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Le Mans trip


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I did the trip several times a few years back...

Worse trip (passenger -wise!) but best fun was in a Caterham 7...

Best trip but not so much fun was in a Renault Espace... memories of watching the campsite being flooded...

Anyway... you must remember to have a box of spare bulbs for your lights.

More info here: http://www.securiteroutiere.equipement.gouv.fr/

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Speed traps and more speed traps. Any sporty car on a U.K. stands a good chance of getting stopped for a roadside check, even our car plated in the south of France was stopped a couple of times. Have all all papers to hand ( passport, greencard etc). We found that if they saw you had your papers ready to show them, just just waved you on.

You can use a radar dectector here now so maybe useful to bring it if you have one (to show you accident black spots :-) on the road).

p.s remember the drive drive limit is lower in France than in the U.K.

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[quote user="Rdkr"]You can use a radar dectector here now so maybe useful to bring it if you have one (to show you accident black spots :-) on the road).[/quote]

I wish you'd tell the gendarmes that - they're obviously getting things wrong. [:O]

Radar detectors are illegal in France. Code de la Route Article R413-15:  Use of an anti radar is a Class 5 offence punishable by 1500 euro fine, 2 points and a 3 year ban. Both the radar device and the vehicle may be subject to seizure.

Just stick to the posted speed limits and you'll be OK. Roadside speed traps and paper checks are common in France, but no hassle at all.

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James

You should have insurance documents, registration certificate (or vehicle on hire attestation), MoT cert if needed, plus your driving licence and passport at all times. Headlamps should have beam shields/converters for driving on the right. You will be told you need to carry other items - as you wil see not all agree that they are legally necessary - such as warning triangle, spare bulbs, fire extinguisher and reflective jackets for all occupants. It's probably a good idea to have them anyway. You also need plenty of euros if you intend to exceed speed limits (plus a few for motorway tolls). Fixed speed cameras are shown on many maps, and many are signed in advance on the roads, but there are plenty of mobile radars which of course are not on maps.

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[quote user="Rdkr"]Speed traps and more speed traps. Any sporty car on a U.K. stands a good chance of getting stopped for a roadside check, even our car plated in the south of France was stopped a couple of times. Have all all papers to hand ( passport, greencard etc). We found that if they saw you had your papers ready to show them, just just waved you on. You can use a radar dectector here now so maybe useful to bring it if you have one (to show you accident black spots :-) on the road). p.s remember the drive drive limit is lower in France than in the U.K.[/quote]

When did French law on possesion of a radar dectector change ?  My understaning was possesion not even use was enough to invoke the fine. GPS with fixed radar points shown is I believe legal

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Article R413-15

"The fact of putting on sale, of selling, of holding, of using, of adapting, of placing, of applying or of transporting, with any unspecified manner, any apparatus, device or product intended either to detect the presence, or to disturb the operation of instruments being used for the observation of infringements to the legislation or the regulation of the road traffic is punishable by a Class 5 fine. The device or this product are seized and confiscated. Moreover, when the apparatus, the device or the product have been placed, adapted or applied to a vehicle, this can be seized and confiscated. Any person guilty of the infringement under the present article also incurs the complementary suspension of the driving licence for a three years duration at most....."

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You'll find plenty of advice over on the "Gassing Station" (the forums) at www.pistonheads.co.uk.  What isn't there, really isn't worth knowing - and you'll get plenty of feel for this unique event.  I've been five times and love it.

I post under the alias "Sortie 10", which gives a clue as to where I turn off the autoroute and take the back roads.  Having driven the Routes Nationales and Autoroutes, I've seen far too much silly (ie dangerous) driving - and rightly les flics are out in force to keep an eye on proceedings. 

By taking the back roads, you get some cracking driving passing through beautiful countryside and stunning villages (Lyons la Foret was a personal "discovery" en route to Le Mans.  The roads are quieter, in fantastic condition and, because the gendarmes are policing the main drag, camera-free.  If you see a decent stretch of D road, it is nice to press on within the limits of the road, your car, and yourself.  If you post on these forums, no doubt you will have a respect and love of France so will not take liberties.

I've been four times in an MX-5, once in my Z4.  This year I will probably give proceedings a miss so that I can explore la France profonde by pedal power - but will miss the occasion immensely.

Feel free to PM me, if you would like a copy of my preferred route from Calais to Le Mans.

Have fun!

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Also add a first aid kit to the official list.  As Will says, different people say different

things (including different motoring organisations).  Halfords have information tables in their shops (what for which

countries) – but these do not agree with information at e.g. Portsmouth ferry

port terminal.

If you are concerned about speed traps, many maps have the

fixed ones marked (or check your route on e.g.

http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm – which marks

fixed speed traps). In terms of police checks, I can only comment on experience

and friends comments for Sarthe.  In

general you are OK lunchtime and in rainy weather (as nobody likes being

outside then, least of all the police). 

However, Le Mans week might change things a bit.

