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What you need to carry whilst driving in France?


Owen White

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Having had such great help on this forum whilst researching insurance, I thought I'd ask for help again,

what are the legal requirements on what you have to carry whilst driving in France? I've read many different thoughts, red traingle, fire extinguisher, passport etc...

thanks.

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Registration book.

Passport.

Insurance certificate.

First aid kit

Fire extinguisher.

Warning triangle

Spare bulbs.

Fluorescent jackets for all passengers.

Cuddly toy.

Leccy bill

Umbrella

Safety Helmet.

Road side flares

Pick out the five that dont apply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Smile [:)]

Regards

ps I may have missed some!!

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Owen, the legal requirements on what you have to carry in your UK registered car when visiting France are as follows:

-  Driving licence

-  V5C registration document.  If the vehicle is registered to someone else, eg on hire, or a company car then you'll need a letter of authority to drive it abroad.

-  Insurance certificate.

-  GB plate (not required if you have a country identifier letter incorprated into your number plates)

That's it.

Warning triangles are not compulsory if you have hazard warning lights. Reflective jackets are only compulsory in Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain. First aid kits, fire extinguishers and spare bulb kits are not compulsory but are useful additional safety equipement.

With regard to users of spectacles, french driving licences carry the words "wearing of corrective lenses obligatory" and spectacles/contact lenses must be worn when driving, so it makes good sense to keep a spare pair in the car.  However, this specific licence condition is not a feature of UK licences, so it is of no legal consequence to UK visitors.

 

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The only thing I would add is that having a spare bulb kit in the car could save you some money, if you get stopped with a bulb failure and you can replace it straight away the Flics will be ok with that.
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[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Owen, the legal requirements on what you have to carry in your UK registered car when visiting France are as follows:

-  Driving licence

-  V5C registration document.  If the vehicle is registered to someone else, eg on hire, or a company car then you'll need a letter of authority to drive it abroad.

-  Insurance certificate.

-  GB plate (not required if you have a country identifier letter incorprated into your number plates)

That's it.

Warning triangles are not compulsory if you have hazard warning lights. Reflective jackets are only compulsory in Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain. First aid kits, fire extinguishers and spare bulb kits are not compulsory but are useful additional safety equipement.

With regard to users of spectacles, french driving licences carry the words "wearing of corrective lenses obligatory" and spectacles/contact lenses must be worn when driving, so it makes good sense to keep a spare pair in the car.  However, this specific licence condition is not a feature of UK licences, so it is of no legal consequence to UK visitors.

 

[/quote]

Is that the same for a French car too? There seems to be conflicting answers here.

I only have a Peugeot 206CC so space is very limited. If I had to carry a fluorescent jacket, fire extinguisher, warning triangle etc there wouldn't be any room for me! As it is my car doesn't carry a spare wheel.

Basically all I carry is my insurance wotsit which is displayed on my windscreen and the carte grise (I think it's called) in my gove box. Oh and I wear my specs. And of course my driving licence which is in my wallet. Is that good enough?

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Re flurorescent jacket. You only need to buy one of the gillet types that comes in a little packet for 7€ and goes over your clothes, no big highway workers jacket you must be thinking of. A torch is a good idea too especially for visitors who arrive late at night as street lighting here is controlled and non-existant outside urban areas.

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