Doc required for France

[Napoleon]

ok, not long to go b4 we go to France and thought I'd better do a quick survey of what I should be taking paper-work wise.

What I have in mind is to take reg document, insurance docs, breakdown cover docs. Tax disc is obviously in the car. E111 for health reasons plus insurances for that sort of thing too.

Any of these I should NOT take? Anything I have missed out?

And while I'm at it, what about those breathalyser jobbies? I have florescent jackets and triangle and some spare bulbs. Anything else?

[Deanxm]

I believe you have to carry two? disposable breathalysers in france now although the law may have been AT LEAST one, plus the usual stuff you have covered, i believe you have to have high vis jackets for EVERY passenger now too or that could be Germany. I get confused.

Isnt it about time you left Austrailia now Anyway Tim?

D

[Xaccers]

Not sure if having a ginger in your boot is mandatory though...

[Deanxm]

If it is im going to need a bigger car, and why would you need a sanitary towel in a sealed plastic bag?
Dont need GB plates if you have the new number plates either.

D

[CitroJim]

Not sure if having a ginger in your boot is mandatory though...

Just wait, it soon will be if our wonderful government have their way...

Interesting fact about gingers. As it's a recessive gene that results in you being a ginger, it is predicted that gingers will be extinct in 1,000 years - they're soon to appear on the red list of endangered species...

Carrying a mandatory ginger in your boot may be a cunning way of ensuring their survival...

[Xaccers]

Carrying a mandatory ginger in your boot may be a cunning way of ensuring their survival...

Or speeding up the process if you drive like I do

[Napoleon]

Where to get those damned breath kits, then? Grrr. Hardly drink these days.

I suppose the vests have to be 'approved' do they?

I could bribe the gendarmes with ginger biscuits perhaps.

[Xaccers]

I believe it's best to get them in France otherwise you run the risk of buying ones that aren't approved, or being charged over the odds.

[Napoleon]

A service station I suppose. Is there a French version of Halfrauds? Must be.

[Xaccers]

Le 'alfraudz perhaps?

[Deanxm]

You can buy them at the tunnel or ferry ports, a little bag with some vests, triangle, first aid kit, GB sticker etc etc i think they were about £30 ish from memory.

D

[DickieG]

The GB sticker is a bit of a red herring, the legislation covering it is believe it or not the Geneva Convention, to me it sounds like its worth not displaying one just for the wheeze factor in the hope that you get charged with contravening the Geneva Convention, it'll be quite a claim to fame

I never bother displaying one whenever I've been abroad with the car and never had a problem.

[bonnyman750]

Hi Tim,

whenever we go to Europe we take the following:-
Passports (natch!)
E111 certificate/EHIC card
Travel insurance documents
Vehicle Log Book
Insurance documents
M.O.T.certificate
Driving Licence(s)
AND
Photocopies of ALL the above...at least then you can let the relevant authorities know that you are who you are and that you are genuine in times of strife!

Hi viz vest (1 each)
Breathalyser kit (now)....purchased from Halfords at £4.99 earlier this year. We had to wait for them to come in as supply was limited...
Warning triangle(s)...(1 when on the bike, though not strictly necessary for motorcyclists and) 2 for in the car as some countries require you to carry one each...
Bulb kit with at least 2 of all the important ones, as you need to prove that you can still change one after just changing one... if that makes sense! and fuses...!
Headlamp deflectors...I know there has been debate on here about this before but I always do as I don't want attention from any type of European Plod...
First aid kit...to comply with the 'Good Samaritan' ruling in Europe...i.e. you must be able to offer assistance when necessary...
Snow chains...if you know that there is the possibility of driving in adverse conditions in Europe...fines are heavy for causing a winter traffic jam!

For further info:-

Check out the AA website, they have a good set of .pdf files listing all the driving rules for various countries and some make interesting reading...e.g. after visiting Germany just before Christmas 2010, we read the AA site .pdf on driving in Germany and found that just before we went (15th December 2010) it was made law (4th December) that ALL vehicles using German roads must be fitted with All Weather or Winter tyres...at that time I had 4 different tyres fitted and none of them All Weather or Winters!!

As above, we bought our breath kit from Halfords and had to wait for them to come in. On coming back from Calais last month we noticed that they were for sale in the filling station right by Dover Eastern Docks at £5.99. I have also been led to believe that they can be purchased from any Pharmacie in France for a Euro(?)...someone on FCF maybe? You must also make sure that they are French Government approved...I think they have NF or FN marked on them and that they are still in date as they have a limited shelf life. i.e. a 'use by' date! The Halfords ones state that they are compliant...
Interestingly enough, the friends that we visited in Germany this last May knew nothing about this new French law!

We always carry a Hi Viz vest each. It is law in some countries, though not all, for ALL occupants of a vehicle to have one AND they must be kept in the vehicle within easy reach, not in the boot as you must be able to put it on before leaving the vehicle in the unfortunate event of an 'incident'.
Similarly, in Spain, I think, you must carry 2 warning triangles (must check the AA site!!)

I believe that, particularly in Europe you must carry all the ORIGINAL vehicle documents (this is why we always carry photocopies of all our documentation). I also believe that if you hire a car in Europe, the vehicle documents are in the glovebox and must remain there by law. And some of the hire companies hire the Hi Viz vests separately...

Though not strictly necessary, when in Europe I always drive with dipped headlights on (with deflectors)...For any motorcyclists on here, I think it is mandatory across Europe anyway (TBC)...

I also believe that if you are stationary for any length of time while driving(?) e.g. at level crossings, it is required that you turn your engine off......Actually, I think it became law here too not so long ago??...

If visiting Switzerland and Austria it is recommended that you purchase a motorway 'Vignette'. This is a small sticker that is placed on the inside of your windscreen that tells the Authorities that you have contributed towards their motorway system and therefore are allowed to use them. Considering that, particularly in Switzerland, some main roads suddenly become motorways and then back to main roads, it is easy to be caught out on a motorway without the vignette and the fines, again, are heavy. The last time we visited Switzerland, on crossing the border, on one side of the car was the border guard checking our passports while on the other side there was a man selling the vignettes. Alternatively you can buy them from most shops and service stations, the last one costing 27? Euros and they last for a year. Our friends in Austria told us about their vignette otherwise we wouldn't have known! Again, available from most shops and service stations...

I hope this helps and I will stand corrected on any of the items I have listed...

Cheers...

Glyn

[citronut]

arnt you meant to carry an in date fire extinguisher,
also the high viz jackets are spozd to be in easy reach af all occupants of the vehicle,

and i think you have to carry a spare live hedge hog

regards malcolm

[Napoleon]

... and kitchen sink?

Cheers Glyn, food for thought.