Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2855
Driving through France. Hints and tips?
Next week I’m heading to france for the Le Mans 24 hours race, I’ll be taking my D3 and towing a Sankey camping trailer.
This will be my first time in France but not my first time driving abroad. Did a lot of driving in the US last year. Getting ferry from Dover to Calais, then heading down. It will be Wednesday morning and at rush hour for part of it.
I have a kit that comes with the usual stuff that Le Plod want on you. I’ve got spare bulbs etc sorted.
Trailer has working lights and good tyres. ( it’s Iggy’s old one )
RAC European cover has been sorted.
I believe the speed limit is 55 for my car and trailer in France due to weight.
Will I need to change headlight beams? I’ve Bi Xenons on the car so not sure on that.
Is there any do and don’ts for heading off, I know about not having anything to detect speed traps as they are illegal.
Picking car up tonight from Specialist as it’s been given a superb parts cannon volley so I’m expecting no issues from the car.
7th Jun 2018 3:32 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73123
Hint? Watch out in supermarket car parks, it’s when I lapse and drive back on the left.
A.J.M wrote:
so I’m expecting no issues from the car.
And don’t even think such things, she’ll know. It’s what they do. Just replace the word “Terminator” with “LR” and “dead” with “broke”.
Click image to enlarge
7th Jun 2018 4:19 pm
Mr Kington
Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 1552
Don’t bother about the lights and changing beam. I never have. Also you can sit at 55 or even 65 but again as long as your are safe and the trailer is Ok at higher speeds nobody really cares. I have been overtaken at 70 plus with people rowing all sorts of thinks including boats. Does tend to be the French to be fair.James favourite hobby is writing in the third person.
7th Jun 2018 4:52 pm
Mr Kington
Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 1552
For clarity nobody is as rowing the boats at 70. Should have read towing the boats ! Autocorrect for you.James favourite hobby is writing in the third person.
7th Jun 2018 4:54 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73123
Agreed re lights. Done many, many tens of thousands of miles sur l’continent without changing my lights and never been flashed. And that’s with a D3 fitted with halogens and xenons and my present D4 with xenons.
Just got back from Basel, Switzerland this morning and 75% of the continent driving on Froggie Motorways. Ignore lights as already said, frogs dont bother when they come here. No need for the breatherliser thing as they can’t prosecute you for not having one anyway. Do keep in mind that the combined gross train weight of D3 and Trailer puts you above 3.5T so you must abide by the 80/90Kph limits and should have stickers declaring this on the back of the trailer LRs are a fond memory, apart from the maintenance.
7th Jun 2018 6:16 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73123
As with MrH, I never bothered with the breathylisers. When the French were enforcing the requirement you couldn’t get one for love nor croissants. Once they stopped everyone was trying to sell the stock they had. Les Gendarmes won’t pull you over to check bulb kits (which technically isn’t a requirement, having a blown build is a no-no so folk-lore has decreed that a bulb kit is a legal requirement, it’s not.) or blow-in-ze-bags, it’s coz you’ve been speeding. Don’t speed & they won’t bother you. Simples.
7th Jun 2018 6:28 pm
stick
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 604
Have a hi-vis vest within reach in the cabin. Illegal to stop and get out on peage without one.d4 HSE
7th Jun 2018 9:43 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
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Just drive, enjoy and don't over think it. D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
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technically it's one hi-vis per seat … just in case you have full set of passengers.
whilst the breathalysers may not be enforceable, IIRC I picked them up for 99p for 2 in one of the "saver" shops. just checked and it was "Quality Save"
7th Jun 2018 10:22 pm
A.J.M
Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2855
Thanks guys for the advice.
For the trailer, I only passed my B+E test a couple of weeks ago. So 1600 miles for my second legal drive with a trailer should be a giggle.
Is the 80/90 stickers law. I’ve read so many different bits on that.
The kit came with the hi vis and breathalysers so just leaving them in.
Cars came back from specialist. It’s running sweet and the 4 new air struts have transformed the ride.
7th Jun 2018 10:52 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8243
Regarding the SM stop or any stop that leaves the unit unattended, check all doors have actually locked and the trailer is locked to the car, this is where scrotes hang out and strike, not a nice experience to come back to your car and it's empty.
I always wrap a band of electric tape round the steering wheel to remind me which side of the road I am driving on particularly when I get back to UK, very easy to forget after a long stop.
Ignore being flagged down by a gang of thieves pointing at your wheels suggesting you have a flat.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
8th Jun 2018 7:40 am
D4mation
Member Since: 29 Jul 2011
Location: Ruralshire
Posts: 593
Don't bother with 80/90 stickers on the trailer, they're not required.
It's the gross train weight on the VIN plate that ze plod will use to determine the 90kph limit on motorways - regardless of size or weight of trailer.
For future reference, from July some time the speed limit on A roads in France will reduce from 90 to 80kph, regardless of size of vehicle and whether or not towing.MY12 D4 HSE Ipanema Sand
10th Jun 2018 11:50 am
D&G
Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
To clarify, the speed limit drops to 80kph from July the first. We are expecting heavy enforcement initially.An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
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Good luck Fella have a good time The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the best of everything they have.
Last edited by Aerialmark on 11th Jun 2018 7:30 pm. Edited 1 time in total
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Just replace the word “Terminator” with “LR” and “dead” with “broke”. 
