Driving in France - mandatory items

jprboy

Taking the horse car to France soon. The AA lists the following as requirements:


- A driving license for each driver (learner permits don’t count).
- Passports.
- The original registration document (not a copy) or a Vehicle on Hire Certificate.
- Motor Insurance Certificate.
- A self-test breathalyser is required by law in France, however there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance. It needs to be unused and certified with the NF mark. It should also be in date; breathalysers have a validity of 12 months, so if you got one last year, you will need a new one.
- You are also required to have a warning triangle if you breakdown. If renting a car, check with your car hire provider to see if they will provide safety equipment

http://www.theaa.ie/AA/Ezine/AA-Ezine-May-2013/Driving-in-France.aspx

I think the following may also be required:

- Spare bulbs
- Headlight beam convertors

Anyone here ever been fined for not having any of the above?

Asmooh

jprboy wrote: »

Taking the horse car to France soon. The AA lists the following as requirements:


- A driving license for each driver (learner permits don’t count).
- Passports.
- The original registration document (not a copy) or a Vehicle on Hire Certificate.
- Motor Insurance Certificate.
- A self-test breathalyser is required by law in France, however there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance. It needs to be unused and certified with the NF mark. It should also be in date; breathalysers have a validity of 12 months, so if you got one last year, you will need a new one.
- You are also required to have a warning triangle if you breakdown. If renting a car, check with your car hire provider to see if they will provide safety equipment

http://www.theaa.ie/AA/Ezine/AA-Ezine-May-2013/Driving-in-France.aspx

I think the following may also be required:

- Spare bulbs
- Headlight beam convertors

Anyone here ever been fined for not having any of the above?

I never drove with:

- Headlight beam convertors (I have LHD car)
- A self-test breathalyser
- warning triangle


Never been stopped at all

edburg

Never been stopped, but have a few mates been marched to atm but they were being silly judging by stories.

Some of it handy to be fair for here, some of it rsa are trying to get in place here.

Don't know your car but alot of modern cars have ability to change light angles to lhd spec.

anonanymore

I think you also need a second pair of glasses, if you use them.

edburg

anonanymore wrote: »

I think you also need a second pair of glasses, if you use them.

That's a new one to me. Wonder if prescription sunglasses count as second pair.

Sheep Lover

And a 12 foot trailer to carry all this s1ht

shamrock55

You also need a high vis jacket as far as i know in case you break down or need to change a wheel at the side of the rd, i had the car in france for a wk last year and had none of the above!!

cormie

Having things like fire extinguishers, first aid kit, spare bulbs, hi-vis jackets for each seat, warning triangles and the likes makes perfect sense. I don't like the idea of tonnes and tonnes of out of date breathalysers going to landfill every year and the need to have the original certificates is a pain too.

I have all vans kitted out with everything required for travel from all the EU states and as long as you don't buy them anywhere near the ferry ports, you shouldn't get ripped off too badly. You can get full kits from amazon for cheap enough.

The beam benders are a pain, I looked into it and got some cut out templates for my transit headlights and can just use a bit of duct tape cut in a certain way to cover the glare to the one side. They may not be as fancy as the €12 ones, but as long as the police accept them it's fine, I've also kept them on the vans here and the vans have passed the DOE with them on, although last DOE I had to take them off. They don't reduce night visibility at all so no problem to keep them on if you can.

jprboy

Thanks for all the replies.

Re high vis jacket, yes, and it has to be kept in the passenger compartment as you're supposed to have it on getting out of the car if you break down.

As for second pair of glasses I do remember reading that somewhere. Doubt if prescription sunglasses would be acceptable (e.g. night time driving).

Car is a Peugeot 3008 so don't know if I need specific deflectors for this make/model. No mechanism to change the beams.

CelticRambler

jprboy wrote: »

- A driving license for each driver
- Passports.
- The original registration document (not a copy) or a Vehicle on Hire Certificate.
- Motor Insurance Certificate.
- A self-test breathalyser is required by law in France, however there is no current legislation demanding a fine for non-compliance. It needs to be unused and certified with the NF mark. It should also be in date; breathalysers have a validity of 12 months, so if you got one last year, you will need a new one.
- You are also required to have a warning triangle if you breakdown.

