Definitive Check List (France)

[Narcoda]

Hello,

I wonder if any of you more seasoned, europe-hardy travellers can help me with a quick check list of essential items i need to carry on my week trip of France? whats legally required, paperwork, his-vis vest? etc

I am looking to travel light, but not so light i dont have what the law requires me to take with me...

any definate must haves/must nots?

All comments/advice welcome

Many Thanks

 

[Deleted account W]

You don't need a hi-vis.

Just the usual bike docs, that all you need really.

 

[wessie]

You don't need a hi-vis vest on a bike. Only applies to cars & trucks.

Essentials: passport, drivers licence, bike insurance, registration document (V5), maps

Recommended: EHIC, personal insurance, currency, ATM card, credit card, clothes, mobile phone (ensure enabled for roaming), breakdown policy, soap, basic understanding of French & their road signs, waterproofs,

Nice to have: satnav, pre-booked accommodation, a plan, luck, decent weather, spare gloves, change of clothes

 

[rockchunk]

You don't need a hi-vis vest on a bike. Only applies to cars & trucks.

Essentials: passport, drivers licence, bike insurance, registration document (V5), maps

Recommended: EHIC, personal insurance, currency, ATM card, credit card, clothes, mobile phone (ensure enabled for roaming), breakdown policy, soap, basic understanding of French & their road signs, waterproofs,

Nice to have: satnav, pre-booked accommodation, a plan, luck, decent weather, spare gloves, change of clothes

yes with that amount of gear it would certainly be an adventure how about a chisel to remove the numbers from your bike a box of matches and enough money for a flight home

 

[Glyno]

I would still squeeze a hi viz in somewhere cos you never know.Maybe its not a legal requirement but it is a sensible accessory if your luck is bad enough to need one

 

[madman]

I would still squeeze a hi viz in somewhere cos you never know.Maybe its not a legal requirement but it is a sensible accessory if your luck is bad enough to need one

And if you want spare tyres, front and rear, cos you never know....
Being serious, if you carry a high vis in the UK then carry one here too if it makes you feel better.

 

[Blackal]

You don't need a hi-vis vest on a bike. Only applies to cars & trucks.

Essentials: passport, drivers licence, bike insurance, registration document (V5), maps

Recommended: EHIC, personal insurance, currency, ATM card, credit card, clothes, mobile phone (ensure enabled for roaming), breakdown policy, soap, basic understanding of French & their road signs, waterproofs,

Nice to have: satnav, pre-booked accommodation, a plan, luck, decent weather, spare gloves, change of clothes

yes with that amount of gear it would certainly be an adventure how about a chisel to remove the numbers from your bike a box of matches and enough money for a flight home

Apart from the "nice to haves" - exactly which of the others would you leave at home?


Al

 

[Dave & Val]

I believe spare bulbs (Front/Rear) is a requirement. (I was asked for them a few years ago at a police stop in France).

Don't pre-book accommodation it ties you to:- a. Route b. time. Just go with the flow and when you've had enough ask the sat nav to find you one. Work's for us every year and never not found one within the hour.

 

[John Roberts]

Don't pre-book accommodation it ties you to:- a. Route b. time. Just go with the flow and when you've had enough ask the sat nav to find you one. Work's for us every year and never not found one within the hour.

We go in Aug/Sept and always find it very difficult to find accommodation, off-peak might be easier. We always pre-book and are happy for the SatNav to get us there on time. Not saying I'm right and Dave & Val are wrong at all, but just saying what suits us.

Happy holiday.

 

[madman]

I believe spare bulbs (Front/Rear) is a requirement. (I was asked for them a few years ago at a police stop in France).

Don't pre-book accommodation it ties you to:- a. Route b. time. Just go with the flow and when you've had enough ask the sat nav to find you one. Work's for us every year and never not found one within the hour.

You may be of this opinion, but they are not a legal requirement at all. My wife and I live here and ride around 10,000 miles per year on our French registered bikes, but we have never been asked for them in many police checks.

I would pre-book in August as the hotels get full very quickly.

 

[John Roberts]

You may be of this opinion, but they are not a legal requirement at all. My wife and I live here and ride around 10,000 miles per year on our French registered bikes, but we have never been asked for them in many police checks.

