Cameras in France

[PHILinFRANCE]

Its no worse than the UK Tom , last time i was in the UK (ABR rally) it seemed to be the speed camera centre of the Univers !!! they are every where !!
The thing is its new ish for Brits traveling here to get the fine through the post so a tad alaming

That said ......"aller les gilets jaunes"

[Oop North John]

I am heading to France for my first visit in a fortnight and to be honest all this makes the place sound pretty grim

As has been said earlier the days of using France as your own personal race track are long gone, and they have embraced speed bumps (even on the Tour de France routes ) along with 30kph limits in towns, but just like the UK there's thousands of miles of open roads where there'll be no cameras to spoil your post holiday euphoria. But, if you're going to abuse the limits, just like in the UK, do it sensibly. And unlike the UK they do seem to enjoy seeing bikes on the road, and the weather is usually way better. And, even in Scotland there isn't a view like this:

[stramasher]

I am heading to France for my first visit in a fortnight and to be honest all this makes the place sound pretty grim

Oop North John nails it mate. Its a bloody fantastic place to ride your bike. You will love it. I guarantee you will be planning your next one maybe even before you get back!

I would just urge caution in and around the ferry ports till you are out in the sticks and next to motorway services (where you can get cops with speed guns) Also watch out for speed limit reduction areas on said motorways for cameras/cops.

[daveuprite]

I am heading to France for my first visit in a fortnight and to be honest all this makes the place sound pretty grim

That's quite wrong, Tom, and really not the impression I wanted to give when I kicked off this thread. France is still one of the best places to visit, to live, and certainly to ride a bike. I just wanted to warn those on ABR who ride over here, or might, that things are changing and you just have to more careful not to get a ticket. There are still thousands of kms of empty roads without monitoring, and you can almost always have a blast up in the hills without getting a fine.

It's not grim at all. And by comparison with S.E. UK 15 years ago (let alone now) it's a biker's paradise.

As for going off-road, it's still total freedom. Ride almost completely wherever you want, whenever you want without seeing a soul. No B.O.A.T.S. or Byeways or G.I.T.S. or W.A.N.K.E.R.S...

Enjoy your trip.

[vRSG60]

It appeared to me that the change in speed limit sign is only posted on your side of the road, not on both sides as in the UK.
This made it a little more difficult to spot when the speed limit changes (as it does, often). Because it's only on one side of the road it's easy to think it's a repeater sign and ignore it.

[TomBoyNI]

I am heading to France for my first visit in a fortnight and to be honest all this makes the place sound pretty grim

That's quite wrong, Tom, and really not the impression I wanted to give when I kicked off this thread. France is still one of the best places to visit, to live, and certainly to ride a bike. I just wanted to warn those on ABR who ride over here, or might, that things are changing and you just have to more careful not to get a ticket. There are still thousands of kms of empty roads without monitoring, and you can almost always have a blast up in the hills without getting a fine.

It's not grim at all. And by comparison with S.E. UK 15 years ago (let alone now) it's a biker's paradise.

As for going off-road, it's still total freedom. Ride almost completely wherever you want, whenever you want without seeing a soul. No B.O.A.T.S. or Byeways or G.I.T.S. or W.A.N.K.E.R.S...

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers. That is definitely more comforting.

[daveuprite]

I am heading to France for my first visit in a fortnight and to be honest all this makes the place sound pretty grim

That's quite wrong, Tom, and really not the impression I wanted to give when I kicked off this thread. France is still one of the best places to visit, to live, and certainly to ride a bike. I just wanted to warn those on ABR who ride over here, or might, that things are changing and you just have to more careful not to get a ticket. There are still thousands of kms of empty roads without monitoring, and you can almost always have a blast up in the hills without getting a fine.

It's not grim at all. And by comparison with S.E. UK 15 years ago (let alone now) it's a biker's paradise.

As for going off-road, it's still total freedom. Ride almost completely wherever you want, whenever you want without seeing a soul. No B.O.A.T.S. or Byeways or G.I.T.S. or W.A.N.K.E.R.S...

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers. That is definitely more comforting.

No probs. Remember, above all, that when you ride in France as a general rule you have the people on your side. French people like bikes, many either ride one or did, and they treat bikers properly. Pulling to one side to allow a bike to overtake or filter is pretty normal here. You sometimes get waves from people in small villages. Chambre D'hote (B&B) owners will often invite you to park in their garage (or hallway!). Off-road there is a culture that treats the chemins (greenlanes) as everybody's place to enjoy the country, so walkers, horse-riders, mountain-bikers and enduro-bike riders all share the trails without rivalry or enmity.

That doesn't mean you won't come across stupid tail-gate driving and a general inability to indicate on roundabouts. And you will still need to lock it up in cities. But I would be very surprised if you encounter any hostility just because you are on a bike.

[Crossrutted]

Meanwhile the french air force buzzes our place once a week at about 600mph....

Who are they running away from this time?

[Oop North John]

Meanwhile the french air force buzzes our place once a week at about 600mph....

Who are they running away from this time?

Their shadows?

[ollydog]

just got back from France and awaiting the usual paperwork, i got flashed one dead on 30kph and the satnav to back it up, stopped and took a time dated pic in case,

steve