- Spare bulbs
- Headlight beam convertors

Anyone here ever been fined for not having any of the above?

You also need a high vis jacket

Due to a rise in the number of road deaths in recent months, the police in France are being particularly aggressive with their general controls, mostly looking for speeding and over-the-limit drivers, but there's also an assertion circulating at the moment that "foreigners" are responsible for a greater proportion of accidents than natives. That's debatable, but there's always a chance you'll get inspected at a checkpoint. If so, you will spend a long time on the side of the road if you don't have the documents in red.

If something goes wrong (puncture, no fuel, queazy driver, whatever) and you attract the attention of a passing gendarme, not having the items in blue will get you in trouble. When driving in France, you'll see that a lot of native professional drivers actually have their hi-vis vest on display on the back of one of the front seats.

Breathalysers - legally required, but no punishment for not having one. No-one I know has ever bought one and the gendarmes will happily give you one of theirs to blow into.

Seat belts! If you get pulled over with more people in the car than there are seatbelts, you will be told to make alternative arrangements there and then.

Beam benders - you can get away without them, but having headlights wrongly directed just might be the thing that attracts the attention of an under-worked gendarme.

Spare specs - that's Spain, but it's sensible to have a spare set if you're the only driver in the party.

TrailerBob

^^^ interesting post. Though I have heard the 'clampdown' thing more than a few times

Most of the mandatory things are very sensible. Do bring a set of bulbs and check yours regularly, as this is a common bugbear of the cops there. Many of them link the word 'foreigner' to the word 'British', and they pay special attention to UK cars. But it's as easy to get the few bits and have them, don't forget some of them could save your life/car at the side of the road.

Heading again in 4weeks, with all the kit and caboodle!

_Brian

Been to France 12 times driving including towing caravan.
Bring most f the above.

You need a viz vest for each passenger and they need to be accessible from passenger cabin.

Never been stopped, waved through plenty of checkpoints.

Seems to me most of the people stopped are excessively speeding or otherwise being idiots on the road.

I'd say the infrastructure and general level of driving ability is much higher in France.

Heading again end of July.

CelticRambler

_Brian wrote: »

You need a viz vest for each passenger ...

This is not correct. The law requires a high-vis vest only for the driver (which should be put on before leaving the vehicle, hence the accessibility condition).

On ordinary roads, passengers are advised to remain in the vehicle, so don't need a high-vis vest; on motorways, passengers are advised to leave the vehicle and wait behind the security barrier, so aren't obliged to have a high-vis vest.

Of course, light the spare specs and spare light bulbs, that doesn't mean that it's not sensible to have another at least for the front-seat passenger.

Bif

Lads. Can anyone tell me where I can access all the bits the needed for driving in France in a kit form? Thanks.

BMJD

Bif wrote: »

Lads. Can anyone tell me where I can access all the bits the needed for driving in France in a kit form? Thanks.

http://www.micksgarage.com/shop/Driving%20in%20Europe

Or do a search on Amazon

edburg

AA/Halfords/micksgarage/motor factors will all do some kind of kit along with ebay/amazon which you should be able to find a spare bulb/fuse kit for your car if not at a dealer.

Hi-viz can get from most diy store most likely, maybe your work will have spares to borrow (depending on type of work)

cormie

The RSA give out free hi-viz jackets. You can pick them up in some advanced pit stops and I also saw a big stack of them at the "Talk to your local garda" pop up shop near the church in Main St. Bray.

CiniO

Bif wrote: »

Lads. Can anyone tell me where I can access all the bits the needed for driving in France in a kit form? Thanks.

You've seen this thread, and you can see there isn't any clear answer what items are required, therefore hardly anyone is going to offer a kit like that.

To know exactly what is required or not, you'd have to go through French law throughly...

coylemj

CiniO wrote: »

You've seen this thread, and you can see there isn't any clear answer what items are required, therefore hardly anyone is going to offer a kit like that.

+1 Buy a cheap hi-vis jacket - often to be found in the bargain bucket in Halfords. Fold it up and shove it in the glove box so you can show it to the French cops in the (highly unlikely) event that you get pulled over. Bring your passport, insurance cert. and driving licence with you when driving. I seriously doubt that you need to bring the registration cert. What are they going to do - put a family and their luggage on the side of the road and confiscate their car because they can't prove that they own it - even though the reg. no is on the insurance cert?