Something isn't adding up here- have a look at click.parts.co.uk athttp://www.click-parts.co.uk/files/details.php?id=244 where it says:

In most European countries it is illegal not to carry spare emergency bulbs and fuses, these include Spain, France & Greece. (On the spot fines are up to 10 times the cost of this travel kit)

Me? I don't know, but at these prices I'll be getting a spare set anyway, cheap enough.

 

[BegesRus]

Ride WITH your light ON
Spare buylbs as statded before BUT also the tools needed to change them!

 

[theop]

Something isn't adding up here- have a look at click.parts.co.uk athttp://www.click-parts.co.uk/files/details.php?id=244 where it says:

In most European countries it is illegal not to carry spare emergency bulbs and fuses, these include Spain, France & Greece. (On the spot fines are up to 10 times the cost of this travel kit)

Me? I don't know, but at these prices I'll be getting a spare set anyway, cheap enough.

would not worry about Greece! What the law says, what is enforced, and how much Eur 40 inside the policeman's pocket buys you are 3 entirely different things...

NOONE would stop you in Greece and ask for spare bulbs.... They might stop you though if you don't wear a helmet or if there are 4 of you on the bike... In the former case you say you ve never owned one, and they recommend you a cheap store, in the latter you say you were running late to do the school run with the car, so you took all the kids on the street on the bike.

 

[franco]

.

Don't need to carry bulbs on a motorbike. Though legally, you're supposed to have a GB sticker if you don't have one of the euro-type plates with the country of registration indicated. That said, there isn't even an MOT for motorbikes in France, and the number of loud-piped bikes with micro numberplates, bald tyres etc, has to be seen to be believed...well round this area anyway.
Be VERY careful driving in towns and villages due to the priorite a droite (give way to the right) and don't leave it till Sunday to fill up with petrol, as many of the pumps go to automatic mode, and there's still loads of them which don't take UK cards.

Bon voyage.../Rob

 

[John Roberts]

Don't need to carry bulbs on a motorbike.
Bon voyage.../Rob

So, is it that you do have to carry spares if you are in a car but not on a bike? I'm probably being slow here, but I'd like to be sure because I'm off by car next week to France- I'll try to get some but if not strictly necessary then I won't have to bust a gut.

 

[Gaulois]

So, is it that you do have to carry spares if you are in a car but not on a bike? I'm probably being slow here, but I'd like to be sure because I'm off by car next week to France- I'll try to get some but if not strictly necessary then I won't have to bust a gut.

Exactly. NOT needed on a bike but necessary in a car. However in 30+ years of trips to France I've never carried them and have never been asked for them. (Only been stopped once though)

 

[franco]

No

So, is it that you do have to carry spares if you are in a car but not on a bike? I'm probably being slow here, but I'd like to be sure because I'm off by car next week to France- I'll try to get some but if not strictly necessary then I won't have to bust a gut.

You do NOT legally have to carry spare bulbs (or first aid kit or fire extinguisher) in a car in France. That said, your external lights must be in good working order at all times, so most people carry them. Warning triangles and hi-vis vest ARE legal requirements though, and the hi-vis vest MUST be in the car, not in the boot otherwise you can get an on the spot fine. You MUST also ride with lights on when on a motorcycle. One of my mates got an on the spot fine for riding without lights on. My 1150ADV hasn't got an "off" switch for the lights.
Does seem to be a lot of confusion on this, probably due to the number of companies at the ferry/chunnel terminals trying to make a few bob

 

[franco]

.

And another thing. If you don't have a photo license, you'll need to carry your passport at all times...and if you have kids in the car, they've got to go in the back if they're under 10 years old.

 

[John Roberts]

And if you are behind the times like me you need to know that the E111 is no good any more, you now need the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)

 

[madman]

So, is it that you do have to carry spares if you are in a car but not on a bike? I'm probably being slow here, but I'd like to be sure because I'm off by car next week to France- I'll try to get some but if not strictly necessary then I won't have to bust a gut.

John, just carry a spare bulb kit if it makes you feel better. You obviously tend to believe a UK website about legal stuff in France rather than those of us who live here and have our bikes French registered.