There is this strange “law” that says you should have your

headlights on during the day outside towns/cities.  No penalty for not doing it, but I do turn my lights on when I

see police checks (particularly at night) – as this at least shows an

appreciation for the “law” and I reckon lowers the chance of being stopped.

Sometimes a couple of police will wait at a “stop”

junction.  If they see anything that

might be wrong you will be stopped and done for everything they can think

of.  Normal thing people fail to do is

to come to a complete stop at a stop line (too far, incomplete stop, etc. and

they have their excuse).

Remember that as soon as you reach the village/town entry sign

(normally rectangular with a red border) the speed limit is 50.  Once you pass the “end of village sign” on

the way out then back to whatever. 

Obviously specific speed limit signs override this.

Remember that a lot of the “24/24” petrol stations are

actually just unattended pumps that take CB cards with PIN numbers.  Whilst UK now issues Chip & Pin number

cards I am not sure how widely accepted these are (particularly in the

unattended petrol pumps).  I know that

last Sept my parents were still having to sign printed slips rather than entering

their PIN when visiting.

 

Re: Speed trap detectors – used to be that if they found you

with one they would take it, look at it, place it on the road just in front of

your front wheel and ask you to drive forward a few feet.  Things might have changed.  Don’t know who they react to the GPS based radar

warning devices as these are little more than GPS/navigation machines – but that’s

a separate thread.

Most of the fixed radar traps I’ve seen around (72/37/49/41)

have large warning signs a sensible distance before you get to them.

 

Ian

 

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[quote user="Deimos"]There is this strange “law” that says you should have your headlights on during the day outside towns/cities.  No penalty for not doing it, but I do turn my lights on when I see police checks (particularly at night) – as this at least shows an appreciation for the “law” and I reckon lowers the chance of being stopped.[/quote]

No requirement for daytime lights.  I think you may be referring to an experiment which ran for 6 months during last year to see if it was feasible to insist on lights during the day - it was abandonned.  You do need to switch them on in rain or poor visibility.  The use of fog lights is prohibited except in fog or low visibility.

[quote user="Deimos"]Sometimes a couple of police will wait at a “stop” junction.  If they see anything that might be wrong you will be stopped and done for everything they can think of.  Normal thing people fail to do is to come to a complete stop at a stop line (too far, incomplete stop, etc. and they have their excuse).[/quote]

You're best advised to stop and count to four before proceeding.  The are very, very hot on this - fixed fine of 135 euros (reduced to 90 euros if paid within 3 days or increased to 375 euros in not paid within 45 days) plus 4 points plus a potential 3 year ban

 

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[quote user="Rdkr"]Well they are now knocking out radar detectors in my local Carrefour (Narbonne) for 99€ so I assumed the law had been updated.[/quote]

Just had a flyer through the door from Feu Vert this morning and there are two types of  avertisseur de radar  on offer so they must be now legal.

 

 

 

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This is the relevant law:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnArticleDeCode?code=CROUTENR.rcv&art=R413-15

As I understand it, the GPS-based (Inforad for instance) detectors are legal, as they merely receive a GPS signal indicating the location/position of a speed trap and are unable to receive the signal from the radar itself. Think of it as a car radio: you turn it on, it receives a GPS signal wherever you are.

Older types of detectors work by receiving a signal from the radar itself. Following on from the car radio analogy, it will alert you ONLY if a radar signal is received.

That's what makes them illegal in France.

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[quote user="Clair"]This is the relevant law:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnArticleDeCode?code=CROUTENR.rcv&art=R413-15

As I understand it, the GPS-based (Inforad for instance) detectors are legal, as they merely receive a GPS signal indicating the location/position of a speed trap and are unable to receive the signal from the radar itself.
[/quote]

R413-15 says "...any apparatus, device or product intended either to detect the presence..."  The key word is probably "detect" - assumes an active process rather than a passive one as in the case of GPS which gives the locaton of fixed camera sites (which are well advertised in any case).  I suspect the law applies to those devices capable of detecting mobile radar emissions.

Still, I wouldn't want to wrong on this......

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Here is a link to another article on the topic of the legality of speed camera location devices - as opposed to active  radar detectors

http://www.navi-mag.com/index.php?action=article&id_article=180964

I hope that the gendarmes are "up to speed" on the distinction [:D]

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Yes, this does make it quite clear that radar detectors, which only detect radar waves are illegal.

Quote  En revanche, il reste strictement interdit d'utiliser des systèmes capables de brouiller le fonctionnement des radars ( anti radar ) ou d'en repérer par eux-mêmes leur présence ( détecteur de radar ),

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
It is a Morgan which belongs to my friend Paul and in which I was lucky enough to get 5 laps of the circuit 4 years ago before the race.  He brings his Mondaile to the race and the Morgan to the Classic (yeah, really!) which he got for his 21st birthday - brand new 30+ years ago.  It brightens up our driveway.  Maybe see you there. 
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