Driving in Europe

[The Ham]

Has anyone had a camera speeding fine from France ?

a friend of mine went to brittany at easter for 10 days, when he got home there was a french speeding fine on his doormat.
I drive through france, top to bottom, 3-4 times a year and used to get flashed a lotn never got anything in the post though.
Now days I normally stick to the speed limits.
Best route down for me is scoot over to Rouen,then Chartres on towards Orlean then Verizon and down to Limoges, pretty much Toll free

 

[Boris]

I received a speeding fine from the fixed camera by Calais on the A16 heading for the tunnel. It took six months to turn up cost €40. Apparently our government resisted the demand to hand over details until losing a court battle in 2017. Not surprisingly their website for payment in very slick and all translated for you

 

[Dannyb6467]

I received a speeding fine from the fixed camera by Calais on the A16 heading for the tunnel. It took six months to turn up cost €40. Apparently our government resisted the demand to hand over details until losing a court battle in 2017. Not surprisingly their website for payment in very slick and all translated for you

That's interesting??
I cant find anything online about a court case.. officially the UK, Eire and Denmark have not signed a EU declaration to share driver details with any other country. You have to be physically stopped to be fined.
However, if you are stopped for a traffic offence and you are from either of these countries you are fined heavier. Your vehicle details still go.onto a database but you still have to be stopped. Border police are nothing to do with traffic police either. You do get traffic police sometimes doing checks on vehicles at tolls who may, if they stop you, realise your vehicle is on the list.

 

[Boris]

 

[Boris]

Well I definitely was not physically stopped ! And definitely was fined !

 

[Nigel W]

That's interesting??
I cant find anything online about a court case.. officially the UK, Eire and Denmark have not signed a EU declaration to share driver details with any other country. You have to be physically stopped to be fined.
However, if you are stopped for a traffic offence and you are from either of these countries you are fined heavier. Your vehicle details still go.onto a database but you still have to be stopped. Border police are nothing to do with traffic police either. You do get traffic police sometimes doing checks on vehicles at tolls who may, if they stop you, realise your vehicle is on the list.

In May 2017 the EU decided that all European countries were to partiticape in a new programme called the EU Cross Border Directive. UK was one of the countries that agreed to participate. What it meant, was that any motorist committing an offence whilst riding or driving their vehicle (owned or rented) in certain EU countries, such as; France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy, they would be able to obtain the details of the driver from the UK database.

26 of the 28 EU member states have signed into the agreement, with only Finland and Portugal still having not entered into it.

 

[Jono]

Google maps, avoid tolls option ticked. Its a great starting point as you can simply drag the route to places you want to go or avoid and it will auto update.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/5...eb5!2m2!1d-0.1224937!2d38.5410566!2m1!2b1!3e0

 

[Malcyb]

Sorry resurrecting another old thread, as we’re off to France tomorrow. I’m confused as to what the national speed limit really is on rural single carriageway roads (that we plan to spend most of the time sticking to)... is it 80 or 90 km/h? RAC unequivocally says it’s 80. However AA says:

“speed limits on two-lane (single carriageway) highways were cut from 90km/h (56mph) to 80km/h (50mph) in July 2018.

This national speed limit change has since been reversed though the French Government has said that it is up to Mayors to decide whether or not to return to a 90km/h limit in their local area.”

...so which is it?

 

[Tourershine]

Sorry resurrecting another old thread, as we’re off to France tomorrow. I’m confused as to what the national speed limit really is on rural single carriageway roads (that we plan to spend most of the time sticking to)... is it 80 or 90 km/h? RAC unequivocally says it’s 80. However AA says:

“speed limits on two-lane (single carriageway) highways were cut from 90km/h (56mph) to 80km/h (50mph) in July 2018.

This national speed limit change has since been reversed though the French Government has said that it is up to Mayors to decide whether or not to return to a 90km/h limit in their local area.”

...so which is it?

I cannot give you a definitive answer because I use my nav to guide me, but I will warn you that the French have increased their speed cameras recently.

I got flashed and fined a on my last trip over here a couple of months ago, and annoyingly I got flashed again a few days ago whist driving through roadworks. The annoying thing was, the speed limit must of been on the beginning of the roadworks, but they don't tell you that speed once you pass the start, like we do in the uk every mile or so. Plus the darn camera was in the disguise of a huge concrete block. That's another 45€ fine I expect.

