHAHAH
From Cannes, going towards Nice, there are lots of fantastic places like Juan les Pins, Antibes. In land Vallauris, Grasses or Mougins are beautiful "villages".... Going more towards Marseilles, St Raphael, Frejus, Port-Grimaud, Ste Maxime....
Personaly, I wouldn't give the time of day to St Topez, not really worth your money and time. Also I am sure Pet will know of some nice little coves to stop and have a nice BBQ and swim, away from the crowds and eyes...
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Don't forget to go a little inland too as there are some BEAUTIFUL places to see too...
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I am sure you'll have a fab great time!!
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