terry1956

Hi, we have to date registered two uk plated motorhomes, the 1st was a selfbuild ford transit based, which was a bit of pain to get passed, but we did even with the side door on the wrong side, the 2nd was a left hand drive hymer, for which all we needed was the hymer cert from hymer france and that was that, no tests no inspections. If we buy another motorhome it will be from germany and a hymer again. prices are to high in france. michael

Will there as been some interesting views made, Yes one of the bigest reasons for us leaving france is its plain boring, The shutters are closed at 7.30 and thats that. Out side the larger cities not much works very well, we have had so many elec cuts due to low current, the so say boardband internet cuts out if more then 3 people are using the hub at the same time, Yes life is slow, But its more like being die then alive, as to the markets italy, spain can beat france hands down any day. Can,t wait to get out of the place before I get to old, as to those people that always run down people leaving, maybe they have just burned their bridges and just need to believe France is a great place, For me it a grave yard of boring small minded people. michael       

Hi, we will not be paying taxes on the sell of our Uk home as we have always had it as our main home in my name, the french house is in my partners name. We also have always paid the Council tax in my name, and have remained in the UK NHS system. I never have believed in burning bridges, just in case, And now thanks for a bit of foreward thinking we our able to move without to many taxes thoe we will be hit by these silly hip things. terry

Hi all, in answer to the above, I am sorry to say that John is on his own, We did look at a few ways to get him back into the NHS system, but apart from dumping him outside an Uk doctors there was nothing we could do. I did return to the UK not many weeks ago and yes it is a dump. nowever the IofM as lower taxes then the UK or even france, low crime and there is no 3rd world feeling due to no one being allowed to start living there on benifits. Its not easy to leave our way of life here in france, but not paying road tax will not help when I can no longer drive, but being able to talk to others around me in my 1st language will. We are able to move due to having rented out our UK house so allowing us to keep up with rising Uk prices. But just thinking of packing up all our odds and bobs is giving me a real pain in the head. terry

Hi, yes it will be harder to enjoy alot of the things we do now, But having looked at things like the reason we moved from the UK in the first place, ie no law and order, a growing 3rd world feeling, councils milking home owners near to death, lack of space to move, and the sky high prices asked when we wanted to do anything. France looked the way to go, Now 6 years on we are a bit older, and have looked  at our cash flow etc, Moving to the IofM would allow us to buy much the same as we have in france, with lower taxes to boot, there is still law and order and due to the work visas needed there is not that 3rd world feeling, As for the motorhome, well we go away for around 4 months at a time, and yes we will have to lots of ferrie costs. Even taking in that fact we feel that we will still be better off in the long run, Also we wish to put down roots and just don,t feel that france is the place to do that, I think that we both had our dream broken by watching a follow brit who became very ill due to age and the loss of his wife, just forget all his french over night and could not get the care he needed. John had lived in france for over 24 years, he is now in a care home in normandy.surrounded by people he can no longer talk to, due to all is money being in his home he is unable to return to the UK. Thanks for wishing us well. T    

Hi, well my partner and I have lived in normany for 6 years, and we have had a great time, but we are selling up and returning to the UK, well not the Uk but the I of Man, The reasons are many fold, Even with both of us joining many local clubs in the region and both having a fair understanding of french, we are a bit fed up with the red tape, the total lack of of any time frame, and we have found that we are just pasting our days in a dream like state, Also we have found that the cost of living in france is going up, bit my bit and that there is a growing number of french who just like people in the UK are going for fast food from the supermarket, the local bakers and small village shop have both closed due to this and the other is just waiting for a new buyer, with little hope of finding one, I will miss the easy of taking my boat to sea, the easy of travel to other counties with our motorhome. some good mates made over the years. farm food. What I will not miss. endless red tape, when trying to sort out trailers, boat insurrance, barking dogs, france telecom, failing elecs due to poor supplie, poor supermarket food. living behind shutters after 7.30. french people who drink to much wine. cross chanel builders, or french builders who think we are all loaded. What I hope to get from moving. meeting new people, no barking dogs, a good pint of beer around a log fire with mates. less red tape. a feeling of belonging. curries, laying down roots, enjoying looking at the mags in WHS. terry 