A lot of the scare stories put about saying you need this and that fail to recognise one thing - cops in western countries generally don't bother with law-abiding tourists so just don't be a plonker, stay below the speed limit and they won't bother you.

I have never even been asked to show my passport driving off the ferry, let alone get pulled over and asked to produce all that stuff.

keithclancy

Was never stopped, France is more flashy camera focused than Direct Policing.

CiniO

coylemj wrote: »

+1 Buy a cheap hi-vis jacket - often to be found in the bargain bucket in Halfords. Fold it up and shove it in the glove box so you can show it to the French cops in the (highly unlikely) event that you get pulled over. Bring your passport, insurance cert. and driving licence with you when driving. I seriously doubt that you need to bring the registration cert. What are they going to do - put a family and their luggage on the side of the road and confiscate their car because they can't prove that they own it - even though the reg. no is on the insurance cert?

You'd be surprised, but that's actually very likely.
I know in Ireland and UK there isn't and there wasn't really any need to carry reg cert with you, but most countries on the continent required and plenty still require drivers to carry reg cert with them at all times - and that apply to domestic cars, so not to even mention it's very serious issue with foreign cars.

I've had few road checks in France and Germany, some in Slovakia, Hungary, and plenty in Poland, and always the first thing they requested was driving licence and registration certificate.
There's no chance I would risk driving abroad without carrying registration cert with me.

A lot of the scare stories put about saying you need this and that fail to recognise one thing - cops in western countries generally don't bother with law-abiding tourists so just don't be a plonker, stay below the speed limit and they won't bother you.

I have never even been asked to show my passport driving off the ferry, let alone get pulled over and asked to produce all that stuff.

Passport control indeed I agree you hardly get checked going from Ireland or UK to France. But other way - passports are always checked.
Most of Continent is Schengen zone so no border controlls, but you still need to have your travel documents with you.
I would love to see how you are explaining to German polizei that you forgot to take you registration cert with you for the car you are driving because you are a tourist. I'm nearly sure you'd end up on the side of the road with the car lifted to police parking.


PS. Another thing which might surprise you is that insurance cert is not that important. EU laws say that police should assume that foreign registered car is insured, and fact it's displaying valid registration plates be a proof. Therefore insurance cert in most cases won't be needed, and I must say through most roadchecks I had on the continent, I wasn't asked for it.
However it's still very wise to have it with you in case of trouble.

cormie

Isn't it advised not to keep the log book in a vehicle in case the vehicle is stolen? Would be grand just to leave it in the glove box at all times if it wasn't an issue.

CiniO

cormie wrote: »

Isn't it advised not to keep the log book in a vehicle in case the vehicle is stolen? Would be grand just to leave it in the glove box at all times if it wasn't an issue.

Definitely a bad idea to have it in a vehicle.

I always keep it in my wallet folded (when driving abroad) together with my driving licence. 2 big awkward booklets so I had to get a big wallet.

CelticRambler

coylemj wrote: »

I seriously doubt that you need to bring the registration cert. What are they going to do - put a family and their luggage on the side of the road and confiscate their car because they can't prove that they own it - even though the reg. no is on the insurance cert?

Doubt all you like, but it is 100% required in France. The gendarmes will be much more interested in what they call the Carte Grise than your passport, hi-vis vest or out-of-date breathalyser.

I was caught out on this once, the day I renewed my insurance (French reg car) with a different provider. I left the Carte Grise on the table when I went to post office, got stopped on the way home coming out of a side-road.

I also know of one (English) family (visiting grandparents & three grandchildren) who were indeed made to stand on the side of the motorway until someone else in the family came along with the necessary stuff.

coylemj

CiniO wrote: »

I've had few road checks in France and Germany, some in Slovakia, Hungary, and plenty in Poland, and always the first thing they requested was driving licence and registration certificate.
There's no chance I would risk driving abroad without carrying registration cert with me.

Cinio, how many times have you been pulled over in France (the topic of this thread) and asked to produce a registration cert? Were you driving an Irish-registered car at the time?

