Some Tips for Driving in France this Summer!

Just like any other year a lot of you may be preparing to take a trip to France. Thousands of holiday makers and visitors will be heading to France to soak up the sun, sights and sounds - but do you know the rules of the road when you get there?

According to a recent uSwitch survey, one in three UK and Irish drivers are unaware you have to drive on the right-hand side of the road in France, while three quarters are unaware the drink-drive limit is stricter in France.

These findings prompted Admiral Insurance to take a look at what their own customers get up to when driving abroad and where they're most likely to get into a spot of bother.

The research revealed the majority of customer claims abroad in 2015 happened in France, so here are some tips on what to expect when driving abroad.

1. Check you are covered - call your insurer to find out and make sure to take your certificate of insurance with you. If you've not been driving long or are under the age of 25 you'll need to check with the DVLA if you are unsure whether you can drive abroad

2. They drive on the right over there - as close as we are to France they do things differently when it comes to which side of the road to drive on. Don't get caught out!

3. Stay clear of alcohol - obviously lots of fans will be keen to indulge in a drink or two while supporting their country however, for those driving to their destination it's best to avoid the booze altogether. At 0.5mg per ml the French drink drive limit is lower than the UK limit of 0.8mg per ml so be extra careful when driving the day after a drink

4. Take a breather - according to the uSwitch survey, only 17% of respondents were aware they need to have a working breathalyser in the car with them at all times. Don't worry you can pick these up quite cheaply from Halfords or online

5. Warning signs - you'll need to make sure you have a warning triangle to put up just in case you breakdown or get into a bump

6. Dress accordingly - in addition to the breathalyser and warning triangle you'll also need a reflective jacket or waistcoat.

What about claiming abroad?

Accidents happen no matter where you go; in fact, during 2015, Admiral customers reported 716 of them. Out of those, 476 involved male customers and 240 involved female drivers.

France was the most likely spot for an accident to occur when one of our customers was abroad and there were 346 claims made there during 2015. Claiming while you're abroad isn't too different to being in the UK and you'll need to let your insurance caompany know as soon as the incident occurs.

One big difference when claiming in Europe is the fact you'll need to fill out the Agreed Statement of Facts on Motor Vehicle Accident form, you'll need to print a copy before you go.

The form is known as the Constat Amiable in France and the version you fill in will be in French - the version you print off can be used as a guide to help you fill out the form given to you by the third party.

Filling this in allows you to get your version of events across but beware, signing anywhere on the form without ticking any of the boxes in section 12 means you're agreeing with the third party's version of events.

Just like in the UK be sure to get the name and insurance details of the other driver and any passengers, photos of the incident and damage if you are able and the registration of the other vehicle. If the accident involves a lorry you'll need the registration of both the trailer and cab.

Blog submitted by: David at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted by Admiral Insurance.

My earliest Holiday memories are of driving through France and stopping off at small family run hotels when the light started to dim, not booking anywhere just seeing where the road would take us. These are holidays I will never forget.

Many years later I would be the driver of the car and my family would be enjoying the 'carefree' approach that comes with a driving holiday in France. It can be a great way of getting into the heart of the French countryside and experiencing traditional France.

But when you are driving through France there are a few things you need to be aware of.

Did you know that the legal age to drive in France is 18 years of age and even if you have a full licence from another country and you are under that age, then you are still not allowed to drive in France?

Every passenger must wear a seatbelt and it is illegal for a child under the age of 10 to be in the front seat. Babies are allowed to travel in the front passenger seat, but only when placed in an approved rear-facing baby seat and the airbag is turned off.

You must always stop at a zebra crossing, which is enforced by law and when going through a town you will find a lot of them; but you should be very careful when you are the pedestrian, as the French do not seem to obey this rule as much as they should!

Watch your speed!  If you are stopped for speeding you can be fined on the spot and the fines have to be paid in cash there and then, which can be quite expensive.  If you cannot pay or you are travelling more than 25km/h above the speed limit, then your car can be impounded and you could end up with a very hefty fine or even lose your licence. So be careful, especially when on the toll roads, as you do not want your driving holiday to come to an abrupt end!

The motorways are 130km per hour, but this is reduced in bad weather down to 110km per hour and on duel carriageways and main roads the same rules apply, where the speed limit is reduced in bad weather.  A duel carriageway is 110km per hour and main roads are 90km per hour, with the peripherie being 80km per hour and towns or minor roads being a maximum of 50km per hour.  Our top tip to save money would be "don't fill up on the motorway!" Wait until a major intersection near a town or city, and come off the motorway. You will almost certainly find a hypermarket / superstore within a kilometre or so of the exit, offering cut price fuel. The saving can be us much as 15 centimes per litre.

Here are the normal speed limits for driving in France:

• The normal speed limit on French motorways is 130 km/hr (just over 80 mph). - or 110 km/hr in rain.
• The normal speed limit on dual carriageways (divided highways) 110 km/hr
• The normal speed limit on main roads is 90 km/hr (outside built-up areas)
• The normal speed limit in built-up areas is 50 km/hr – unless otherwise indicated.