Hi, i think this reflects the ages of the members, What doe,s the manual say about oil changes, for me that was always more important on a new engine, after bedding in the pistons, etc. Nowever I think you did well getting a burgman from all the reports I read, not to much wrong. michael 

Hi SD, I am not trying to be bloody minded, but why after asking the local police, my insurance agent, and also a french man who had much the same trailer as I am looking for, who all stated thats its ok for me for me to tow a trailer of 750kg behind my 4x4, out all these people wrong, is that french person breaking the law, doe that french policeman not know the law of his country, and does the insurance make up the paperwork for my 4x4 to show that I can tow a 750kg trailer, all make this up. I don,t think so, michael  

Hi all, if the police and insurance company are happy that I can, then I can, lets call an end to this please. thanks michael

Hi EY, NO I am not tieing myself in knots, What I first wanted to know was what weight of trailer I could tow behind my french plated car, I have been told its limited to 500kg if the trailer does not have its own CG, This is not the fact, I can tow behind my 4x4 a trailer of 750kg without the trailer needing its own CG etc. This is good for me as it allows me to pick from a much larger pond of trailers then before. As for forgetting insurance, how can I when it forms a part of the question, after all they did not try to sell me anything, just looked at my 4x4,s CG and at my insurance and said ok for 750kg. Also the police are not a commercial organisation, they know the law, and if they say its ok, then its ok. michael       

Hi, after  spending alot of time on this issue. I have been to the local police in caen, a trailer centre and my insurance company AXA, this is what they all said. Under french law a trailer at all under the weight of 500kg all in can be towed without a CG and is under the towing cars insurance, a trailer weighing 750kg all in can be towed without a CG under the towing cars insurance if that car weights more then 1.5 tons. A trailer over 750kg needs a CG and number plate and its own insurance, no matter what towing car etc. As I have a 4x4 and a motorhome each weighing more then 1.5 ton I can tow a trailer upto 750kg all in under the insurance of the 4x4 or motorhome, the trailer does not need a CG its own number plate or insurance. This ruling comes under licence B of the road trafic act. michael  

Hi SD, sorry you are wrong on this point, under licence B it is ok to tow a 750kg PTAV trailer under the towing cars insurance if the towing car is 1.5 tons or over. I have checked this both with my insurance company AXA, and with the local police. But it still looks like a new boat trailer, Will be looking at replacing next year, as this year was a total wash out. michael    

Hi, in answer to NT, as to reflective jackets, vests. I suppose that the police had a crock of S--- in mind then, put asked to see the vests. Try  being broken down on the side of the road without one around here, Yes I know that a lot of french don,t go by all the rules but the police are becoming more demanding, And its best to keep on their good side, so yes a vest is needed. OK michael 

Hi, was stopped by the police last week, all they asked for was the insurance, and my DL. It was a uk plated car. Please make sure that you have the following also, a reflective vest or jacket for each passager, they sometime look for these. Others I am sure will add to the list, I would also take a copy of the bill of sale, you never no. michael

Hi all, as some of you may know, I have been asking a few questions re trailers of late, This made me think a bit harder then I have for some time, Anyway I have a motorboat and its on a trailer, I use the boat for diving so its used both here and in the UK, The boat its self is under UK regt as there was no way I was going to be able to get the paperwork for it, Anyway the trailer is a UK trailer, Now as I understand it my french 4x4 can not tow the trailer as its a uk trailer without insurrance, yet as the boat itself is regt and as insurrance in the UK i can use it without any worries in french waters N/P. So as the boat trailer is over 750kg, does this mean that I need a french boat trailer ????. Sunday driver whats your view on this. I wish to keep within the law as there are far to many stop checks here abouts caen, and just because I like working within the law of the land. michael 

Hi, not to sure under french law, but if you have had faults from day one with the car, and these are reported to the garage, then the cars not fit for purpose and you can ask for some help from the makers. The downside to it, it that you ahave used the car for two years, so your case is not very good, But try contacting the makers for some rebate on the cost of sorting the car out once and for all, A little input from your dealers will help here. good luck