CiniO wrote: »

Passport control indeed I agree you hardly get checked going from Ireland or UK to France. But other way - passports are always checked.
Most of Continent is Schengen zone so no border controlls, but you still need to have your travel documents with you.

I never suggested otherwise, in fact I emphasised that you should have your passport and driving licence at all times when driving in France.

CiniO

coylemj wrote: »

Cinio, how many times have you been pulled over in France (the topic of this thread) and asked to produce a registration cert? Were you driving an Irish-registered car at the time?

In France once. And yes - I was asked for registration cert together with my licence. And yes - it was Irish registered car.

I never suggested otherwise, in fact I emphasised that you should have your passport and driving licence at all times when driving in France.

SpaceTime

_Brian wrote: »

Been to France 12 times driving including towing caravan.
Bring most f the above.

You need a viz vest for each passenger and they need to be accessible from passenger cabin.

Never been stopped, waved through plenty of checkpoints.

Seems to me most of the people stopped are excessively speeding or otherwise being idiots on the road.

I'd say the infrastructure and general level of driving ability is much higher in France.

Heading again end of July.

Depends where!

They've a major "boy racer" problem in around towns and cities and to be perfectly honest given the scale of Ireland (comparable to say a couple of western French regions) it's actually got pretty decent infrastructure these days!

They're more used to motorways but non-motorway driving in Ireland is a hell of a lot better behaved! There's a major problem with very aggressive driving in cities / towns and also on rural roads and single carriageway N roads!

Les Anglaises get blamed a lot on accidents because they're not used to the side of road and also the "priorité de droit" rules that do not exist in Britain, Ireland or any other English speaking country I'm aware of tend to result in British cars driving into the sides of cars entering a non-priority main road.

I've seen UK cars hurling abuse and beeping at the "crazy" French drivers who have just driven out in front of them because they're completely unaware of the priority systems used in many continental countries (not just France). This gets them a terrible reputation as "dangerous and arrogant".

Irish cars aren't identifiable as easily and are often assumed to be German oddly enough because there's a vague similarity in the look of the plates. UK plates are easy to spot!

coylemj

CelticRambler wrote: »

Doubt all you like, but it is 100% required in France. The gendarmes will be much more interested in what they call the Carte Grise than your passport, hi-vis vest or out-of-date breathalyser.

Fair enough, I'll bring the registration cert. next time. Though my last two visits have involved flights and hire cars.

keithclancy

coylemj wrote: »

Cinio, how many times have you been pulled over in France (the topic of this thread) and asked to produce a registration cert? Were you driving an Irish-registered car at the time?

Never been pulled driving a Dutch Registered Car, was pulled twice on Irish plates, once outside Lille (random check I didn't do anything)

Another time on the way to Calais was also stopped for another random check.

Like Cinio said they weren't interested in the Insurance Cert, actually one of them said "I could have just made that thing myself"

Just driving license and vehicle registration certificate.

Requirement for a breathaliser wasn't in at the time.

The Dutch/German border every so often they have a super checkpoint, usually when the weather is really nice (assholes) so you sit in a queue for around 2 hours with other German people that are heading to the beach.

If you don't have the VRC driving a non Dutch car they will lift it for sure.

SpaceTime

So much for freedom of movement across Europe- still lots of bureaucratic barriers to contend with!

CelticRambler

Not quite a "mandatory item" - more the opposite - but as of tomorrow, wearing headphones, earphones or a bluetooth earpiece while driving in France is illegal. Applies to all vehicular road users - cars, vans, lorries, motorbikes, pedal bikes, scooters, etc.

Also the alcohol limit for new drivers (first three years after getting a licence) has been set at zero. This limit also applies to (older) drivers who have been required to re-take their test.

cormie

CelticRambler wrote: »

Not quite a "mandatory item" - more the opposite - but as of tomorrow, wearing headphones, earphones or a bluetooth earpiece while driving in France is illegal. Applies to all vehicular road users - cars, vans, lorries, motorbikes, pedal bikes, scooters, etc.

Ah ffs. Can't really see any difference between someone using a bluetooth earpiece and somebody speaking to somebody over a speaker, you may as well ban music, conversation between passengers and deaf drivers too!

whiskeyman

cormie wrote: »

you may as well ban music, conversation between passengers and deaf drivers too!

