Driving in France

PolishBigSpender

redux wrote: »

There aren't any. Well, almost

There is only very occasionally a check at one or two of the Belgium to France borders. Also borders to non Schengen agreement countries, but that won't affect your trip except the passport check and a chance of security or customs questions or searches when crossing the Channel

The French are notorious for pulling people in on the A16 coastal motorway after coming from Belgium, but this is more related to drugs than anything else.

DCFC79

wosnick wrote: »

Its well worth going via Luxembourg if you have a diesel,dont forget its the same price in all the outlets.

i know diesel is cheap in Luxembourg but is it a requirement that all diesel is sold at the same price at all the pumps

haggle_2

I go to France a few times a year and one advantage I found with DirectLine is that they have always given me free car insurance when I've gone to France for just a few days. http://www.carinsurancefrance.co.uk kept me updated.

max2009

If anyone needs know anything about driving in europe they welcome to PM me.I used to work as a european courier driving to around 12 countries in a merc sprinter van.
OP i used to travel right past where you are going through bordeaux on my way to the spanish border.You can hire a tomtom from places in the uk for £10 per week.This will help you avoid all the costly toll roads on the way down as if you take the wrong roads you can be paying up to £80 in tolls just to near bordeaux.
Try Calais-Boulogne-Rouen-Le mans-Tours-Poitiers-Charente for your main pointers.The drive from Tours down to Charente is beautiful countryside.Be careful of mobile speed traps.I got done once by a black car with a big pole on the back with a camera that flashed as i went past.Next minute sirens were flashing and they pulled me over wanting 110 euros on the spot fine for 10mph over the limit.This was in the dark too !

max2009

This is very important YOU MUST GET A TOMTOM at least on hire.If you do not you run the risk of taking wrong turns and ending up on toll roads.It will also tell you the nearest garages.

max2009

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

The French are notorious for pulling people in on the A16 coastal motorway after coming from Belgium, but this is more related to drugs than anything else.

It is to do more with trying to get cash off duty free shoppers if they have more than 400 cigs despite the 3,200 cigs rule when bringing them back to the UK.The french,belgium and german police have british coach registration plates on their ANPR system.The coaches that are known to do duty free trips.German customs and police will sit on roads outside of luxembourg and try to tax you extra.Most drug runners are flagged up by ANPR as they pass through belgium mainly due to dutch intelligence data.

DCFC79

max2009 wrote: »

This is very important YOU MUST GET A TOMTOM at least on hire.If you do not you run the risk of taking wrong turns and ending up on toll roads.It will also tell you the nearest garages.

Isnt neccessary, me and someone else drove from calais down to near limoges with just a map and no sat nav, wasnt really a hard journey if you ask me, we stuck to motorways when we could

max2009

I am just trying to stop them making mistakes and taking wrong turns for the sake of £10 especially as her partner has only been driving for 18 months.

DCFC79

max2009 wrote: »

I am just trying to stop them making mistakes and taking wrong turns for the sake of £10 especially as her partner has only been driving for 18 months.

yeh i understand, depends they're using motorways all the way or driving through towns as driving through towns is a pain so a sat nav would be a good idea

Inactive

DCFC79 wrote: »

Isnt neccessary, me and someone else drove from calais down to near limoges with just a map and no sat nav, wasnt really a hard journey if you ask me, we stuck to motorways when we could

Same here, I have driven to Spain twice without a Sat Nav, never took one wrong turn, it was a doddle.