# French Driving



## duds (Sep 23, 2007)

Having just returned from a long trip to the French Pyrenees via the west route of Vendee and the Dordorgne. I must say that the roadway systems in France are so much better than England even though have to pay on some of the routes to get quicker to destination. We were amazed at the quality, cleanliness and frequency of the Aires on the non payeage well maintained dual carriageways. We saw only one set of roadworks in the whole 1800 mile trip and, oh joy, only a very few speed cameras and three traffic police vehicles.
There are so many more motorhomes than caravans in France and many of these seem to be the latest model vehicles but France is most motorhome friendly in every way and I urge anyone hestitant in taking and driving their motorhome to Europe not to be and we are eager to get back soonest.


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

The same applies to Germany and a few other countries........It's a real pleasure to simply travel over there never mind the fact that you are also on holiday!


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## 38Rover (Nov 9, 2006)

France has more speed cameras than UK but they are not painted yellow so you may have missed some.
Yes French aires are second to none
German roads I don't find very good bumpy and noisy and exit and entrance from autobahuns can be suicidal I used to have 3 offices in Germany so have travelled extensively their and Road works go on for ever.
Colin Frier


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I think the comparison is with the UK and it's a breath of fresh air.
My experience of Germany in particular is rather considerable. :wink:


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Motorhome friendly*

To be quite honest, France is the most motorhome friendly country in Europe and if you or I cant do it there,  then we cant do it anywhere


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I'm one of the few that has never been to France and don't intend to go!
My favourites are all the countries north of France.
In fact I've never been to Italy or Spain either :wink:


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

French roads are certainly much less crowded than UK ones, but remember that if you drove 1800 miles on Payage you will have paid more than your UK car tax.


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

We love the french motorhome way of life and their clear roads. The only places we have come across traffic jams were Bordeaux and Rouen.

steve & ann. ----------- teenavan


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## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

*French roads*

To be fair to the Brits, the French have about the same population as the UK in a country around two and a half times as big - not surprising if the roads are empty!


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## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

EJB said:


> I'm one of the few that has never been to France and don't intend to go!
> My favourites are all the countries north of France.
> In fact I've never been to Italy or Spain either :wink:


I'm puzzled!! If you haven't seen the others how can you assess a favourite? :blob4:


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

Quote:-"I'm puzzled!! If you haven't seen the others how can you assess a favourite?"

If you haven't been to EVERY country in the WORLD.....how can you assess a favourite?????

If you haven't owned EVERY make of car in the WORLD how can you assess a favourite?????

hmh,
I assume you have been everywhere?
I didn't even suggest that one country or another was actually my favourite....however if you really want to know...it is Denmark!  

My reasons for not visiting France...it's full of French people.
Italy......too hot.
Spain.....too hot.


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## Technophobe (Jul 31, 2007)

38Rover said:


> German roads I don't find very good bumpy and noisy and exit and entrance from autobahuns can be suicidal I used to have 3 offices in Germany so have travelled extensively their and Road works go on for ever.


Couldn't agree with you more Colin - drove the length of Germany from near Brussels to the Fernpasse (Austria) and back this summer - all on Autobahns - TONS of road works and hated the uneven noisy surface - I had imagined long, straight, fast, quiet roads and was sorely disappointed - French roads (toll and non-toll) are SO much better.

Jon


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

EJB said:


> I'm one of the few that has never been to France and don't intend to go!
> My favourites are all the countries north of France.
> In fact I've never been to Italy or Spain either :wink:


You poor soul, I think I may have to start a charity for you. The Society for Disadvantaged Motorhomers.


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

duds said:


> We were amazed at the quality, cleanliness and frequency of the Aires


Not to mention that one can actually enjoy the food.

It'll never catch on in UK.


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I don't, for one minute, doubt that French roads are perfect! (Even better than Denmark??) 
However, compared to the UK, German roads are a damn sight better. Plus German facilities and parking for MHs are very acceptable. :wink:

My own experience this year was somewhat contrary to other posters.

PS. An interesting coincidence:- http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=55595


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

EJB said:


> I don't, for one minute, doubt that French roads are perfect! (Even better than Denmark??)
> However, compared to the UK, German roads are a damn sight better. Plus German facilities and parking for MHs are very acceptable. :wink:
> 
> My own experience this year was somewhat contrary to other posters.
> ...


Here is you missing link.


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## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

> France has more speed cameras than UK but they are not painted yellow so you may have missed some


38Rover you may find these statistics interesting.

UK Gatsos 3,541
UK Mobiles 4,892

France Gatsos 685
France Mobiles 1,235

It seems that no other country (Including the USA) has anywhere near as many speed cameras as we do. Another good reason to go across the channel I think.


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

I don't understand your post Brian!


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

hilldweller said:


> EJB said:
> 
> 
> > I don't, for one minute, doubt that French roads are perfect! (Even better than Denmark??)
> ...


Now I/we see ( your link, which was missing a space ).

