Advice for driving in France and Italy

delanoster

Hi everyone.
My girlfriend and I will be driving to Italy via France in August and I've been tasked with getting the car things.

I know I need a reflective vest per person, a warning triangle, two NF certified breathalysers and a GB sticker.

I last drove my own car in France in 2002 and we needed a spare bulb kit; is this still the case?
We're taking a 3 series estate which has LED lights, so bulbs aren't really available!
Speaking of lights, do we need the stickers for the headlights, or is there an option hidden away in the Idrive for driving on the right? It's a 2017 320d M sport if that helps?

I've driven hire cars in Italy so I'm aware of the kinds of driving I'll experience there, but are there any other requirements similar to France?

And finally, are there any tips for driving a RHD car on the fun twisty narrow roads?

Thanks for any help!

its_all_Greek

France doesn't insist on the Breathalysers,

but you will need a second warning triangle if required the first 50 meters back and the second 150 meters.

First aid kit will also need to be carried,

and the speed limit through the villages starts at the name sign for the village so don't wait for a 50Kph sign and most villages i go through seem to have 30Kph sections through them as well

Bl4ckGryph0n

The tip for the fun twisty roads is to just take it easy. You simply don’t have the view ahead. And stay to the right

IronGiant

...but don't assume the locals will

noiseboy72

If you have any form of speed camera warning system, disable it. This can get you a big fine and your car impounded in France and Italy.

Don't speed - particularly in France, as it's a major contribution to the economy so far as the Gendarmes are concerned!!

If your car has LEDs, no bulb kit is required. I would carry the breathalysers just in case and keep the hi-viz in the front of the car, as you must be able to access them without getting out. Many locals put them on the backs of their seats, so that they are visible and they don't get stopped.

Can't help on the lights. My Bimmer has turn buckles on the back of the lamp housings, but it's an older model.

Gavin_Hall

What others have said, but also remember that the national speed limit on two way roads without any central barrier is now 80kmph and not 90kmph.  This has only just (last week) come into force and will be apparently policed by 3rd party organisations, rather than the police, so you can guarantee they will be wanting to make money!

So in summary, don't speed at all through France, they will have you!

Atavus

Devices like TomTom will warn of ‘safety zones’ in France, where there are cameras and this is 100% legal. There is no offence for camera warnings in Italy.

I never carry breathalysers in France or spare bulbs. I have vests in the car and first aid kit.

Speeding in France is ok on the motorways where I go up to about 10% over. Keeps you out of trouble and still slower than the French, Belgians and the crazy Dutch.

Watch you don’t stray into Switzerland as you need a Vignette on big roads.

A lot of recent cars have pretty flat beams and I would leave them set as for the U.K.

noiseboy72

All I would say is we have about 25 teams driving in Europe at any one time and we have had fines and inpoundments  in both France and Italy for speed camera warnings on Sat Navs. I think it's a case of them not being directly banned, but seen as a secondary offence - impeding a police official, that sort of thing. It's normally if we've been pulled up for a check or another offence - we run a mixture of HGVs and LGVs, but AFAIK the regs are the same as for cars.

mjn

Carry some cash, if you intend to speed, as it’s on the spot fines. Italy has a lot of speed cameras and they’re painted grey and are very discreet at the side of the road. I get the impression the Italian police are open to bribes,

I’ve driven thousands of miles through the mountains, so be prepared for snow and blizzards even in July / August.

And be prepared for all Italians to drive as fast as their car will allow them!

Any other questions just ask.

mikes48

Just come back from a drive to Tuscany and back, about 2,200 miles in France and Italy and I really would emphasize the speeding thing, in France especially. Many years ago I was escorted off the Autoroute to a bank in Armentieres (never met the Mademoiselle, unfortunately) to hand over something in the region of £90 for driving at 166 - stupid boy. That's kph, not mph, or I probably would have had the car impounded. The motorway limit in the dry is mostly 130 kph, which somehow seems to get you much further than the UK's 70mph limit does.

One other thing - the Gendarmerie, who are the traffic police in France, usually go out at what we would call tea-time to show their presence. Do remember that Stop means Stop. It's easy to slow right down at a junction without stopping completely, only to find a group of their boys in blue 50 yards up the road to check whether people really are stopping - and they will have been watching you and they will pull you .