Driving in France

[Lozzer]

Are they like stick on? Peel off after?

That's them yes, there is a leading brand but I can't remember the name off hand. They came with my "driving abroad" kit
A La

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Maximize your safety and compliance with the following key features Drive confidently, stay safe, and be prepared for any unexpected situation. Beam Deflectors for Right-Hand Driving Essential beam deflectors included for adapting your headlights to right-hand driving.

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[safrane]

No, I don't think so.

A trailer will cost you more, state you have a high car (roof box) and you will be placed with the coachs. Note however you also only have access to the coach toilets... which can be poor (at the front and rear of the cabins) rather than the toilets in each carriage.

 

[Wanderer]

A trailer will cost you more, state you have a high car (roof box) and you will be placed with the coachs. Note however you also only have access to the coach toilets... which can be poor (at the front and rear of the cabins) rather than the toilets in each carriage.

Right, so what's wrong about just going for normal car? Is it because the QP is deemed too long it's hard to drive on for the average driver? Got mine on several ferries of many sizes!!

 

[2b1ask1]

Some people are overly precious about their wheels, the carriages have a 100mm high kerb and pavement/refuge to each side but the driveway is about 2.2m wide, I have never had any issue keeping it down the middle of a standard waggon, the coach wagons are a little wider and longer access.

 

[safrane]

The train carriage for cars is fine, but the 'road' you drive along inside them is narrow and fitted with metal curbs which will damage your wheels if not VERY careful.

 

[Lozzer]

I just went normal, that was the 3200 though, the staff would redirect you to a more suitable embark anyways if they thought there would be a problem, the normal route was plenty wide enough for me

 

[Wanderer]

Good info - I can last 35 mins without a wee, so go for the high car option it seems.....

 

[CatmanV2]

Normal is fine, IME

Often they look at the badge and put you in a wide carriage anyway

C

 

[Thatch]

We go across every couple of months.

Never been stopped about lights, or for anything else for that matter, but do have vest and triangle and breatherlsisers in boot.



but do drive slowly in the normal car section (if not going with the caravans in the 4x4 section), the metal kerbs are harsh and the sections are narrow when passing the toilets! (Bring your mirrors in!)

No problem for ground clearence on ground or upper level though!

 

[Lozzer]

Forgot the Mrs took this , gives an idea.

 

[Strad]

Had a tough few days work golf in Le Touquet last week. Great roadtrip for the Stradale to stretch its legs and leaving Weds encountered the start of the Le Mans traffic..... exotica everywhere. Back Friday and after enjoying the wonderful French motorways was welcomed home by a closed Dartford tunnel during Friday pm rush hour, great fun.......

I have most of the required continental driving bits and pieces from taking the family wagon skiing each year (assuming they won’t check the bulk kit for compatibility!) and on the basis you must have a breathalyser in France but they haven’t yet established the legal penalty for not having one, I don’t bother with that.

Eurotunnel - the crossing was booked for me and standard was fine in the Stradale but given the choice I would go in the long / high vehicle train to get the wider track. The main issue was getting onboard where you have to take it slow and get the angle right but that worked and then the track was fine but tight. See photo from the train below. Hit a massive 8,000 miles whilst sitting in Dartford traffic.

Why can’t our roads be like that.....???!!!

M.

 

[alfatwo]

I can't be arsed with faffing with France nowadays, what with all the new speed traps set up on propose before we leave to EU..

Germany via Switzerland is the best way into Italy and the south nowadays!

Dave

 

[2b1ask1]

Have to agree with Dave, last year coming back from Monaco (actually Mullhouse) we came up through Belgium and it as much less hassle even though their max motorway limit is 120kph as opposed to 130 in Froggy.

 

[Lozzer]

I can't be arsed with faffing with France nowadays, what with all the new speed traps set up on propose before we leave to EU..

Germany via Switzerland is the best way into Italy and the south nowadays!

Dave

I thought you thought all roads were a bit of a faff nowadays...don't you be going putting that mileage up!!

 

[alfatwo]

I thought you thought all roads were a bit of a faff nowadays...don't you be going putting that mileage up!!

Know what you mean Loz, one of these is for all the boring faffing around Europe stuff!

Dave

 

[Gazcw]

Cool Lozzer, I'll PM for tag when we've decided, seem best option for me, cracking drive!

One other wee think, I have NI reg car, no GB sticker (cos NI is not in GB) - issue? Or should I just get a sticker? I fancy those chrome on black ones you used to see, remove it when I get back, looking at magnetic. Do I need front and rear or will I get away with it? Don't fancy arguing the differences between UK, GB, IRL and the 1801 United Kingdom Acts of Union between GB and Ireland to a Gendarme on the hard shoulder.....

My QP fits no problem on normal carriages. I wind the mirrors in so I don't catch the toilets but plenty of room tbh. I carry number plate stickers in car, never had to put them on. I use an old spare bulb kit. Hi viz in car and not boot. I don't think you need beam deflectors on xenon. Something to do with the flat plane of the beam or something like that. I asked with my BMW and was told no need and no adjustment.

 

[alfatwo]

Anyway the Frenchie's deserve everything they get!
The first time I had a thrash around France in the 70's we had an Helphos spot lamp, remember those! fitted to the windscreen, you could fry someone a hundred yards away..
The frogs had strange yellow headlamps back then which were useless..

Dave

 

[zagatoes30]

Never had any issue on chunnel train or in Franc, always go for the lower deck to avoid grounding and fold in mirrors. French roads are generally good but personally unless in a real rush try to stick to the old N roads rather than the toll infested A roads

 

[gillis]

Driving in France is normally without issues. I drove around with NI registered plates for months without a GB sticker. Never got pulled over. Download the app "Flitsmeister" for speed trap notifications during your trip. Really handy.
You can decide to drive the 'route national' motorways to avoid toll, which can be expensive. The N roads are nicer roads but longer. Gasoline is always cheapest near supermarkets (Carrefour or similar). Price difference can be up to 30 cents a litre. A fire extinguisher and some yellow vests are required. I would have them anyway. But again, nobody is gonna check it.

 

[Wanderer]

I'm back! No issues whatsoever, except I backed into a stone plant pot that wasn't there and scratched the rear bumper. Not deep at all but one to fret about. I'll never sell this car so it's no issue re resale and can hardly see it but I know it's there now. Did about 1300 miles at 20.6 mpg - not bad as a fair bit was over a ton....

Never saw a police car or even a Gendarme, well one police car on opposite carriageway, that was it. French drivers speed a lot, I was never the fastest. Sat Nav was talking bollox when in rural Normandy, took me down just about every D road, single lane, corn fields, mental. Set off 6:00am this morning French time, dumped myself up on the Eurotunnnel, dropped the Mrs off at Beauvais (she's in Dublin for work) - hate that airport, then A16 to Calais, easy peasy. Crossing, easy, drive Folkestone to about Northampton terrible, after that all good, got here 14:15 UK time.

Driving on correct side of car on wrong side of road for first time, a million times easier than I thought. Only forgot three times, one at a weird junction (no risk to life), once in a village with a shît road (no risk to life) and once this morning, tired, another weird junction, (some risk to life had it not been so early!).

Enjoyed it!

Having a strong French beer now, early to bed!

Thanks for all the responses about, helped enormously...