Getting ready for France

[Sigoodall]

First time I've taking my 2013 A207 E Class Cabriolet to France in a few weeks. Just checking various threads on here about changing the headlight beam.
It has the intelligent lighting system so is swapping the beam as simple as altering the setting on the centre dash menu to traffic on the right?
The VIN says the system is currently 621 - HEADLAMP WITH ILS, LEFT-HAND TRAFFIC
Presumably I can also get the optional centre MPH display to change to KPH as that option has also come up on the centre dash but I've never tried it.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Swapping the beam is done in the dash display. Traditionally just before getting off the train or ferry

 

[Botus]

other things to think about

must have a high vis jacket
must have 2 x alcohol breath test kit (or the electric ones)
must stop and help at scene of an accident (even if you don't know what you are doing)
must have spare bulb kit

don't go speeding as frog plod hate UK number plates
bikers must have reflective stickers on their crash helmet of a set size
must drive on the wrong side of the road

 

[LostKiwi]

must have 2 x alcohol breath test kit (or the electric ones)

No you dont. You are supposed to carry them but there's no penalty if you don't.

 

[rf065]

must have spare bulb kit

No you don't. If a bulb is out you may get stopped and not be allowed to continue until fixed, but no-one has ever been fined for not having spare bulbs.
Anyway, if you have ILS with LED light units, are you going to buy spare light units and take them with you?

Russ

 

[umblecumbuz]

Have to confess that, apart from the usual bits that I always carry including assorted spare bulbs, hi viz jacket, triangle and maps, I just drive across France with no further prep. I don't drive at night. Been doing it for decades now, and have been stopped twice - once for a small accident and once for speeding. Both times I was treated fairly.

 

[rf065]

Don't forget, if you wear glasses, you need to take a spare set too.

Russ

 

[Wighty]

Don't forget your car documents , insurance , V5 etc . Also get your self a sanef toll tag that allows you to drive through the tolls and pays automatically , it's a huge time/hassle saver ! I've used one for 3 years now , wouldn't be without it .
Spare key fob batteries in the glovebox . And spare car key in your other halfs pocket .

 

[Wighty]

No you don't. If a bulb is out you may get stopped and not be allowed to continue until fixed, but no-one has ever been fined for not having spare bulbs.
Anyway, if you have ILS with LED light units, are you going to buy spare light units and take them with you?

Russ

That's a very shiny new car you have in the username picture now

 

[sl500amgsport]

Remember have a great road trip x2

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[Wighty]

You must have a high vis jacket for every car occupant . I carry a first aid kit , but can't remember if this is required in France ?
Breakdown cover for Europe as well .
Spare Litre of oil for all those high speed roads . It's all 80mph on the toll roads .
Where are you planning to go , because there is a good website that lists routes that are cheaper because of big sections of toll free motorways (Driving-France I think it's called ?)
Avoid anywhere near Paris

 

[LostKiwi]

Another thumbs up for toll tags - though I don't use SANEF, I use APRR as I found them cheaper. There are a number of toll companies in France but only a couple will accept UK bank accounts for direct debits.
The tariff I'm on I buy the tag outright (€11) then pay €1.70 per calendar month the tag is used. If you are in France one month per year it only costs €1.70, 2 months €3.40 etc Tolls are billed the following month on the 15th by direct debit. You can check online as to what the bill will be by logging into your account.
As Wighty says - huge time saver as there are usually no queues on the Telepeage only lanes (which on major routes operate at 20mph - look for the speed sign above the lane). Tags also work in some carparks.
http://www.aprr.fr/fr/telepeagelibert/particuliers/offre-occasionnels

If you open the link in Chrome then right click -> Translate you can read it pretty well.

 

[worldbiker]

Hi-vis jackets must be in the car (not the boot) and there must be one for each passenger in the car.
Warning triangle (although I suppose your 'shiny new car' will have one).
Driving licence (a given, but not mentioned anywhere else).
Turn off speed camera warning part of satnav system.
Not allowed radar detectors.

Wighty has a good point re: Sanef tolls. I have a tag for both Italy and France and they are excellent. www.saneftolling.co.uk (it's in English). One of the added advantages is that you can use the 30kmh lanes (which tend to be far away from where the Douane (customs) guys stand and wait for the UK plate cars to come through.

Speeding is a huge no-no; they're just waiting for us and will, in extreme cases, impound your licence on the spot, and even you! The speed limits on a lot of the N-roads (non-motorway) have recently been reduced so make sure your satnav is up to date.

(sorry, was in the middle of typing this but got interrupted by a colleague. Now I've posted it I note that others have covered most of what I said)

 

[tode]

Don't forget, if you wear glasses, you need to take a spare set too.

