Driving through France - Advice Needed

[Gridlock]

Do you mind me asking what route your taking? Thinking of heading to Europe this year and thats on my list of "must sees"

erm, we're heading down the right of the country (Reims is involved?) and then back up the left (Toulouse?). Plenty of Col de Turini and similar in the middle.

Someone else planned the majority of the route, I'm being lazy and will enjoy the surprise

keep an eye on your speed - they are hotter over there now and hide their grey boxes in the bushes in the central reservation

You raise a good point; what do French speed cameras and cops look like, how sneaky are they, etc?

 

[ca-uk]

bright blue subaru imprezas parked perpendicular to the road, typically in a service lane concealed by either trees or a mound of dirt. funky looking cop in the passenger seat with a big set of binoculars - i think by the time you see them it's too late (if you're speeding)

cameras are grey boxes - either to the left or right facing you - almost always preceded by a sign "pour votre securite" blah - i don't think i ever saw a sign without there then being a speed camera, but the distance varied, though typically less than a mile between the sign and the camera.

they're not just on the autoroutes - also have them on the D roads

apparently if caught by a camera then not enforcable. i had my cruise control on 135 - 140 (kph) depending on my mood.

 

[A1GSS]

COMAND disk

Hi All,

In August I'm off to stretch my E500's legs on a canter to SW France and I've got a few questions; please chip in if you've been doing this recently

COMAND
I've got the DVD version - do I need to order/buy a COMAND Nav DVD for France?

Your Nav disk will likely already include Europe. If it's a DVD system as you say the standard disks I think include all European countries. The disk itself will have "GB" or "Europe" or whatever printed on it. Alternatively, you can check its coverage by Googling its MB part number. If it's an old one you might want the benefit of an upgrade anyway, of course.

 

[st4]

Hi All,



Insurance
I need to call the insurance company to check on fully comp abroad

Other mandatory stuff
I'm assuming I need to buy a high vis jacket.
And a spare set of bulbs (?).
And a GB sticker as plates aren't Euro ones.
And take copies of reg and insurance docs

Other optional Stuff
I might buy some window blinds to keep heat out of the rear.
And I'll have a quick check at the local indy to make sure everything is tickety
boo.

I am off too.

Do you take original docs like the V5 or will a copy suffice?

 

[ca-uk]

I'd take a copy, just in case - be a hassle to lose it..

 

[louisv6]

You raise a good point; what do French ... cops look like, how sneaky are they, etc?

Grumpy looking, with a Gauloises cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

 

[Rovinghawk]

You will also have the benefit of being able to route plan outside of the car like in a pretty town square with an ice cold Kronenbourg on the go.

Drink driving. Outstanding suggestion.

RH

 

[Spin_bowler]

Drink driving. Outstanding suggestion.

RH

Who suggested drink driving? Wasn't me.

Perhaps one could have a beer and one's OH could drive. Perhaps one could do the route-planning in the evening after day in the car before retiring to his hotel room for a full night's sleep. I don't think I suggested drink driving.

 

[ca-uk]

while we're steering off topic, one did have a nice burger in troyes

 

[Londonscottish]

Going by the misfortune of another member's current thread , make sure you have a 'proper' spare wheel , puncture repair kit or otherwise be prepared to be stuffed royally by tyre centres who won't repair tyres that will be fixed here and charge approx double the UK tyre prices - option 3 - spend the rest of your trip at 50 mph on a space saver - and where do you put your full size flat ?

Ah - checked it - it's one of those tyres that looks like its full size....but isn't - b**ger

 

[Spinal]

I realise it's late to close the barn doors... but I've seen this, which looks quite interesting....

Stop&Go Pocket Tyre Plugger Kit + CO2 Inflation System on eBay (end time 14-Jul-10 08:31:57 BST)

I'm used to the cheapo £5 "rubber thread" repairs used all over Africa, but never seen a mushroom kit that works from the outside!

M.

 

[corned]

I was told that those rubber bung type repairs were outlawed in the UK, but I have not verified that claim however.

Nice burger, btw. You never managed that all to yourself, surely? I note that Steve likes it as well.

 

[ca-uk]

Ah - checked it - it's one of those tyres that looks like its full size....but isn't - b**ger

that's what happened to me! i was all smug at first, then it hit me

make sure you go armed with the locations/phone numbers of feu vert, autobac, norauto and any others! better to be safe than slow

 

[st4]

I was told that those rubber bung type repairs were outlawed in the UK, but I have not verified that claim however.

Nice burger, btw. You never managed that all to yourself, surely? I note that Steve likes it as well.

I'd finish that off no sweat....have no doubt....

Its actually made me even hungrier just seeing that

 

[corned]

If you guys have got 7-seaters (like me) then you have no option but to have the 2CV spare wheel. Not enough room under the back seats for a real one!

The only saving grace is that you do at least get a nice big strong polythene bag in which to put your filthy punctured one while it has to sit in amongst your luggage.

 

[jeremytaylor]

bright blue subaru imprezas parked perpendicular to the road

The lucky gendarmes get the scoobies. The unlucky ones get Focus or Megane estates, but employ the same positioning tactics. By the time you see them, it's too late. Quite often truckers coming the other way will flash you a warning.

 

[Gridlock]

...not that I expect to speed, of course, it's just after Nelson and all that I expect some persecution

Anyone seen any good "driving in France" sites? Not "pack a hi-vis", more like "overtakers keep flashing" etc.

 

[crockers]

On the autoroutes they time you via the toll ticket. If you haven't had a stop and have been belting it there can be a gendarme waiting for you at the other end. This is very true as you approach Calais and all the Roast Beefs race to catch a ferry.

 

[A1GSS]

...not that I expect to speed, of course, it's just after Nelson and all that I expect some persecution

We got pulled over last year by a motorcycle cop who accused me of driving at 130kph in a 60kph roadworks limit. Luckily (?) the combination of my limited French (in which I pointed out the fact that we'd lumbered up the hill in a single lane, stuck behind an immense Renault mega truck achieving 30kph tops), faultless set of car and driver documents, fractious kids, and a smashed car window with a flapping piece of poly bag gaffer-taped over it was enough to convince him that I wasn't lying. Let us off. Horrible though, b******s.

Won't go back in a hurry. Have also sold my last French car in protest, and bought a VW (presumably made in Poland or Spain).

 

[PXW]

On the autoroutes they time you via the toll ticket. If you haven't had a stop and have been belting it there can be a gendarme waiting for you at the other end. This is very true as you approach Calais and all the Roast Beefs race to catch a ferry.

Yes, autoroute up to Calais is notorious - mostly GB cars get pulled, and they pull a LOT of them. Definitely a stretch to use cruise control on - and also watch the speed limit changes carefully as you approach the port.

I think for speeding on autoroutes they will generally pull you over at the next Péage - so don't assume that you've got away with it simply because you pass a speed trap and don't get pulled immediately.