An interesting point about this debate is that someone on the phone can't see your driving situation.
If you're with a passenger in the car, they are likely to quieten / tone down if you're overtaking or see a dangerous situation ahead as they'll also likely be focused on the road ahead - however someone at the end of the phone will not.


With someone on the phone, it's probably the hardest time to 'refocus' on driving as your trying / thinking hard to concentrate.
With music on, you can easily refocus if needed.

Armchair Andy

Just back from France didn't see a checkpoint in three weeks having covered 1600 km. Paid 8 Euro for a triangle last thing in Ireland before the boat, most other stuff I had.

creedp

whiskeyman wrote: »

An interesting point about this debate is that someone on the phone can't see your driving situation.
If you're with a passenger in the car, they are likely to quieten / tone down if you're overtaking or see a dangerous situation ahead as they'll also likely be focused on the road ahead - however someone at the end of the phone will not.


With someone on the phone, it's probably the hardest time to 'refocus' on driving as your trying / thinking hard to concentrate.
With music on, you can easily refocus if needed.

What about children caterwailing in the back of the car . .a hell of a lot more distracting that a bluetooth ear piece or music. However, as per always its whats easy gets done. I'm sure the RSA will leap at this opportunity to implement another lifesaving initiative

Mc Love

Heading over next week and I'll be hiring a car - will I need all the stuff being mentioned above?

CelticRambler

Armchair Andy wrote: »

Just back from France didn't see a checkpoint in three weeks having covered 1600 km.

They've all been re-assigned to arresting Uber drivers and management. (OK, not all, but a lot - and that's not a joke :mad: )

For info, anyone doing the Landbridge route, beware of "indefinite" disruption to traffic over and under the Channel. A bunch of ignorant, unemployable union lackeys have been engaging in aggressive wild-cat strikes in Calais since last week. P&O's services are cancelled again today, DFDS is re-routing to Dunkerque and Eurotunnel is operating on an on-off basis, depending on what damage the strikers are doing to the rails. Oh, and the soon-to-be illegal immigrants trying to get into the UK are taking advantage of the chaos to hitch a ride on lorries, caravans and other trailers heading (back) to England ...

cormie

CelticRambler wrote: »

They've all been re-assigned to arresting Uber drivers and management. (OK, not all, but a lot - and that's not a joke :mad: )

For info, anyone doing the Landbridge route, beware of "indefinite" disruption to traffic over and under the Channel. A bunch of ignorant, unemployable union lackeys have been engaging in aggressive wild-cat strikes in Calais since last week. P&O's services are cancelled again today, DFDS is re-routing to Dunkerque and Eurotunnel is operating on an on-off basis, depending on what damage the strikers are doing to the rails. Oh, and the soon-to-be illegal immigrants trying to get into the UK are taking advantage of the chaos to hitch a ride on lorries, caravans and other trailers heading (back) to England ...

I'm going Dublin > Holyhead > London tomorrow and London > Calais > Paris on Thursday, all by ferry, will I be affected by this do you think and any advice to avoid it? Flexible enough with when I can do the London to Paris route so if I can avoid hours of traffic by leaving at a certain time I will.

Del2005

whiskeyman wrote: »

An interesting point about this debate is that someone on the phone can't see your driving situation.
If you're with a passenger in the car, they are likely to quieten / tone down if you're overtaking or see a dangerous situation ahead as they'll also likely be focused on the road ahead - however someone at the end of the phone will not.


With someone on the phone, it's probably the hardest time to 'refocus' on driving as your trying / thinking hard to concentrate.
With music on, you can easily refocus if needed.

I've been in some cars where the driver doesn't even react to dangers on the road never mind if they where a passenger. Everything in a car is a distraction and some people are easily distracted. Talking on the phone can't be any worst than looking over the seat at the kids destroying the car, but they ban talking on a phone and not children:rolleyes:

CelticRambler

cormie wrote: »

London > Calais > Paris on Thursday, all by ferry, will I be affected by this do you think and any advice to avoid it? Flexible enough with when I can do the London to Paris route so if I can avoid hours of traffic by leaving at a certain time I will.

If you're sailing with P&O, then yes - from the P&O website: "P & O Ferries is affected by the actions of MyFerryLink employees in France . As a result, our services have been suspended until further notice."