Russ

There is no obligation to have a spare pair of glasses in the car, but you must wear your glasses if they are necessary.

A (spare) pair of glasses xas required for drivers wearing contact lenses, but this is no longer necessary (since 2012).

 

[LostKiwi]

Hi-vis jackets must be in the car (not the boot) and there must be one for each passenger in the car.

And inside the car must be in reach of seated passengers.

 

[Gkinghorn]

I see France , and other countries, have brought in an emissions certification scheme as well ... needed for some cities I believe...

Also note in France the Recovery on motorways etc has to be organised by the police ... Mobilio etc can not recover you off the main roads... take note of all the emergency numbers to use ..and , if possible , tell a mate who can speak French fluently you might need him .. fortunately I had a friend who spoke German , French and Italian who helped me last year with my ‘issues’ ...


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[rf065]

There is no obligation to have a spare pair of glasses in the car, but you must wear your glasses if they are necessary.

A (spare) pair of glasses xas required for drivers wearing contact lenses, but this is no longer necessary (since 2012).

That just goes to show how hard it is to get definitive answers on this subject as nearly every site says you still need them, but you are correct.

Russ

 

[Sigoodall]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We are only going as far as Le Touquet so won't be going on the toll motorways this time. I hadn't realised about the hi-vis for passengers too so that's something to organise.
The avatar picture was taken almost 2 years ago - it's still shiny, just not as new!

 

[LostKiwi]

Frankly for a holiday avoiding tolls (Peage in French) is a good idea. You get to see far more, experience far more and relax far more.
We went to Chamonix in our Smart Roadster in 2014 and thats a car thats distinctly unpleasant at speed on motorways for any sustained length of time. We took a meandering route down to Millau then struck cross country and it was a superb trip. We booked as we went and on one occasion were caught in a massive thunderstorm just as we were thinking about looking for somewhere.
We told the TomTom to take us to the nearest hotel which turned out to be abandoned, then the next one. We arrived in a torrential downpour in a village in a little village (and to this day I don't know where it was!). I pulled up in the square outside the front door while Mrs LK ran inside to see if they had a room. Two minutes later she reappeared with thumbs up in the doorway so I parked just up the road and went in. 'Quaint' could be a term you could use I suppose.... Think 'Rocky Horror Picture Show.....
The receptionist confirmed they had a room and we took it - anything was better than trying to drive in the weather outside!
The receptionist then took us to our room, leading us back towards the front door - odd thinks I as I hadn't seen any stairs or doorways. Tucked into a circular wall near the entrance was a hidden door which lead onto a stone spiral staircase. I think to myself if they take us down I'm out of here. Fortunately we get taken upstairs and shown our room. An interesting arrangement of doors was used. As you went through the first door there was a door to the right which led to the bathroom. You then went through another door into the room itself. The idea was that if you payed for an ensuite you got the key to the outer door, otherwise you got the key to the inner one!
The room itself was a revelation. Large, high ceiling and spacious. Painted in lilac. Maybe painted is a bit of a loose term. Looked more like someone had set off a grenade in a 5 gallon tin of paint. Everything was lilac. Walls, window frames, power sockets, light switches, skirting boards - the lot. The carpet and curtains were the only things that weren't. They were orange!
Still... it was warm, dry and not as bad as sliding all over the flooded roads aquaplaning at just 30mph!
Remember the Rocky Horror reference? Well on the way up the stairs MrsLK gad a fit of the giggles. I think it started when I said 'Brad!' and she caught on quickly saying back 'Janet!'
Once left on our won we both collapsed in fits of laughter. The whole Rocky Horror thing with the thunderstorm and the room was just surreal. In the end I had to go back out to the car to get our bags just to try and (unsuccessfully) recover.
A couple of minutes later we thought we'd try going down the the restaurant (in the hotel). Still trying to contain ourselves we sat down but it was just too much and again we started giggling. Within 5 minutes the whole restaurant was giggling with us even though they had no idea why!
The point to this tale is that if we had been on motorways we probably wouldn't have had that experience as we would likely have just pulled into a services to wait it out or used one of the generic Ibis/Campanile etc hotel chains and ironically it was the one of the most memorable points on the trip - certainly far more memorable than the say in the Boutique Hotel in Chamonix!

We have since had other memorable stays at random locations for various reasons but that one in particular will last a lifetime!

 

[Wighty]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We are only going as far as Le Touquet so won't be going on the toll motorways this time. I hadn't realised about the hi-vis for passengers too so that's something to organise.
The avatar picture was taken almost 2 years ago - it's still shiny, just not as new!

Funny buddy , I meant the avatar pic from rfo65 who has had a much more recent freshen up . But yours is still shiny . Have a great trip . Try and squeeze in two folding chairs so you can picnic French style with your cheese and stick by the side of the road .