The French Government do publish information on exactly where speed traps are located and this is one of the reasons why it is illegal to have a radar detector fitted to your vehicle.

In bad weather, fog etc, even during the day, it is compulsory to use your lights but you do not have to keep your lights on during the day at any other time.

Obviously you must have deflectors fitted to your headlights if you have a right-hand drive vehicle and by law you must have a set of replacement bulbs, a warning triangle and a 'gilet' high visibility waistcoat with you at all times.  But it is always advisable to check the regulations prior to your holiday in France, as they do change from time to time.

Most of the rules are common sense and are the same as in the UK such as it is an offence to hold and use a mobile phone while driving in France. Hands-free use of mobile phones is not illegal. Though many drivers ignore this rule, traffic police are clamping down on drivers holding phones to their ears while driving, and drivers are liable to an on-the-spot fine.

The insurance document is most commonly the "green card", though a standard insurance document from any EU country provides basic insurance for your vehicle (third party cover) throughout the Union, whether or not a green card is provided. Check in with your insurer before you arrive in France to insure you are covered correctly. 

Breakdown or accident: If you are involved in any accident involving two or more vehicles while driving in France, you will be asked to fill in a "constat amiable" (an amiable declaration) by the driver of a French car involved. This is standard practice. If possible, call your insurance company at once on your mobile phone. They may put you in touch with a local French representative. If your car is immobilised on or partly on the road due to a breakdown or an accident, you must set up your red warning triangle at a suitable distance behind the vehicle, to alert approaching traffic to the hazard.

If you are involved in an accident involving any sort of injury - even if it is not your fault - you MUST remain until the police have come.

So, armed with all the essential information you need, and with your vehicle well prepared for the journey, enjoy the experience and the beautiful scenery when you are on your driving holiday in France.

Blog submitted by: David at Cle France.

Almost Août!

Today, as I was standing à la caisse (at the checkout/cashier) to pay for my groceries, la cassière (the cashier) mentioned that she couldn’t believe all the back-to-school ads she saw all over the place. "Summer isn’t over!" she cried. I agreed heartily with her, but then I realised that next week will already be August. How the summer flies! by.

In French, the word for the month of August is Août. This comes from the Latin word augustus, which evolved into the old French aoust. The circonflexe in French typically signals that there was previously an “s” in an earlier version of the word.

Of course, the original root of the word dates back to the Roman Empire, when the emperor Augustus decided to rename the Roman month sextilis after himself! (Of course, changing the names of months or switching up calendars is not rare).

August is known as le mois de la moisson. What is la moisson? Moisson means “"harvest" and refers to the reaping of crops toward the end of the summer. Take a look at this verse by the Belgian poet Emile Verhaeren in his poem Les Villes tenaculaires (1895):

"Dites! L’ancien labeur pacifique, dans l’août Des seigles mûrs et des avoines rousses, Avec les bras au clair, le front debout Dans l’or des blés qui se retrousse Vers l’horizon torride où le silence bout.”"

(See below for vocabulary words to help you decipher these verses)

But, in French, as in English, there are many derivations of the word août. And typically these derivations are associated with August’s familiar activities—including harvesting produce and taking vacation. For example, l’aoûtat is a kind of harvest mite that eats mature crops (and, thus, appears in August). And the word aoûtien literally means “someone who goes on vacation in August.” Can you think of any derivations of the English word “August” (or for any other months)?

Happy (soon to be early) August to all. Don’t worry, the summer isn’t winding down just yet.

Vocabulary List

pacifique—peaceful

des seigles—rye

mûrs—mature or ripe

des avoines—oat

des blés—wheat.

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

Chris Froome, 4 time Tour champion wins 2017 Tour de France.

Britain's Chris Froome won the Tour de France for the fourth time in Paris on the 21st and final stage.

Dylan Groenewegen defeated German Andre Greipel in a frenetic final sprint on the Champs Elysees but the day belonged to 32-year-old Chris Froome.

The Team Sky rider is now second in the all-time list after completing a third successive victory.

Rigoberto Uran was 2nd, 54 seconds behind, with Romain Bardet 3rd.

Froome said "Each time I have won has been so unique, such a different battle to get to this moment, they are all so special but this will be remembered as the closest and most hard fought".

Before the peloton reached Paris, Yoann Offredo stopped off to greet family and friends as the race passed close to his home and Cyril Gautier wrote a marriage proposal on paper that was broadcast on TV screens around the world.

Several teams were trying to set up their sprinters before Lotto NL-Jumbo's Groenewegen held off his rivals to cross the line first.

Lotto Soudal's Greipel butted his head against his handlebars in sheer frustration as he ended the Tour without a stage win for the first time.

We hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the town stages visited by the Tour de France this year.

About Vous-financer at Cle France.

