Member Since: 25 Oct 2005
Location: Aylesbury
Posts: 524
The Law in France?
I will be going to France in July - an area to the east of Avingon near Mont Ventoux.
Whilst I am there I would quite like to consider a little time off road if time permits - I am not thinking about anything very serious.
Don't like to see the message unanswered for so long, so here's my two penniesworth:
Chemin communal
Normal country road maintained by a commune (village/town) rather than the departement (county). Usually surfaced, I think.
Chemin rural
Track "maintained" by a commune. Usually unsurfaced, I think. (We live on one, and it's a mud track, but the commune does come round with a tractor and fill in the larger potholes, and even rebuilt part of the surface on a hill in earth!).
Chemin d'explotation
Private road/track which simply enables access to various parcels of land together. Not normally a through route. Owners of parcels of land have right to use. See www.ofme.org/documents/ForetPrivee/fiches/635103.pdf if you read French.
Voie prive ouverte
Private road/track. I think that only those who own the road have the right to use it, but use by others is tolerated.
It does however say that the environment law says that in principle motorised vehicles are banned in private forests and the "natural spaces" unless they are using "voies privees ouvertes".
I also founds an official circular which seems to say that the only one of the above which you can't use is the chemin d'exploitation, but perhaps Gurvan can confirm this.
14th Jun 2006 10:59 am
tony bennett
Member Since: 28 Jul 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 565
IAn,
I got this reply when clicking your link
Afflicted! The page that you ask does not exist any more or changed address (error 404).
Thank you to point out to the webmaster this anomaly: which information did you seek? from which did you come?
What do you want to make now?
(Right Clicking gives a translation on my computer)regards
tony
05 "Battlestar Galactica"
In 7 years ownership
09/13 New Battery (I did that)
11/13 new alternator. (I did that)
2 x EGR Blanked. (I did that )
14th Jun 2006 2:59 pm
bluebarchetta
Member Since: 25 Oct 2005
Location: Aylesbury
Posts: 524
Ian,
Thanks for the reply - I will ask my wife to translate - but this will give the game away
Funny about the links, they work for me. You should have said "right clicking gives a load of !"£$ on my computer!)
Bluebarchetta:
If you need any more info so as not to give the game away, let me know.
14th Jun 2006 8:14 pm
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
Sorry...
Yes you are right IanD, I am quite busy at the moment as I am NOT in France for a while... You can find informations on where I am here : http://unomig.org/ And no... There are no Land Rovers here !
What you wrote seems correct to me but does'nt take into account the problems that our "Sinister of Ecology" created with an infamous "circulaire" that bears its name...
Namely, nowadays, the Law is not THAT clear anymore and you can get arrested and fined even though you are perfectly legit because that "Circulaire" says that the byway you are using "must be usable by a normal car without any special caracteristics that would allow it to be used in Off-road situation" to be considered open...
That opens a lot of loopholes through which, basically, you can be arrested and fined...
Basically my point is, as long as you are reasonable and courteous, everything SHOULD go well... But, nobody, nowadays, can assure you of that ! There have been cases of people being harrassed and sued "pour l'exemple"... This is the situation right now in France and I am a little bit sad and angered about it...
Next year will be an election year in France and considering the disproportionnate weight that the "Green" have in this country, I am not optimistic for the future and fear that we will go the way of Germany or Switzerland and forbide off-roading nearly completely...
Enjoy it responsibly while you still can... Georgia On My Mind...
15th Jun 2006 5:16 am
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
I should add that the Mont Ventoux area has become a very posh region indeed with a lot of celebrities and so on having colonized its western slopes and the area around Apt. It has become fashionable to own a "Mas" (provencal house but with a swimming pool instead of a sheep pen !) over there...
Thus, they don't want to be distrubed by "mechanic noises"... It would spoil their relaxation...
So, be careful and try out the northern slopes or going further east in between Apt and Barcelonette... Be also especially careful in the area immediately around and to the north of Carpentras... Lot of winery and those people will watch closely what you are doing...
If I remember correctly but I cannot check for obious reasons, there have been one or two itinerarys published in certains French magazines. But even those by not be sure a 100%... Off-roading in France is becoming a little bit like Russian Roulette : funny but it can lead to a lot of stress... Georgia On My Mind...
No LRs, but some of these, which could be quite fun:
Quote:
There have been cases of people being harrassed and sued "pour l'exemple"... This is the situation right now in France
Thought it always was I was done for a red light which I didn't do once ... no, no calm down, don't get started on French "justice".
Quote:
whether or not you are in a "Parc Naturel"
Since we are, we must be careful not to get arrested on the way home !
15th Jun 2006 10:23 am
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
"Those" as you say are Nyalas... Armored, mine-proof (But I don't intend to try that...), automatic gearshifting, 8,4T, 167HP and 560Nm (Mercedes engine), Aircon... They are build in south Africa.
Fun, but slow, noisy and bouncy !
I miss my DIII !!!
But then, I have my driving licence for those since two days ago !
As for the rest, I agree, don't start me either on the French judicial system...
And be careful about coming out of a byway in your "Parc Naturel du Vexin" if I am mistaken...
Just be careful is mostly what I mean... Georgia On My Mind...
15th Jun 2006 10:34 am
tony bennett
Member Since: 28 Jul 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 565
Sounds like non basque Spain might be better at this rate regards
tony
05 "Battlestar Galactica"
In 7 years ownership
09/13 New Battery (I did that)
11/13 new alternator. (I did that)
2 x EGR Blanked. (I did that )
15th Jun 2006 10:35 am
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
Could be but down south... South of the French border they can also be obnoxious if I believe what I read...
But yes, France might not be as good for off-roading as it was...
And somewhere that is the point of those tree-huggers... Georgia On My Mind...
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