 

[Nigel W]

Sorry resurrecting another old thread, as we’re off to France tomorrow. I’m confused as to what the national speed limit really is on rural single carriageway roads (that we plan to spend most of the time sticking to)... is it 80 or 90 km/h? RAC unequivocally says it’s 80. However AA says:

“speed limits on two-lane (single carriageway) highways were cut from 90km/h (56mph) to 80km/h (50mph) in July 2018.

This national speed limit change has since been reversed though the French Government has said that it is up to Mayors to decide whether or not to return to a 90km/h limit in their local area.”

...so which is it?

I’m afraid that speed limits in France are now just beyond me. Many towns now have signs saying the speed limit is 20kph. and, as you say, the local Mayor can set the limits.
If in doubt stick to the lower limit and if you are using CarPlay or similar use Waze as your satnav.
Still a lovely and easy country to drive in, returning home and hitting U.K. roads always comes as a bit of a shock.

 

[Salty Spuds]

...so which is it?

....and the answer is....All of the above. It’s a minefield. some villages are 90, others are 80. Compound this with very vague signage & the introduction of 30kph areas around crossings & you’ll be lucky not to get a ticket. We just assume 80kph now to stay safe. As a general rule, as you pass the sign with the name of the village, the speed limit drops until you pass the exit sign that has the name of the village with a line through it. Not very helpful, but that’s France for you.

 

[Malcyb]

Thanks for the replies. Think I’ll stick to 80 in the country and 50 in towns/villages unless I see a very clear signs saying something else, and yes I’ll use waze too. And keep my eyes peeled for cunningly hidden cameras. I’ve always loved travelling through the back roads in France by car, so much more fun than the autoroutes, but this will be the 1st time in our new van.

 

[andys]

Give me Germany every time, much better country to drive in

 

[Nigel W]

Thanks for the replies. Think I’ll stick to 80 in the country and 50 in towns/villages unless I see a very clear signs saying something else, and yes I’ll use waze too. And keep my eyes peeled for cunningly hidden cameras. I’ve always loved travelling through the back roads in France by car, so much more fun than the autoroutes, but this will be the 1st time in our new van.

The favourite hiding place for cameras is in disguised wheelie bins so you won’t see them, the locals are pretty good at putting them on Waze.....schhhhhh....

 

[Malcyb]

Thanks for the replies. Think I’ll stick to 80 in the country and 50 in towns/villages unless I see a very clear signs saying something else, and yes I’ll use waze too. And keep my eyes peeled for cunningly hidden cameras. I’ve always loved travelling through the back roads in France by car, so much more fun than the autoroutes, but this will be the 1st time in our new van.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Thanks for the replies. Think I’ll stick to 80 in the country and 50 in towns/villages unless I see a very clear signs saying something else, and yes I’ll use waze too. And keep my eyes peeled for cunningly hidden cameras. I’ve always loved travelling through the back roads in France by car, so much more fun than the autoroutes, but this will be the 1st time in our new van.

We avoid the autoroutes now. We use the RNs that run parallel to the autoroutes, they are marginally slower, but you see more & get to buy cheap(er) food & diesel. Both of which are eye wateringly expensive in France.

 

[Scruffy]

Good point about the fuel prices. Fill up before the ferry/tunnel as the price of diesel has rocketed in the last year. Probably too late now, but if you use Tom-tom, update now as it will show the latest speed limits. Google maps and Waze are also useful.

 

[rod_vw]

I returned from France early last week, diesel in Calais was only a shade more expensive than at Tescos at Ashford. Shop around in the supermarkets in France and you will do quite well for diesel price. 1.44€ per litre a couple of weeks ago.
Any way it's all offset by the price of wine .

 

[Tourershine]

I'm currently in the centre of Dijon and just filled up at an Esso at €1.42
I don't find fuel any more expensive than the uk give or take a few pennies, unless you use motorway services.

 

[Loz]

I'm currently in the centre of Dijon and just filled up at an Esso at €1.42
I don't find fuel any more expensive than the uk give or take a few pennies, unless you use motorway services.

We'll be in Chalons-en-champagne tomorrow night and will give you a wave when we pass you Friday morning on our way to Provence..