Right then , Friday we're off driving down the to the Languedoc from Calais via a nice Chateau near Orleans, but the difference is this time we are hiring a 9 seater minivan rather than going in two cars.
Anyone any tips this year on the state of l'autoroutes and does anyone know if a Citroen Jumper or Mercedes Vito is charged higher on the tolls than a standard car so we can budget accordingly?
Already disabled the french camera bits on the TomTom and the vehicle is a LHD (pick up at Calais Ferryport) - we are crossing as foot passengers this time.
Much obliged
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Watch out for the fast-multiplying speed cameras on autoroutes, N and D roads - they all come with an advance warning sign but this is not always accompanied by a speed limit reminder. The Gendarmes are also out and about with radar guns. Don't forget that if you enter a built-up area that has a name sign with a red border the speed limit is automatically 50kph (approx 30mph) whether there is a separate warning sign or not. Just beyond the sign is a favourite spot for a radar gun.
Also, yesterday I came across what was, I think, my first sighting of a mobile speed camera in France. It was a completely unmarked and unannounced white Clio, parked by the roadside in the middle of nowhere with a camera-like device fitted to the back bumper. I was alerted (unnecessarily!) to some sort of police presence by a flash of headlights from an obliging lorry driver - he must have seen something like that before.
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Already disabled the french camera bits on the TomTom....
No need to as GPS speed camera detectors are legal in both the UK and Europe because they use a database of camera locations and because this data is available to all members of the public, any new speed cameras which are installed have to be registered onto the database so the information as to their location is out there for all to see, including drivers, of course.
If however it is a radar detector, then it is illegal to use radar detectors in some European countries.
www.safermotoring.co.uk/SpeedCameraDetectors.html
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DD is perfectly correct, as ever. However, convincing Le Plod Francais that your bit of kit is NOT a radar detector and is fully legal, as desribed by DD, may prove difficult! How good is your French?
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Cheers to all for good advice - au revoir !!
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If you have anything stuck to your windscreen radar or sat nav and the police in France stop you and he feels that way out you have lost it along with many euros.
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"If you have anything stuck to your windscreen radar or sat nav and the police in France stop you and he feels that way out you have lost it along with many euros."
This must make for good profits for Michelin Satnav division.
Satnav is perfectly legal in France, it's just radar detectors that aren't. Loads of French cars with stanavs just like ours, not to mention all the "foreign" tourists.
Been to France virtually everey year since 1963, been stopped once . Been about 8 or 10 times since had satnav, and that's when the one stop occurred - they never even inspected or asked about the satnav.
It is also perfecly legal to have camera locations on your satnav in France - the French motorway authorities even publish the locations, as does Securite Routiere (Gov site)
www.securite-routiere.equipement.gouv.fr/infos-ref...l
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Phil
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There'a fixed camera on the autoroute near Boulogne,another on the auto route near Clermont Ferrand and have seen a mobile on the N154 near Dreux.The obvious route is south from Calais and head for Rouen-take the Paris autoroute there for a few miles,then onto the A154 which becomes the N154 all the way to Orleans-I use this route but stay in the Campanile at La Source which is in a forest.From there you get straight onto the Autoroute all the way to Languedoc.Take a 10 min.diversion to look at the Viaduct du Garabit-it's signposted and well worth it.
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