If you're going with MyFerryLink, then yes - from the MFL site: "MyFerryLink has now suspended all services. Due to circumstances outside of the control of MyFerryLink has suspended all of our services at this time. We will be in contact with all customers in due course to arrange a full refund or discuss potential options for transfer."

If you're travelling with DFDS, they will deliver you to Dunkerque - from their site: "DFDS Seaways Dover-Calais services are currently suspended due to industrial action at Port of Calais. Dover-Dunkirk services continue to operate.​" Arriving in Dunkerque, you'll still be able to get to Paris via the A16, but might be better taking the A1 instead (if you weren't already going to do that.

On both sides of the Channel "Operation Stack" is currently in force. If you're not familiar with this, it essentially turns the M20 into a giant lorry park. The same thing is in effect on the A16 in France, but the police there are trying to keep HGVs at a distance of about 100km from Calais to stop the migrants getting aboard.

It won't make any difference what time you travel - there's about four days worth of HGVs parked up at the moment (leaving a single lane for car/van/bus traffic), and Calais port is completely shut, and where Eurotunnel would normally take up the slack, they're fighting their own battle (the strikers are pulling down the security fences, letting the migrants in, and setting fires in the tunnel and on the tracks ... and they wonder why no-one wants to employ them ... ) although they report a near-normal service at the moment, having been shut down earlier today.

You could try flying ... but the air traffic controllers are on strike from Thursday. Bienvenue en France.

Or maybe not.

TrailerBob

Been watching this closely as we're booked on a Dover - Calais sailing on Friday with DFDS. Doesn't make much difference going to Dunkirk, in fact they'll reroute you there if you happen to miss your slotted time quite regularly.

Apparently, Calais is closed until Thursday. It's a bit of a mess really. I'm just going to head for the post as early as I can on Friday morning and get on a boat at some point!

cormie

Jesus, that sounds like a nightmare. Flying is definitely not an option, I've a van load to deliver

I guess I'll have to go for the DFDS to Dunkirk then. Any idea of how long extra it may take to drive from London to Paris compared to usual with all the shenanigans? Are we talking 2/3 hour delay over the 6 hours it would usually take in driving time or could it be far greater?

TrailerBob

Does your van get booked on as freight or private? I think it's just for HGVs, but freight traffic goes into the stack.. I wouldn't like to contemplate how long that delay is. According to the website, the M20 is closed at J8, and traffic diverts from there. But the M2/A2 seems to be moving well.
It should be ok on the French side, maybe avoid the A16 via Amiens, and go A1 via Lille. That's my plan for Friday anyway as we're heading for Orleans for an overnight

CelticRambler

TrailerBob wrote: »

Does your van get booked on as freight or private? I think it's just for HGVs, but freight traffic goes into the stack.. I wouldn't like to contemplate how long that delay is.

That's the all-important question. There's no "delay" for HGVs - it's a complete shutdown. The rescue services in Kent (and Tesco) are currently administering aid to HGV drivers who are starting to become ill from the heat.

Here's an aerial view of the situation as it was (?)yesterday. It's worse now - where you see the trucks parked up only on the coast-bound carriageway, they're now also being stacked on the London-bound side of the M20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1it_vhM5DI

TrailerBob wrote: »

It should be ok on the French side, maybe avoid the A16 via Amiens, and go A1 via Lille.

Unfortunately, it's not OK. At the moment, there's a 5-hour wait for the Tunnel and (as noted above) UK-bound HGVs are kept at 100km from Calais until they have a reasonable prospect of getting a crossing.

From the site www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/maintenant.html (equivalent of AA Roadwatch)

, applicable à tous les véhicules A16, de Belgique - Oostende vers Paris (sens est-ouest)au PR 82à Calais Fermeture bretelle d'accés sens France/Belgique, Fermeture des échangeurs N°43 et 44, Fermeture de l'échangeur d'entré sur l'A16 n°46, sens Belgique/France. suite aux poids lourds en attente sur BAU et voie de droite de l'A16.

(translation: A16 direction Paris closed to all vehicles between Jn 43 and 44 and Intersection 46 due to "Operation Stack")

Obviously these figures are liable to change (traffic was backed up 10km on the A16 northbound earlier) depending on exactly where the strikers choose to cause trouble.

