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Licence Catagories


Butterfly
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Can anyone tell me, if I change my UK licence to a french one will I still keep the catagories that I have on my UK one?

I want to be able to drive a motorhome and trail a smartcar on a trailer behind.  I am aware of the weight limits and will be within these. (using the catagories I have now on my licence) I will however be 70 next year.

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You will keep all the categories you have on your UK licence, but categories other than a car and light trailer will only have limited validity beyond the date of your 60th birthday.

Renewal of these is subject to a medical examination.

 

Edit: Correct age where limits begin to 60. Validities and other details here: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/N530.xhtml

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A French permis will only allow you to drive a campingcar with a PTAC of less than 3.5T and with a trailer of less than 750Kg.  ( I have a horrid feeling that the trailer weight is included in the 3.5T but you will need to read the regs)

Your prefecture would allow you to drive a heavier motor caravan if you can prove That you passed your test before 1970odd but because the DVLA do not keep records that is impossible.

 A Heavy trailer can be towed if you pass another test and have a bi annual (Annual after age 76) medical and you could keep your 7.5t allowance if you have it again by submitting a valid medical certificate at the time of exchange..

A Frames are suspect legally in France and Spain the advice from the FFCC is given below:-

24/05/2010 - Voiture attelée à un camping-car, quelle réglementation ?

Il

s’avère que vous êtes de plus en plus nombreux à souhaiter partir en

vacances en camping-car accompagné d’un petit véhicule afin de faciliter

vos déplacements.

La FFCC a enquêté, voici la réponse reçue

de la Sous-direction de l'Education routière en charge de ces questions

techniques le 14 mai dernier :

«L’article R 311-1 du Code de

la route définit les catégories de véhicules pouvant être utilisées sur

les voies publiques et les ensembles routiers qui se décomposent en

trois catégories : le véhicule articulé, qui est un ensemble composé

d’un véhicule tracteur et d’une semi-remorque ; le train double qui est

composé d’un véhicule articulé et d’une semi-remorque ; le train

routier, qui est un ensemble constitué d’un véhicule à moteur auquel est

attelée une remorque ou une semi-remorque.

Selon ce même

article, seule une remorque est autorisée à être attelée à un véhicule à

moteur. Hors opération de dépannage, un ensemble roulant composé d’un

camping-car et d’une voiture est interdit sur les voies publiques. En

conséquence, une voiture doit être obligatoirement placée sur une

remorque (porte-voiture homologué) pour être tractée derrière un

camping-car.»

Il n'est donc pas permis en France d'utiliser le

système Towtal permettant de tracter une voiture même si c'est légal

dans plusieurs pays d’Europe.

Bottom line.

It  is therefore not allowed in France to use the system Towtal (ie A Frame) to tow a car even if it is legal in several countries in Europe

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I exchanged my licence for a french one about 18 months before I was 70 and, together with other categories, was given category E(B) - heavy trailers, expiring the day before my 70th birthday. I took the medical to renew this for a further 2 years just before the expiry date, and again 2 years later. Categories above B have now lapsed, and since I no longer really need them, I have not taken any more medicals, but if I had done so I would still be able to tow the maximum of 2 tons behind my VW camper (PTAC - 2500, PTRA - 4500)

I believe the age at which a medical is required has now been reduced from 70 to 60, and that you will probably need to submit a medical to get any categories above B.

However, if you look in the link I posted under "Permis B : validité et principales caractéristiques", you will see that with a Permis B you can tow a trailer with a PTAC over 750kg provided its PTAC is less than the unladen weight of the towing vehicle and the sum of the PTAC of the combination is less than 3.5 tonnes.

My VW has an unladen weight of 1650 kg, and is authorised to tow up to 2000 kg (PTRA minus PTAC), but to stay within the limit of 3500 kg for my Permis B I can only tow a trailer with a PTAC of 1000.

Rather contrarily, If I had a smaller towing vehicle, with an unladen weight of 1500, a PTAC of 2000 and a PTRA of 3500, I could tow a trailer with a PTAC of 1500.

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Quote from retread.

Bottom line.

It 

is therefore not allowed in France to use the system Towtal (ie A

Frame) to tow a car even if it is legal in several countries in Europe

Towtal itself is not a "system" but the name of a company in Stoke on Trent who supply and fit A frames as well as many other parts and adaptations for motorhomes. If you purchase an A frame from them the owner will supply you with a copy of what appears to be an official document certifying it's legal use in France and Spain. Whether or not a Gendarme/Trafico will accept it is another matter. I have never towed with an A frame.

I saw a French motorhome towing one of the Renault "bug" vehicles on an A frame in August so presumably the French(?) supplier is leaving himself a bit open to a kicking from the authorities?

Another has already given a lot of information on this subject either earlier here or in another thread and if I remember correctly the outcome was that this situation has never been legally tested as it is such a grey area.

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