Driving in France

[Ands1]

I'm a numpty
I'm off into France on our first trip abroad in 10 days time, got everything in check from break down cover, insurance etc etc.
BUT I've lost my photo Licience & only just realised
I use it for ID when weighing in scrap metal which I last did 5-6 weeks ago, been all round house, work, work van etc etc
just can't find it. Post office says 3 weeks for new one.
Whats the odds of getting pulled in France by the police & getting asked for it?

Andy

 

[StuF]

Hi mate - we drove around Europe for 2 weeks and didnt get stopped once! I am sure you will be fine with your passport should the worse happen.

Are you travelling on the toll roads? Awesome and fast with some great scenery.

 

[Ands1]

Hi mate - we drove around Europe for 2 weeks and didnt get stopped once! I am sure you will be fine with your passport should the worse happen.

Are you travelling on the toll roads? Awesome and fast with some great scenery.

Driving from Roscoff to Benodet in Brittany probably 2-3 hours drive in France, not sure of the route I'm taking as yet :lol:

 

[lard]

oooh - didn't know it was a requirement (but had mine with me) - passport and paper section it will have to be - did you ever scan it for work or anything that they will have a copy of? That or make sure your passenger (if possible) brings there's so if you are stopped and they question the paper part/passport then they can drive away, and you can swap back once round the corner?

Didn't get stopped so can't comment - though was glorious driving a LHD bus in france :mrgreen:

 

[Marriedblonde]

do not worry about it. If they stop you your passport will do. they are only interested in fining you.

I was stopped speeding in france coming home from Le Mans the other year, got an instant 12 month ban and a 750 euro on the spot cash fine. I returned back from the bank with the money inexchange for my passport and co pilot. I asked if I could drive seeing as I was banned and had no licence. Response? We dont care we have your money.

J

 

[mister]

do not worry about it. If they stop you your passport will do. they are only interested in fining you.

I was stopped speeding in france coming home from Le Mans the other year, got an instant 12 month ban and a 750 euro on the spot cash fine. I returned back from the bank with the money inexchange for my passport and co pilot. I asked if I could drive seeing as I was banned and had no licence. Response? We dont care we have your money.

J

I'm guessing that wasn't in your bus :lol:

 

[Marriedblonde]

I'm guessing that wasn't in your bus :lol:

lol no. I was gong probably twice as fast as my bus goes when i was stopped, thankfully i had slowed down a fair bit when i was zapped...

 

[busdiver]

seems with all your insurance and vehicle docs passports etc you have to carry we thought we needed to build a filing cabinet into the bus, in the end bolted a cash tin down in a place a non bus owner might not think to look just in case we got robbed and to stop somebody starting a new life with all our details.

we had three weeks in brittany a couple of years ago went in and out of cherbourg all along britanny south coast up past quimper near where you are going and then across the north coast absolutely effing brilliant, we made the decision not to do any motorways or tolls and at 50/60mph not much point and i do not remember seeing any old frog bill other than in the towns we stuck to the french equivelant to single carriage A roads, really got to see the best side of france i think.

 

[aspro]

seems with all your insurance and vehicle docs passports etc you have to carry we thought we needed to build a filing cabinet into the bus, in the end bolted a cash tin down in a place a non bus owner might not think to look just in case we got robbed and to stop somebody starting a new life with all our details.

we had three weeks in brittany a couple of years ago went in and out of cherbourg all along britanny south coast up past quimper near where you are going and then across the north coast absolutely effing brilliant, we made the decision not to do any motorways or tolls and at 50/60mph not much point and i do not remember seeing any old frog bill other than in the towns we stuck to the french equivelant to single carriage A roads, really got to see the best side of france i think.

Totally agree with busdiver. The back roads are a much better and cheaper way to travel in an aircooled. You get to see a lot more than you would on the Paege, plus you get to slow down through all the small villages and let your motor cool down. Another advantage is the B roads are almost always a shorter distance and you get better mileage too. I spent close to 8 months travelling France and barely saw a police car let alone getting pulled over.

 

[matt-me]

Totally agree with busdiver. The back roads are a much better and cheaper way to travel in an aircooled. You get to see a lot more than you would on the Paege, plus you get to slow down through all the small villages and let your motor cool down. Another advantage is the B roads are almost always a shorter distance and you get better mileage too. I spent close to 8 months travelling France and barely saw a police car let alone getting pulled over.

Agree too, if the weather's good it's the perfect bus cruising speed through wonderful mostly countryside and villages

 

[Pru]

We are just back from 17 days around the Loire Valley, Brittany and Normany areas mostly staying on aires with the odd municipal every now and then. We only drove a short stretch of toll road to avoid a long detour otherwise it was smaller roads and non paying motorways. The roads are empty compared with over here and it was really relaxing driving through the villages and stopping at the markets etc. We received so many waves from the french drivers and a great deal of attention when we parked up as everyone wanted to have a chat which was sometimes comical with a lot of hand gestures.
We only saw the police once in 1500+ miles attending to a abandoned car. We enjoyed it so much were are looking to go back in September.

Enjoy

 

[niklee1]

Been driving 2-3 times a year around the Loire Valley in France for the best part of a decade and didn't realise they had police :lol: Seen them in Calais tho!!!

 

[Clem]

I was followed for sometime in Corisca by the Police, I was all legal but still worried. Eventually they passed me and an arm came out of the window and they gave me the hang-loose wave 8)


Other than that, never stopped abroad so far, ever.

 

[pow]

It's very easy and actually I prefer keeping to the Peage - you just slot in behind a lorry and rack the miles up.

Make sure your roof is up to the job though, we nearly lost ours on the South Coast. Bloody scary.

I haven't even seen enough police to think about being stopped, the french just like to appreciate the van!!

 

[Bricktop]

We did Roscoff to Benodet last year in the bus and followed the satnav (Avoiding toll roads and motorways setting), this took us a bit longer but was very scenic with loads of small towns to stop for lunch. Dont think we saw a single rozzer all week!!

 

[bigdaz]

You can apply for a replacement card online it should come quickly.
Mine took 4 days
As others have said you are unlikely to need it and the paper bit will do fine.
Ive been going over to Normandy 2 or 3 times a year for 5 years now and regularly fly to Toulouse and drive my mates car. And use a Honda blackbird I keep there. Never been stopped.

 

[pow]

Honda Blackbird, not just any old bike!

 

[bigdaz]

Honda Blackbird, not just any old bike!

i know its an awesome bike but not worth a load of money and not really depreciating much so decided to lend it to my mate on a sort of time share thing, its much nicer using it down there Quieter roads Dry most of the time and hot,
ive had it for about seven years, its Been in France for a couple of years now.
Riding it n the Pyrenees is amazing.

 

[blogdroed]

I've never been stopped in France but even when hiring a car in the past I've managed it with just had the paper bit and no plastic card - the woman in Hertz said I had to have the card but in France the woman at the desk wasn;'t bothered so long as I had my passport and paper licence (and my credit card!)

 

[Top Banana Racing]

We did Roscoff to Benodet last year in the bus and followed the satnav (Avoiding toll roads and motorways setting), this took us a bit longer but was very scenic with loads of small towns to stop for lunch. Dont think we saw a single rozzer all week!!

I've just done 1000 mile trip in my Bus and probably cover 10,000 a yer on the continent, to date I've never needed my photo licence despite having been stopped a number of times and even fined twice for speeding (not in the bus).
This^^^^ is a great idea though, set your Satnav to avoid motorways and enjoy the scenery, you'll find some amazing little villages, cafes , bars etc.