French 80kmh limits

[chunky butt]

Hey guess what .......a real gendarme vehicle went slowly down our road today, havnt seen one for so long, especially out here in the sticks, didn't know whether to run and hide

[WillS]

-I will leave out France for a destination this year until common sense returns.

I can still leave my house on a bike, hoon about on well-surfaced D-roads for a couple of hours, and return without having seen a single camera, gendarme or anything you could even vaguely describe as traffic.

And then there's the trails. Thousands of miles of unrestricted dirt, on which you will never encounter an angry voice or a no-entry sign - a paradise for greenlaners.

Totally agree with Dave's comments, France and Spain are a bikers Heaven, both On and Off-road.
Taking care on a few D roads, is well worth the enjoyment of riding the fantastic empty roads in both France and Spain..
Don't give up on France Steve for 10 km/h, you will regret it.
Still lots of bikes around giving it some big !!

[catcitrus]

just an update-last year I rode my WR250R down to St Leon sur Vezere, camped all the way--and spent 2 and half weeks trail riding in the Vezere valley. I also rode the Yam down to Sarge's on the Brittany coast-again camping and trail riding. Previous years I have taken the Tiger 1050 down, and road across France , again on the WR250R--on my way to Bulgaria!--its not that I don't know what France is about--it just seems that the French police and Government have a current anti Brit agenda--and as has been posted already by Brits living in France--also the Malvern Rally and road ride last weekend was great--still lots I haven't seen in the UK !

[Tramp]

There is actually a database in french of coarse with the locations of fixed speed cameras so just mapsource round them ...also the police only occasionaly do spot checks on known fast N roads which are high accident spots...yes they chopped the lovely tree linned avenues down that where planted to keep napoleans troops cool..because the pissed french kept killing themselves after lunch..that aint changed .

I can quite happily poddle about the country at 50mph or less for ever you see more and can smell the countryside...wild garlic time soon...yes im not normal but im happy.

[vRSG60]

Isn't it illegal to have camera positions on a GPS in France?

[byewayrider]

Your point ? And isnt doing drugs , driving pissed and and fornicating with the mayors wife ...laws are for weak people concocted by the rich to enslave to poor..

[daveuprite]

it just seems that the French police and Government have a current anti Brit agenda

No, there's no evidence for this. In fact we are generally being treated pretty well considering the current situation. The Gendarmes are getting a bit fed up with those emigrant brits who don't register their UK cars in France, and this can lead to some tourists with UK plates being stopped as part of the crackdown. But that's not a widespread or big issue. My own limited experience is that Les Flics are polite and reasonable, and government bodies (prefectures, tax office etc) are bureaucratic and slow, but certainly not hostile. Prejudice against Algerians is still sadly commonplace in France but I really don't detect any serious anti-brit agenda. Given the current EU/Brexit state of affairs a lot of us are particularly sensitive to how we are perceived, and we chat about it to our french neighbours a fair bit. So far, we get nothing but support and friendly words and we still feel very welcome. Obviously I can't speak for everyone, and I don't know if tourists feel the same way, but no reason to think not.

[WillS]

Q? yes they chopped the lovely tree linned avenues down that where planted to keep napoleans troops cool..because the pissed french kept killing themselves after lunch..that aint changed .

I can quite happily poddle about the country at 50mph or less for ever you see more and can smell the countryside...wild garlic time soon...yes im not normal but im happy.

I have noticed that they have installed lots of Armco Barriers in front of the trees to stop the cars from running into the trees after a nice lunchtime session!!
At the moment with all the farmers muck spreading, you can "really smell the countryside"
France is definatley good for poodling around on a Moto

[92kk k100lt 193214]

just an update-last year I rode my WR250R down to St Leon sur Vezere, camped all the way--and spent 2 and half weeks trail riding in the Vezere valley. I also rode the Yam down to Sarge's on the Brittany coast-again camping and trail riding. Previous years I have taken the Tiger 1050 down, and road across France , again on the WR250R--on my way to Bulgaria!--its not that I don't know what France is about--it just seems that the French police and Government have a current anti Brit agenda--and as has been posted already by Brits living in France--also the Malvern Rally and road ride last weekend was great--still lots I haven't seen in the UK !

I shared the campsite at St Leon sur Vezere with Catcitrus [and a few others] on two occasions, one while he had the Triumph and the other while he had the WR250R. We kind of wandered our separate ways at times but exchanged tales over the regulatory evening bbq.

Definitely a few happy campers and much to recommend it. I did a straight run down from Roscoff to St Leon on both occasions but have done similar trips on a 125 and figure the change in speed limit is no real issue as the N and D roads themselves tend to be quite fantastic.

If anyone has the opportunity to go.....just grab it and go

[SteveR]

Most of the roadside radar have been damaged beyond repair, by the men in "Yellow Vests" in SW France !!
Most of the fixed speed cameras still have a warning sign before the radar.
Best to ride around the Pyrenees, haven't seen any speed cameras there!!
As people above have said, it seems the majority have gone back to the old ways 90+ km/h.
Went for the first ride last weekend and never went above 80 km/h
Just enjoy the ride Steve !!

Well Mr Spray, as you are obviously a law abiding citizen and NEVER go above 8o except on dual carriageways, I will bow to your wise words.

I do try to enjoy the ride as much as is possible at only 80....