General "tips" for France trips...
I drive in France and in the UK, covering a greater annual distance there than I now do in the UK. Driving there is a real delight. It can be made better with a few tips.
If you are going to use Autoroutes, subscribe to the Télépéage "Liber-T" system before you go. You can do it online from http://www.sanef.fr (or from one of the Agences Commerciales after you arrive).
What it means is that you never have to stop at a péage booth on the autoroutes, and don't inconvenience your passenger or scrape the left side of your car trying to get close enough to pay.
You stick a clip to the windscreen and slide the "badge" into it. Then, instead of driving up to take a ticket, you drive slowly for about 20m before the barrier, the badge beeps, the barrier goes up, and off you go. Much the same happens when you leave the autoroute - you just sidle up to the barrier, the badge beeps, and you are away. It saves so much time and hassle. You also get the amusement of looking at the person behind assume that the British car in front has gone into the wrong lane and is going to get stuck. I once had a taxi doing a full bake lockup because he thought he would have to give me space to reverse back out.
The tolls are charged to your credit card plus €2 for any month in which you use the system. You have to pay €30 deposit that you get back when you return the badge. There is no minimum fee, no contract, and you don't have to "top it up". You just pay for what you use. The badge works throughout France. Compare that with the M6 Toll system!!!
There is a persistent roumour that the toll system is used to trap speeders, because the time and distance between entry and exit is known. I know lots of French people who believe this, but I know none who has been caught, nor anyone who personally knows someone who has been caught. (Lots of people think they know someone who might know someone who has been caught....) In practice, on a long journey, you often stop for fuel or food between entry and exit anyway, which brings your average speed down to below the 130k.
Use a GPS and you will find that if you are doing a genuine 130k, you will pass most people (and you will re-pass the speeders at the next toll barrier if you use Télépéage!) Very anecdotally, the "down-on-you-like-a-ton-of-bricks" limit now seems to be 170k (whereas it used to be 200). Up to 160, and you will get fined, but keep your licence. 170+, and the police will take your licence away and send it home, which means you cannot drive in France, but at least you will not get points. You WILL get fined, and maybe quite a lot (up to €1000?). The autoroute speed limit is 130k (110 in the wet).
In France, you must always have your licence with you. If you are stopped, and don't have it, you will have to find your way back home to get it before you can drive your car again (unless someone with you is qualified to drive). I believe, but am not certain, that you may also need to have proof of insurance, but for this, an ordinary UK certificate will do - you do not need a "green card". I do not know about the requirements for registration document and MOT. If you drive in France after the police has taken your licence, you will be in real trouble!
Convert your headlamps! All Z4s have a built-in mechanism for doing this (read the manual), but it is a bit of a pain. If you do get stopped by the police (which is very rare indeed) this is something that they like to look at.
Carry a high-visibility jacket. This is mandatory in France, and it must be in the cabin (not in the boot). There is a €300 fine for not having one. Mine is in the first-aid kit under the passenger seat, and lives there permanently.
Do NOT NOT NOT take any device with you that can detect or predict speed traps. And I do not mean do not use one, I mean do not have one with you! They are very illegal in France. When you get there, you can buy a magazine that has photographs and locations of speed traps. In any case, all the fixed ones are well signposted.
Lane discipline in France is very important, and British drivers have a (justified) dreadful reputation for not adhering to it. You must return to the right lane immediately after passing someone, even if you may need to pull left again quite soon after. Never hold up faster traffic under any circumstances. You will be heavily fined if caught doing so. When pulling left, use your indicator for a full 2 seconds before making the slightest move from the right lane.
Driving in France is a delight, with quiet roads, roads so smooth that you will not mind your runflats, and well-educated drivers. However, the standard of driving discipline is much higher in France than in the UK, and others will become very impatient with those that do not follow the rules. The main one (well, convention, if not "rule"), that seems to be completely lacking in the UK, is that if you see a faster car, then get out of the way!
