Stevieg Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 I have bought an unfinished house in France and was considering driving down in a motorhome (read converted library) towing my escort van using an A-frame. My knowitall mate reckons that A-frames are banned in Spain and also in France. I don't mind if they are in Spain but would like to know if they are in France. Saw plenty of them last year. does anyone know the real truth of this question??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jc Posted February 15, 2004 Share Posted February 15, 2004 Don't know the legalities but have seen vehicles towed on A-frames on the autoroutes within the past year-one had had the car sprayed to match the motorhome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninthace Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 Hi StevieGI am one of those people you see towing a car behind a motorhome. I pull a Ford Fiesta behind a Winnebago using a professionally made A-frame provided by Car-A-Tow in Poole.The line used to be that if the combination is road legal in the UK, then provided you are only a temporary visitor to France, your combination should be legal in France.The real problem is that the jury is out on the combination actually being legal in the UK. This has been the subject of much debate in motorhome newsgroups and AVRE magazine. I assume your car is over 750kg. If so, then it is not enough to have an A-frame. The coupling must also provide braking to the car and the lights on the motorhome should repeat at the back of the car. This almost makes your car a multi-axle braked trailer but not quite! Since you cannot reverse and have no overrun reversing brake - you still do not comply fully with European construction regulations for trailers. Hence the debate in UK that has yet to be resolved by a test case. The only way to be sure is to mount the car on a trailer which in my opinion is daft. I know that I would rather tow a trailer with a wheel at each corner than 2 in the middle!If it helps, I have made several trips and have had the once over from passing gendarmerie on each occasion but they have never pulled me over. Also, both my motorhome and car insurance companies know I use an A-frame and do not seem to be bothered (perhaps because I have never made a claim!)Now if someone can only tell me how I can register my Winnebago in France when I move out there permanently next year..............? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevens Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 You could fit a second hand "spec lift" (as used on breakdown trucks) often on Ebay for a few hundred quid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted March 14, 2004 Share Posted March 14, 2004 Check with the Caravan Club. There was some discussion on this subject in the magazine about 18 month - 2years ago and the legal position was spelt out clearly.IF I remember correctly, in France you had to have the car on a trailer. In Spain, only authorised breakdown recovery can tow cars on trailers...A frames not allowed.Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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