Hi onion man, if you have a look at my question, long shot I know. There is someone who states they have registered a kit car, give him a try. michael By the way what one is it, I must admit that I loved playing around with kits and classics when in the UK, but a land rover lightweight to play with and found that I could not deal with the paper trail, so sold it here on e-bay, odd thing was it sold for more money then if I had spend  time and money on it, or very odd. French and their paperwork. anyway give hime a PM, all the best. michael   

Thanks again SD, Must say re translations, did the same for the Hymer as Hymer france is closed until the 26th, I did a PC job on the german certs, No one took any notice, and all when well bar yet again having to remove the window handles and making out little signs in french stateing that one muct close the windows before driving off. Anyway the Hymers done. Had a look around E-bay as I have just sold my motorbike and came across a large boxed trailer had the 750kg mark in germany, so will get that as its new and will hold all the gear and the quad ok. Thanks again SD, and may I ask have you get all your info ???? michael   

To Sunday driver, thanks for that, I spend ages trying to find a site for westfalia in france with know joy at all, Also had my frence mate ask in caen no joy, I must say that the people in caen are a lot less helpful then maybe theu could be. Anyway looks like I maybe able to get a deal made after all, thanks SD. Michael 

Hi, one would think so, but after many trips to caen, its always a brick wall, and thats even with taking a french mate along. Maybe its just caen I don,t know, but its a pain. Also I think that you are missing the point that I can,t get the relative certificates due to the german trailer company having no interest in producing a doc in french that they don,t want or need in germany. Last yes I was able to import a UK RHD ford campervan into france with no certs for the living area, And yes after a lot of talk and a few inspections was able to get it passed, But for some reason Its a no with the trailer. As stated I will by an ifor williams from the Uk and get the french cert at the same time. michael 

Hi sunday driver, 1st off after contacting my local drire office here in caen, I was told this, That any trailer over 750kg needs a makers cert showing full details of braking system, hitch etc. And this needs to be from a France agent of the trailers makers. So as you can see this leaves out a whole lot of very good makes, The trailer I am interested in is a leading german make, the price new is 50% less then the poorer french make sold by erle, etc. Nowever as the german company does not sell in France and as no interest in the French need for an in French COC, I can not get a CG and so can,t buy the trailer. As to my mention of EU standards, these do come into play for trailer hitches etc. One interesting point is that acording to EU rules any car, trailer etc made after 2003 should not need any action by Drire in the form of inspection and a CG should be made available on demand, But for some reason the French who signed up to this just do not run with it in the real world. I think for me the way round it is to buy an ifor williams trailer in the UK and get the cert from ifor williams.fr the cost is 100 euros.     michael 

Hi, In answer to the above, yes I have imported a motorhome into the UK, it took one day, The only bit of paper needed was the one with the chassis number on, was able to get an mot cert and a new log book, easy. As to the trailers being in better condition here in france, come off it. They as in the UK don,t need any inspections, so what makes them better for the road ???? Also HAVE YOU SEEN THE horrendous atrocities being towed behind white van man 2 feet behind ones bumper, come off it please. As to the red tape, Yes there is loads of it, One can check the prices of trailers on the net for the whole of europe and yet due to french red tape its impossible to import a better and far cheaper trailer into france if there is not a dealer network here to issure a cert in french for the CG.   Thats what I call a closed shop. Yet did the common market mean free trade?? yet France is not allowing imports into the country even if the item meets all of the EU set standards, I think that answers that. And please take note I was asking for advice, and please don,t start with if you don,t like it move nonesense michael

Hi, Thanks but it looks a no go, As you would be aware the price of trailers here in france is just sky high, and its a locked in deal with their prices being protected by useless red tape and the endless paperwork that leads no place. Some times like these I just miss the UK with far less red tape when it comes down to cars etc. thanks for the input, michael

Hi, I am looking for a twin axle box trailer to carry my quad bike and a few odds and ends behind my camper van, Having looked at the price of trailers in france they are priced far to high for me. I have my eye on a nice trailer for sale in germany, but as its over the 750kg it needs a carte gris, My understanding is that to get a CG one needs a makers cert in france, As the trailer is a german make ie Westfalia does anyone out there no where I may get a cert from in france to show the not so nice man at drire, god its a B===== pain in the a== living in france at times. Any useful help would be nice, thanks michael 

Hi as stated gas attacks are a no no, so no one can tell you can they.