Driving in Europe

[Grim Reaper]

Best way to plan a trip through France is by using MichelinMaps Detailed online maps - UK maps and worldwide maps - ViaMichelin
Bear in mind that the speed limit for country roads in France has dropped recently to 80kph (50mph) which has also seen a host of speed cameras introduced to make money from the changes.
I've used the N10 to get down to Angouleme before (Brother has a house in Nontron) and it is fairly quick but we usually have a stop off somewhere in between the tunnel and his place.
If you have someone else who can do some driving it might be possible in 3 days but I'd be tempted to do the Portsmouth-Santander ferry overnight, then a stop in the middle of Spain around Madrid before the final push to the south coast. It's a long way to go in 3 days.

 

[Murdoch]

I think avoid all the tolls could be fun

If I were you, go through the tunnel and head down the autoroute to Rouen .... then down towards Bordeaux .....

You will definitely miss Paris that way

 

[Strettyp]

I did it back from near Lyon by just programming my sat nav to go home but with the setting as a bicycle rather than a car - it automatically took me directly north as the crow flies - saved me about £50 in tolls and didn't add a huge amount of time

 

[Neil Nicholls]

Best way to plan a trip through France is by using MichelinMaps Detailed online maps - UK maps and worldwide maps - ViaMichelin
Bear in mind that the speed limit for country roads in France has dropped recently to 80kph (50mph) which has also seen a host of speed cameras introduced to make money from the changes.
I've used the N10 to get down to Angouleme before (Brother has a house in Nontron) and it is fairly quick but we usually have a stop off somewhere in between the tunnel and his place.
If you have someone else who can do some driving it might be possible in 3 days but I'd be tempted to do the Portsmouth-Santander ferry overnight, then a stop in the middle of Spain around Madrid before the final push to the south coast. It's a long way to go in 3 days.

Has anyone had a camera speeding fine from France ?

 

[Salty Spuds]

This has been discussed at length lately, a search should throw up load of info

 

[Salty Spuds]

Has anyone had a camera speeding fine from France ?

Been flashed but not received a ticket.

 

[Peatey]

Been flashed but not received a ticket.

Same here flashed a few times, heard nothing

 

[Pete C]

You can set most sat navs to avoid toll roads.

Pete

 

[Grim Reaper]

Yes, I’ve had some fantastic drives across country through France by using the direct route, avoid motorway options with twisty roads and very little traffic, mind you, I have been in the Caterham most of those times.

 

[rod_vw]

From other forums it seems that fines are coming through after being 'flashed' in France but the fine may take up to ten months to show up!

We've toured France many times and always avoid toll roads but with the many speed limits, most towns and villages are limited to 50kph without any signs (automatically in place between the start and end of the town or village name sign) and national 80kph limit on non dual carriageways it can be a slow journey. However there are some great places to visit and see in rural parts of France and by using Aires or simple campsites it can all be done very economically.

 

[Scruffy]

Where are you starting from. 3 days seems pushing it to me.

 

[t6 soon]

have a look on about france.com there is a section about driving toll free to the southwest of france with suggested route might be of use

 

[Lord Mfwic]

Has anyone had a camera speeding fine from France ?

I got 4 in 1 journey from Lyon. I was in a French hire car so they gave the police my details. That cost €40 for each fine on top of the fine.
The total was over £1000. so I considered ignoring them. I believe they cannot prosecute you in the UK for French speeding fines but as I intend to return I swallowed a very bitter pill and paid up.
Had I been in my car they may not have bothered trying to peruse a foreigner.
I’m heading there next week in the van so I’ll probably collect some more.
I’ll let you know.

 

[Nigel W]

I gather that although they may not pursue you through the U.K. post your registration number remains on the French database so when you are next over you get a little tap on the shoulder and an allo allo you have an outstanding fine you pay now!

 

[Lord Mfwic]

View attachment 44792 I gather that although they may not pursue you through the U.K. post your registration number remains on the French database so when you are next over you get a little tap on the shoulder and an allo allo you have an outstanding fine you pay now!

That was my fear.

 

[sparkywig]

I went to France and Belgium earlier in the year with a mate in his new to him company car. We got stopped on the A24 near Lille and he had to pay nearly €700 in speeding fines from the previous owner.
Luckily it was during the week so he managed to get the company to pay or the car would have been impounded.

 

[Lord Mfwic]

I went to France and Belgium earlier in the year with a mate in his new to him company car. We got stopped on the A24 near Lille and he had to pay nearly €700 in speeding fines from the previous owner.
Luckily it was during the week so he managed to get the company to pay or the car would have been impounded.

Best get Lady Mfwic to dig out the receipts so I can prove payment. Only down side is that will reminder her of my last jaunt to France and I'll get constant reminders from her if i breach the speed limit by anything over 1kmh.
Oh its going to be a fun 2 weeks.

 

[Neil Nicholls]

I met a guy last time I went to France. He had lived there for some years, but still drove a UK registered car. When I asked why, he said the French would not persue camera tickets from the Uk.
I followed him a few times, and he collected the fines for fun

 

[Nigel W]

Best get Lady Mfwic to dig out the receipts so I can prove payment. Only down side is that will reminder her of my last jaunt to France and I'll get constant reminders from her if i breach the speed limit by anything over 1kmh.
Oh its going to be a fun 2 weeks.

Last year we got so fed up not so much with the cameras but mainly with all the ‘restrictions’ the towns have now put up to try and force the lorry drivers to use the peage.
The lorry drivers are determined not to have to pay and the local majors are equally determined not to have them driving through their towns so they have put in restrictions, bumps, squeezes, bollards, roundabouts and every conceivable blockage so you just end up having to squeeze past huge lorries and play chicken with oncoming traffic.
It’s madness and very frustrating, we ended up using the deserted peage and left the lorries to destroy the towns/villages - such a shame

 

[sparkywig]

Maybe the French are a bit lackadaisical, but the Dutch Police definitely pursue speeding offences......