Driving in France

[Saddler]

I assume it will be a "must" to get a Sat Nav, but are there any other tips for driving in France? (Caen to Brittany) Do you have to switch off the speed camera notification or is that a bit severe?

Thanks

[hodgepodge]

No need for sat nav if you've got a trusty co-pilot.

 

The motorways are fab, we drove to the med coast last summer and never saw a police man, a speed camera or a pot hole.

 

No need to speed either as their speed limit is higher than ours...although it varys according tothe weather conditions - which makes sense.

Have fun.

[RonJeremy]

You need to take all your documents with you for the car. You need spare bulbs for all your lights (!!) and a Hi-Viz jacket easily accessible for each passenger in case you break down (and even if you don't), a warning triangle, and lots oif cash if you tend to speed for the on the spot fines the police give you if you are in a british registered car.

[Trishtee]

In some rural areas, beware of 'Priorite a Droit' - Priority goes to cars joining from the right. There aren't always warning signs. Priorite a Droit is slowly (I repeat slowly) being phased out and is now fairly rare in larger towns and cities but still exists at occasional places in some and in a lot of the smaller rural areas. Best advice I can give is be aware when you see a road joining from the right.

[verona]

Another tip. Drive the the right.

[hard2miss]

I assume it will be a "must" to get a Sat Nav, but are there any other tips for driving in France? (Caen to Brittany) Do you have to switch off the speed camera notification or is that a bit severe?

Thanks

 

You will need to have a string of onions around your neck, a stripy shirt and a beret on.

 

 

 

 

I presume you will need that lot, but I have never been out of Sheffield so its anyone's guess really.

[truman]

You will need to have a string of onions around your neck, a stripy shirt and a beret on.

 

 

 

 

.

I think that's only if you're riding a bike...

[perplexed]

No need for sat nav if you've got a trusty co-pilot.

 

The motorways are fab, we drove to the med coast last summer and never saw a police man, a speed camera or a pot hole.

 

No need to speed either as their speed limit is higher than ours...although it varys according tothe weather conditions - which makes sense.

Have fun.

 

It's so much easier driving in France, but speed cameras are not at all uncommon, and they usually do not paint them a helpfull bright yellow! They are grey, and not infrequently to be found in shrubbery on the central reservation. And I have seen people get pulled over by the police using hand-held speed cameras into the rest areas and get on the spot fines.

 

I agree that sat nav is not a must, providing you've got a half-decent map reader with you!

 

The speed limit is 130 kph on the motorway, unless it's bad weather, or otherwise signposted. So as above, there is no need to speed.

 

Incidentally, until quite recently, the DVLA did not share information with the French police. They do now.

[hard2miss]

I think that's only if you're riding a bike...

 

Oh yeh

 

 

Thanks for that

[Longcol]

It's so much easier driving in France, but speed cameras are not at all uncommon, and they usually do not paint them a helpfull bright yellow! They are grey, and not infrequently to be found in shrubbery on the central reservation. And I have seen people get pulled over by the police using hand-held speed cameras into the rest areas and get on the spot fines.

 

 

Have been on holiday in France for the best part of 20 years and never seen a traffic camera or a traffic cop on a motorway.

 

They do sometimes have speed traps on other roads - usually just before a village with a long straight (therefore potentially fast) approach to it. Most French drivers coming the other way will flash you as a warning.

 

Haven't seen "priorite a droit" either - I think that is now dead and buried.

 

Certainly don't need a sat nav - get a Michelin map book.