Our Mortgage Advice contact is Aurore Davis who has many years experience so when purchasing property overseas, Aurore and her international team are on hand to offer a personalised service : helping you step by step through the process:

Whether you are buying a French property, re-mortgaging or doing work to your home in France there is lots to consider when it comes to mortgages. We operate on a ‘no mortgage, no fee’ basis and we can help you with every step along the way, you are under no obligation to proceed, so why not use the form below and contact us today. 

Why not contact us today: 

Enquiry Form - French Mortgage Enquiry

1. First Name: (*)  
2. Last Name: (*)  
3. E-mail: (*)  
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5. Mailing List: Subscribe
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How it works

Aurore Davis from the French mortgage experts 'Vous Financer' outlines how she can help you.

At Vous Financer we have bilingual and bicultural specialists who provide tailored advice to non-residents. Our expertise is an invaluable asset to your project. We operate on a ‘no mortgage, no fee’ basis and we can help you with every step along the way.

Here are some examples of where we can help you:

Assess your borrowing capacity

We offer impartial advice and find the deal that is best for you, based on your financial priorities and comfort level.

Prepare your mortgage application.

We handle the entire mortgage application process and use our knowledge of banks’ acceptance criteria to help you be successful.

Explain your mortgage offer.

We will walk you through your mortgage offer and key repayment terms, and explain any further requirements such as opening a French bank account.

Finalise the transaction.

We oversee the process with the Notaire and the bank, to ensure this crucial step goes smoothly.

Vous Financer have received great reviews from our past clients.

Talk to us at Cle France from the start and we can discuss your needs and lay out some alternatives before arranging for Aurore at Vous Financer to give you a call to go through the nitty gritty.

With Cle France and Vous Financer you have the best possible combination.

The information that you give and that we obtain through you using this website may be used by this Company and by our partner companies only for purposes in connection with your use of this website and for marketing activities of this Company and partner companies. By using this site you confirm your consent to this. If you do not want to receive any marketing information from this Company and/or our partner companies then please notify us.

For everything you need to know about French property for sale visit www.clefrance.co.uk

The Tour de France peloton finishes in Paris.

"The Tour finishes in Paris with a purchasing power of 23m2 for 1000 euros/month over 20 years"

To celebrate the 114th world renowned cyclist event, the Tour de France, French mortgage specialist Vous-Financer introduces its own Tour de France of the property market, taking a close look at all 20 key stage towns.

Each year the Tour de France is watched on TV by millions, for the sport but equally because it is a fantastic opportunity to discover more of France. This year, Vous-Financer is following the Tour to bring you market insight on the 20 French towns featured in the event. Insight at each stage of “La Grande Boucle” (the Great Loop) will be published here and on social media.

For Tour de France updates follow @Cle_France or follow Vous-Financer on Twitter.

About Vous-financer at Cle France.

Our Mortgage Advice contact is Aurore Davis who has many years experience so when purchasing property overseas, Aurore and her international team are on hand to offer a personalised service : helping you step by step through the process:

Whether you are buying a French property, re-mortgaging or doing work to your home in France there is lots to consider when it comes to mortgages. We operate on a ‘no mortgage, no fee’ basis and we can help you with every step along the way, you are under no obligation to proceed, so why not use the form below and contact us today. 

Why not contact us today: 

Enquiry Form - French Mortgage Enquiry

1. First Name: (*)  
2. Last Name: (*)  
3. E-mail: (*)  
4. Phone number: (*)  
5. Mailing List: Subscribe
   (You will be able to unsubscribe at any point)
6. Message: (*)  
7.      
8.  
     Refresh  
9.    

How it works

Aurore Davis from the French mortgage experts 'Vous Financer' outlines how she can help you.

At Vous Financer we have bilingual and bicultural specialists who provide tailored advice to non-residents. Our expertise is an invaluable asset to your project. We operate on a ‘no mortgage, no fee’ basis and we can help you with every step along the way.

Here are some examples of where we can help you:

Assess your borrowing capacity

We offer impartial advice and find the deal that is best for you, based on your financial priorities and comfort level.

Prepare your mortgage application.

We handle the entire mortgage application process and use our knowledge of banks’ acceptance criteria to help you be successful.

Explain your mortgage offer.

We will walk you through your mortgage offer and key repayment terms, and explain any further requirements such as opening a French bank account.

Finalise the transaction.

We oversee the process with the Notaire and the bank, to ensure this crucial step goes smoothly.

Vous Financer have received great reviews from our past clients.

Talk to us at Cle France from the start and we can discuss your needs and lay out some alternatives before arranging for Aurore at Vous Financer to give you a call to go through the nitty gritty.

With Cle France and Vous Financer you have the best possible combination.

The information that you give and that we obtain through you using this website may be used by this Company and by our partner companies only for purposes in connection with your use of this website and for marketing activities of this Company and partner companies. By using this site you confirm your consent to this. If you do not want to receive any marketing information from this Company and/or our partner companies then please notify us.

For everything you need to know about French property for sale visit www.clefrance.co.uk