TrailerBob wrote: »

Dover - Calais sailing on Friday with DFDS. Doesn't make much difference going to Dunkirk, in fact they'll reroute you there if you happen to miss your slotted time quite regularly.

You'll get through, as DFDS is the only operator still able to function, but Dunkerque is now saturated so there are delays of 90 minutes (not that bad in the overall scheme of things). I wouldn't count on Calais being re-opened before the weekend.

To anyone reading this thread: be advised that France (and Kent) is also experiencing a heatwave, and by that I mean a proper one! Temperatures in the shade are around 35°C, expected to reach 40°C in the next couple of days. To put that in context, the lowest, overnight temperatures that we have this week are the highest forecast for Ireland. Make sure your aircon is working, and if you're transporting children or animals via the Tunnel ports ... think of changing your plans. (See note above about hardy truckers needing medical attention)

TrailerBob

What I meant was it should be ok getting away from the port towards Paris...Clearly its a total mess over there trying to get to the UK with all of this.

Cheers for the detailed updates though. It's going to be an interesting couple of days. Cooler box at the ready.. and I've no aircon!! Plenty of water though

CelticRambler

TrailerBob wrote: »

What I meant was it should be ok getting away from the port towards Paris...Clearly its a total mess over there trying to get to the UK with all of this.

That's what I understood, hence the warning: NO, it's not OK getting away from the port towards Paris. The French motorway junction (A16-A26 interchange) is CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC.

You'd be best re-routing via the N and D roads east, straight out of Dunkerque, to pick up the A25 south of Bergues and join the A1 at Lille.

And beware of the strikers deciding to move to Dunkerque because they consider DFDS to be one of their many enemies.

TrailerBob

Yeah, the plan is to go to Lille. Hopefully Dunkirk stays open, if that closes, then there'll be all sorts of chaos.

whiskeyman

Quick question - do all hire cars in France come with the required accessories?
hi0-vis / breathalyser etc..?

CelticRambler

The port is open, but the delays are increasing (was 75mins, now/still 90mins) DFDS are also advising UK/northbound traffic to skip Junction 53 (signposted "Car Ferry") and take Jn54b instead. That can only mean the usual route is choc-a-bloc which will inevitably have an effect on vehicles leaving the port too. In any case, definitely best to turn left instead of right and head first to Lille via the N225/A25 ("E42") and avoid Calais completely.

@whiskeyman: yes.

CiniO

whiskeyman wrote: »

Quick question - do all hire cars in France come with the required accessories?
hi0-vis / breathalyser etc..?

Mc Love wrote: »

Heading over next week and I'll be hiring a car - will I need all the stuff being mentioned above?

Of course.
Every car sold new by the dealer or provided for rental by rental company, comes equipped with mandatory equipment required in country of registration.

cormie

Thanks for the info guys, this is turning into a bit of a nightmare. I'm currently in London right now, got here ok but I think it was the highest recorded temperature ever in the UK today, 36.7 degrees somebody said. I've no aircon and still with the windows down doing 100kmph I was sweating in the van

I've a decent fridge/freezer for the van which keeps everything as chilled as I need but when I got to London I had to unload a van up to the 4th floor with a broken lift so I'm sitting in a public wifi zone in a sweaty t-shirt not knowing what my next move should be.

Luckily there's flexibility with the French job, as long as I get there before the 5th. I held off booking accommodation until I know what the story is. If I thought it was possible to drive to the ferry now and get it tonight I would, just to avoid having to spend hours in the sun tomorrow at the side of the road. If I'm going to be waiting with the rest of the HGV's, maybe I'm just better off waiting a few days in London until it clears, that's IF it clears and it is essential I get to Paris by the 5th.

I have no ferry booked, I usually book through a freight broker but they are saying there's no movement at all. As it's only a Ford Transit, although a Luton Transit, so 6.6m long, 3.1m high, I may be ok, but does that mean I can just sail by all the HGV's? What about passenger queues are all the passenger vehicles getting on with just a 90 minute delay? That would be fine for me.

Once I get to France I guess I'll just let Google guide me? It's usually very good with the traffic estimates.