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I've been  lurking here for a while getting tips about our first trip to France - leaving tonight   Thanks for all the info.

Just one question about what we need. I've read we need to take our insurance certificate and V5 but would photocopies be okay or would we need the originals.

TIA

Only the originals will be accepted

Andrew

As CM says, Hi-Viz vests are not compulsory yet here in France, but the original documents for your vehicle are. You must also carry your passports around with you as ID if required by the gendarmes.

Also, if you need to wear specs for normal driving, then you must take a spare set with you.

Apart from that, enjoy the freedom of driving over here, but for goodness's sake, don't get caught speeding! They're really clamping down over here now.

Thanks for the replies - must dig out the originals now. Didn't know I had to have spare specs for driving and I don't have any. Don't think DH has either but he is planning on wearing contacts on holiday so I guess taking his specs and contacts will be okay.

Got my warning triangle and high vis jacket (all from Poundland ) and will do the headlamp convertors at the ferry post. Just need to get used to driving on the other side of the road.

We've got a long drive coming from Scotland so just hope the 2 children sleep. Wish us luck.

The headlamp converters cost a fortune at the ferry port.

You can get converters and spare bulb set from tesco extra stores for ABOUT£8

I was at portsmouth ferry port last week and they were charging that for just the converters

Quote: Originally posted by Floydfan on 29/6/2006

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As CM says, Hi-Viz vests are not compulsory yet here in France,

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But they are cheaper to buy in French supermarkets than in the UK (€2 each I think) - or they were when we were over - and they may well become compulsory in due course. 

So, we bought some on our last visit to France/Spain and have put one for each passenger in each car (can't see the point of only having one per car) just in case.  They've been used twice since then, due to punctures (one in a brand new tyre!) and it sure does make you feel safer knowing that you can be seen on a grotty day or in the twilight hours. 

If you have to position somebody round a bend to slow traffic down, it's nice to know they have a hi-viz vest on too!  :-)  I had a blow-out in an offside rear tyre in a very awkward road and was extremely glad to have the vests.  At around £6 for 4 vests it seemed like a good buy even if they are hardly ever used.

Oozat

I got my headlamp convertors in Halfords for £9. Wish I'd known about Tesco as there's a huge one in Portsmouth - where we're planning on having breakfast tomorrow morning.

We've got 2 hi-viz jackets (one for me, one for DH) never thought about the kids as they were huge. Must get some in France.