I must confess a tendency to go south instead of north to escape the wind/rain of this green and pleasant land.

We've done The Netherlands, flat with UK weather. 
Germany though always south of Amsterdam. No problems. 
France. Generally excellent, they have everything.
Italy, instant love. Nothing more, nothing less.
Spain. Just the opposite of Italy. We just don't fit in with their odd eating lifestyle. Roads usually excellent. Visually exciting. Usually excellent weather.

But never Scandinavia. We did a "vomit cruise" from Newcastle to Bergen one November to get a little taste of the place with a view to a Summer holiday on the bike ( before MH ). When the guide said 240 days of rain per year we crossed that off the list.

I do fancy Europe's longest bridge. Been deterred by weather and tales of high costs.

Anyway, 2009 budget already spent on Morocco. And the way the pound is going, 2010 as well.


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

colonel said:


> UK Gatsos 3,541
> UK Mobiles 4,892
> France Gatsos 685
> France Mobiles 1,235


I'm glad you posted that because I've always commented on how few there are and how visible they are.

Does not mean they don't enforce the limits, you can tell they do by the way the frogs drive. And I have a certificate to prove it ! Cunning swines used to have a radar head with radio transmitter. Just pop it in the grass before a bend, 3 good armed French plods are round the corner waiting to issue certificates for a modest sum.

These days they seem to use lasers at long range targeted on the entrance to towns for those who do not slow down in time.


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## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

I got busted by a laser gun coming to the end of the Calais Autoroute once. Cost me 900 Francs. Also spotted an umarked car on the Autoroute with three policemen and a laser gun travelling slowly on the inside lane and as you went past they caught you with the laser. I don't know how they work that, must have an allowance built in for their "constant" speed. :? 

I also got caught with a radar detector. They went potty and I was kept at a Gendarmerie for 4 hours while they tried to get hold of the local magistrate (it was a Saturday) to ask him how much they should fine me. Apparently is was 10 times the value of the radar detector and even confiscation of my car. In the end they settled for confiscating the unit and letting me go. :roll: 

As the two guys who nicked me walked me back to my car from the police station, one of them said that the unit I was using was excellent. They had been testing it on the drive from the Autoroute to the Gendarmerie. 8O 

I don't mind taking my chances with the cops, I just hate the flippin cameras. Can you imagine being let off by one and only having your detector confiscated? No I don't think so!


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

If you click on my link it works perfectly. It illustrates another persons experience of German roads.

Anyway, where were we....

I lived in Germany for 20 years. During that time we visited (with a caravan) all of the Northern European countries many times.
From Austria and Switzerland to Finland and Sweden.

We never go on holiday to sunbathe or sit on beaches or by swimming pools. The weather is fairly irrelevant to us as we have umbrellas and suitable clothing....although we only normally need them in the UK!

We eat to live so food doesn't have any bearing on our destinations.
We don't drink alcohol so we are not driven to countries that produce it and sell it cheaply.
We stick to the speed limits so the proliferation of 'cameras' is also irrelevant
We do holiday to see the countries and the people.

The point is we all have a choice. :wink:


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*France Driving*

Hello,

25 years ago the French drove like raving lunatics, not unlike most italians. This in summer coupled with all the foreign tourists on their roads was a recepie for disaster.

However, during the last 25 years, the authorities have gradualy clamped down on bad driving and in particular speeding drivers. I have on a couple of occasions wintnessed one patrol car stopping two cars at once on the motorway, not an easy task.

I have to say driving in France is now even more enoyable than it was back in the eighties. I too would encourage any motorhomer who has not toured France to give it a try.

Trev.


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

colonel said:


> They went potty and I was kept at a Gendarmerie for 4 hours while they tried to get hold of the local magistrate I just hate the flippin cameras.


Ouch.

Don't we all hate cameras ! Apart from those Holy Drivers who would cut off their genitalia rather then break a motoring law. Speed Kills, we've all seen it in writing.

At least in a MH there is not the incentive to speed. It can be pretty tiresome doing the "scenic route" in France with tiny hamlets ever 100 yards so speed is up and down more than a bride's nighty. Not good for economy. Good on the eyes though.


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## hilldweller (Mar 8, 2008)

EJB said:


> If you click on my link it works perfectly.


That's very odd, it does here now.

You were joking about France/Italy then. This place is too big to store everyone's travelling experiences I'm afraid.


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## duds (Sep 23, 2007)

I am glad to have generated so much comment on my post but it is much more pleasurable in my view driving in France than many of the other European countries that I have driven in. The French roads have such superb surfaces why cannot British roads ? The bridges are amazing in design and construction.

I did use both toll and non toll roads in France to get down to S W area and back at minimal cost yet fast and safe. The French authorities seem to leave motorists generally alone if they keep to the speed limits which are generous anyway and 70mph is fine with so little traffic to congest. I also found the French people I met very friendly and helpful to us Brits wherever I went with a desire to please.


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