HTH
A
I drive in France and in the UK, covering a greater annual distance there than I now do in the UK. Driving there is a real delight. It can be made better with a few tips.
If you are going to use Autoroutes, subscribe to the Télépéage "Liber-T" system before you go. You can do it online from http://www.sanef.fr (or from one of the Agences Commerciales after you arrive).
What it means is that you never have to stop at a péage booth on the autoroutes, and don't inconvenience your passenger or scrape the left side of your car trying to get close enough to pay.
You stick a clip to the windscreen and slide the "badge" into it. Then, instead of driving up to take a ticket, you drive slowly for about 20m before the barrier, the badge beeps, the barrier goes up, and off you go. Much the same happens when you leave the autoroute - you just sidle up to the barrier, the badge beeps, and you are away. It saves so much time and hassle. You also get the amusement of looking at the person behind assume that the British car in front has gone into the wrong lane and is going to get stuck. I once had a taxi doing a full bake lockup because he thought he would have to give me space to reverse back out.
The tolls are charged to your credit card plus €2 for any month in which you use the system. You have to pay €30 deposit that you get back when you return the badge. There is no minimum fee, no contract, and you don't have to "top it up". You just pay for what you use. The badge works throughout France. Compare that with the M6 Toll system!!!
There is a persistent roumour that the toll system is used to trap speeders, because the time and distance between entry and exit is known. I know lots of French people who believe this, but I know none who has been caught, nor anyone who personally knows someone who has been caught. (Lots of people think they know someone who might know someone who has been caught....) In practice, on a long journey, you often stop for fuel or food between entry and exit anyway, which brings your average speed down to below the 130k.
Use a GPS and you will find that if you are doing a genuine 130k, you will pass most people (and you will re-pass the speeders at the next toll barrier if you use Télépéage!) Very anecdotally, the "down-on-you-like-a-ton-of-bricks" limit now seems to be 170k (whereas it used to be 200). Up to 160, and you will get fined, but keep your licence. 170+, and the police will take your licence away and send it home, which means you cannot drive in France, but at least you will not get points. You WILL get fined, and maybe quite a lot (up to €1000?). The autoroute speed limit is 130k (110 in the wet).
In France, you must always have your licence with you. If you are stopped, and don't have it, you will have to find your way back home to get it before you can drive your car again (unless someone with you is qualified to drive). I believe, but am not certain, that you may also need to have proof of insurance, but for this, an ordinary UK certificate will do - you do not need a "green card". I do not know about the requirements for registration document and MOT. If you drive in France after the police has taken your licence, you will be in real trouble!
Convert your headlamps! All Z4s have a built-in mechanism for doing this (read the manual), but it is a bit of a pain. If you do get stopped by the police (which is very rare indeed) this is something that they like to look at.
Carry a high-visibility jacket. This is mandatory in France, and it must be in the cabin (not in the boot). There is a €300 fine for not having one. Mine is in the first-aid kit under the passenger seat, and lives there permanently.
Do NOT NOT NOT take any device with you that can detect or predict speed traps. And I do not mean do not use one, I mean do not have one with you! They are very illegal in France. When you get there, you can buy a magazine that has photographs and locations of speed traps. In any case, all the fixed ones are well signposted.
Lane discipline in France is very important, and British drivers have a (justified) dreadful reputation for not adhering to it. You must return to the right lane immediately after passing someone, even if you may need to pull left again quite soon after. Never hold up faster traffic under any circumstances. You will be heavily fined if caught doing so. When pulling left, use your indicator for a full 2 seconds before making the slightest move from the right lane.
Driving in France is a delight, with quiet roads, roads so smooth that you will not mind your runflats, and well-educated drivers. However, the standard of driving discipline is much higher in France than in the UK, and others will become very impatient with those that do not follow the rules. The main one (well, convention, if not "rule"), that seems to be completely lacking in the UK, is that if you see a faster car, then get out of the way!
HTH
A
