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Driving through France. Hints and tips?
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A.J.M
 


Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2813

Scotland 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi SilverDiscovery 3
Driving through France. Hints and tips?

Next week I’m heading to france for the Le Mans 24 hours race, I’ll be taking my D3 and towing a Sankey camping trailer.
This will be my first time in France but not my first time driving abroad. Did a lot of driving in the US last year. Getting ferry from Dover to Calais, then heading down. It will be Wednesday morning and at rush hour for part of it.

I have a kit that comes with the usual stuff that Le Plod want on you. I’ve got spare bulbs etc sorted.
Trailer has working lights and good tyres. ( it’s Iggy’s old one )
RAC European cover has been sorted.

I believe the speed limit is 55 for my car and trailer in France due to weight.
Will I need to change headlight beams? I’ve Bi Xenons on the car so not sure on that.

Is there any do and don’ts for heading off, I know about not having anything to detect speed traps as they are illegal.

Picking car up tonight from Specialist as it’s been given a superb parts cannon volley so I’m expecting no issues from the car.
  
Post #19515877th Jun 2018 3:32 pm
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DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin 


Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72740

Ukraine 

Hint? Watch out in supermarket car parks, it’s when I lapse and drive back on the left. Embarassed

A.J.M wrote:
so I’m expecting no issues from the car.


And don’t even think such things, she’ll know. It’s what they do. Shocked Just replace the word “Terminator” with “LR” and “dead” with “broke”. Whistle

Click image to enlarge
   
Post #19515947th Jun 2018 4:19 pm
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Mr Kington
 


Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 1549

United Kingdom 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Siberian SilverDiscovery 3

Don’t bother about the lights and changing beam. I never have. Also you can sit at 55 or even 65 but again as long as your are safe and the trailer is Ok at higher speeds nobody really cares. I have been overtaken at 70 plus with people rowing all sorts of thinks including boats. Does tend to be the French to be fair.
 James favourite hobby is writing in the third person.  
Post #19516017th Jun 2018 4:52 pm
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Mr Kington
 


Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 1549

United Kingdom 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Siberian SilverDiscovery 3

For clarity nobody is as rowing the boats at 70. Should have read towing the boats ! Autocorrect for you.
 James favourite hobby is writing in the third person.  
Post #19516027th Jun 2018 4:54 pm
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DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin 


Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72740

Ukraine 

Agreed re lights. Done many, many tens of thousands of miles sur l’continent without changing my lights and never been flashed. And that’s with a D3 fitted with halogens and xenons and my present D4 with xenons. Thumbs Up
   
Post #19516047th Jun 2018 4:57 pm
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MrH
 


Member Since: 08 Aug 2007
Location: lost in the forest
Posts: 7754

United Kingdom 

Just got back from Basel, Switzerland this morning and 75% of the continent driving on Froggie Motorways. Ignore lights as already said, frogs dont bother when they come here. No need for the breatherliser thing as they can’t prosecute you for not having one anyway. Do keep in mind that the combined gross train weight of D3 and Trailer puts you above 3.5T so you must abide by the 80/90Kph limits and should have stickers declaring this on the back of the trailer Whistle
 LRs are a fond memory, apart from the maintenance.  
Post #19516417th Jun 2018 6:16 pm
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DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin 


Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72740

Ukraine 

As with MrH, I never bothered with the breathylisers. When the French were enforcing the requirement you couldn’t get one for love nor croissants. Once they stopped everyone was trying to sell the stock they had. Les Gendarmes won’t pull you over to check bulb kits (which technically isn’t a requirement, having a blown build is a no-no so folk-lore has decreed that a bulb kit is a legal requirement, it’s not.) or blow-in-ze-bags, it’s coz you’ve been speeding. Don’t speed & they won’t bother you. Simples. Thumbs Up
   
Post #19516467th Jun 2018 6:28 pm
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stick
 


Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 592

United Kingdom 2010 LR4 3.0 TDV6 HSE Auto Izmir BlueLR4

Have a hi-vis vest within reach in the cabin. Illegal to stop and get out on peage without one.
 d4 HSE  
Post #19517087th Jun 2018 9:43 pm
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Moo
D3 Decade 


Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
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Ukraine 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 S Manual Zambezi SilverDiscovery 3

Just drive, enjoy and don't over think it. Thumbs Up
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Post #19517097th Jun 2018 9:46 pm
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Hardware
 


Member Since: 28 Jun 2016
Location: Hiding under the M60
Posts: 12676

United Kingdom 2011 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 XS Auto Sumatra BlackDiscovery 4

technically it's one hi-vis per seat … just in case you have full set of passengers.

whilst the breathalysers may not be enforceable, IIRC I picked them up for 99p for 2 in one of the "saver" shops. just checked and it was "Quality Save"
  
Post #19517247th Jun 2018 10:22 pm
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A.J.M
 


Member Since: 31 Oct 2009
Location: Carluke
Posts: 2813

Scotland 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi SilverDiscovery 3

Thanks guys for the advice.
For the trailer, I only passed my B+E test a couple of weeks ago. So 1600 miles for my second legal drive with a trailer should be a giggle.

Is the 80/90 stickers law. I’ve read so many different bits on that.

The kit came with the hi vis and breathalysers so just leaving them in.
Laughing

Cars came back from specialist. It’s running sweet and the 4 new air struts have transformed the ride.
  
Post #19517307th Jun 2018 10:52 pm
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M3DPO
 


Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8041

England 2014 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Lux Auto Corris GreyDiscovery 4

Regarding the SM stop or any stop that leaves the unit unattended, check all doors have actually locked and the trailer is locked to the car, this is where scrotes hang out and strike, not a nice experience to come back to your car and it's empty.
I always wrap a band of electric tape round the steering wheel to remind me which side of the road I am driving on particularly when I get back to UK, very easy to forget after a long stop.
Ignore being flagged down by a gang of thieves pointing at your wheels suggesting you have a flat.
 It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't. 
 
Post #19517648th Jun 2018 7:40 am
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D4mation
 


Member Since: 29 Jul 2011
Location: Ruralshire
Posts: 593

United Kingdom 2012 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Auto Ipanema SandDiscovery 4

Don't bother with 80/90 stickers on the trailer, they're not required.
It's the gross train weight on the VIN plate that ze plod will use to determine the 90kph limit on motorways - regardless of size or weight of trailer.
For future reference, from July some time the speed limit on A roads in France will reduce from 90 to 80kph, regardless of size of vehicle and whether or not towing.
 MY12 D4 HSE Ipanema Sand  
Post #195247010th Jun 2018 11:50 am
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D&G
 


Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
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Ukraine 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Barolo BlackDiscovery 3

To clarify, the speed limit drops to 80kph from July the first. We are expecting heavy enforcement initially.
 An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore



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Post #195253910th Jun 2018 4:23 pm
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Aerialmark
 


Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
Location: Burnley (Where the M65 is cobbled)
Posts: 5189

England 2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi SilverDiscovery 3

Good luck Fella have a good time Thumbs Up
 The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the best of everything they have. 


Last edited by Aerialmark on 11th Jun 2018 7:30 pm. Edited 1 time in total 
Post #195254810th Jun 2018 5:23 pm
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