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KLEINE CAMPINGS
CARCASSONNE
2008.
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Gîtes
Casa de
FériasCarcassonne. |
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Pequeno acampamento no sul da franca perto de Carcassonne. |
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Most of La
Royale's customers discover our camping site and holiday rental
accommodation by searching the web and finding this website. |
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PUMPING GAS |
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UK
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ATS
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ZEBRA CROSSING
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Tips
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Domaine La Royale
near Carcassonne |
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PAGE
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WEBSITE
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WEBSITE PAGE VIEWS 2008
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La Royale's blog |
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Searching the web
by the webmaster.
With a plethora of search engines to choose
from, if you can't find something using your
favourite search tool, don't give up, simply try
another!
That's why I have included Google, Yahoo and
MSN's Livesearch above. Try each of them
with your search criteria and experience the
difference.
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ADVERT
Have you noticed how our webmaster gets this
website onto the 1st page of your search-engine
results?
How on earth does he do it?
Apparently, it's called SEO (Search Engine
Optimization).
So how's your website doing? Unhappy about your
competitors always being listed above you?
Can't find your website in GOOGLE?
Then maybe your website needs a webmaster who
specialises in "tuning" websites to rank well in
search engine results?
TO CONTACT THE WEBMASTER, CLICK THE PICTURE
BELOW.
AI &
INTERNET
PC COMPUTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT & WEBSITE
ASSISTANCE.
MONTAGNE NOIRE CARCASSONNE
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LA ROYALE
Villardonnel
Aude 11600
France.
English
spoken. |
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Disclaimer:
My driving tips for driving in France are for your general guidance and they are
derived from practical experience, observation and a layman's knowledge. Traffic
law and regulations do change and you must verify
particular queries or points of law with a competent authority or professional body. My
tips for driving in France are published to encourage road safety and enhance
driving awareness to stay within the law whilst driving in France and nothing
should be interpreted as meaning anything to the contrary.
ED. |
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POLICE |
DIAL
112
FROM ANY MOBILE PHONE
OR
17
FROM ANY FRENCH LAND-LINE |
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HOLIDAY
DRIVING TIP
Store the number
112
in your UK mobile phone, just in case you need to call the emergency
services in France. Dialling 999 won't work! |
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FIRE BRIGADE |
DIAL
18
FROM ANY FRENCH
TELEPHONE |
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1)
DRIVING THROUGH
TOWNS & VILLAGES IN FRANCE Always be ready to give priority to
a vehicle emerging from the right at a junction when road signs or markings
that should indicate who has priority, are absent. This is very often
the case in a village or town and I think it was designed to discourage
traffic from speeding along the main road through a built-up area. So be
extremely vigilant when approaching junctions and look for road signs and
road markings indicating who has priority. If there aren't any signs or
road markings, then be prepared to slow-down or stop and give-way. Don't
automatically assume you have priority or right-of-way because your road
is wide and their road is
narrow. And importantly, don't assume
that they will automatically stop or give-way for you when you have priority!
When motoring in France, always expect the unexpected!
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2)
WHAT'S THE
SPEED LIMIT IN BUILT-UP
AREAS The maximum speed limit is generally 50kph through French
villages and towns unless signs show a maximum speed to the contrary which
is very often 40kph or just 30kph in small villages. Remember: The
speed limit signs are NOT in miles-per-hour but in kilometres-per-hour.
Most, if not all modern cars are equipped with a speedometer indicating
kilometres-per-hour, so get used to looking at it, thinking in kilometres-per-hour
and regularly checking your speed.
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2a)
WHEN
DOES THE SPEED LIMIT IN BUILT-UP AREAS BEGIN AND END?
Usually, it
begins when you pass the sign of the village or town you are entering (rectangular
sign, black letters on white background with a red border) and ends with
a similar sign but with a diagonal line across it. Remember, you should
be at the correct speed as you pass the sign, not 100 yards afterwards -
because that focal point in amongst the road furniture is a popular target
for aiming hand-held laser speed detection devices used in mobile speed-traps.
TIP: If you are found using a radar detector, the Police in France will
confiscate it and reward you with a hefty fine for so doing. If that radar
detector is built into the dashboard, they'll remove the dash and confiscate
that too!
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2b)
ARE THERE ANY FIXED
SPEED CAMERAS IN FRANCE? Yes, normally on the perimeter roads of
large towns on "D" or "N" roads and a few located on the
Autoroutes. They are usually well marked with advance warning signs.
Le site de la Sécurité Routière - La carte des radars
automatiques.
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2c)
WHAT'S THE SPEED
LIMIT ON A DUAL-CARRIAGEWAY? 110 kph (100 kph when raining
or the road is wet).
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2d)
WHAT'S THE SPEED LIMIT
ON OTHER ROADS? 90 kph (80 kph when raining or when the road
is wet).
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3)
WHAT
ABOUT AFTERMARKET SPORTS EXHAUSTS FITTED TO MOTORBIKES
I spoke
to French bikers about this and they said that they were illegal (unless
of course the exhaust manufacturer certifies that they are road-legal) but
generally tolerated by traffic cops if used on the open road and away from
built-up areas. I'm sure that if you are sensible and maintain a very low
rpm and just burble through the towns and villages, you will not come to
notice. But I would bet that if your bike was fitted with race exhausts
designed for track use, which are loud even in their quietest moments, it
would draw the unwanted attention of the Gendarmes ending up with an on-the-spot-fine
as a result. Motorcycles don't require MOT's in France and from time-to-time
the French Police launch a road-safety campaign aimed at motorcyclists to
educate the rider and examine their bike for defects - so make sure your
bike is in a road-worthy condition. You will often encounter two-stroke
scooters (49.9cc) fitted with expansion pipes which produce a lot of exhaust
noise, ridden by youngsters. However much convinced they are that their
new exhaust increases the horsepower of their engine, it is probably better
to be able to see AND hear them as they weave in and out of the traffic.
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4)
GETTING STOPPED BY THE
POLICE IN FRANCE
If you do get
stopped by the French Police, try and smile, be polite and practice some
French. "Bonjour" is a good start. If you are tempted to mutter something
sarcastic or derogatory then don't, because I'll bet one of the officers
will speak English well enough to understand your remark which will not
help your situation. They usually want to see your vehicle registration
document and driving licence (the originals not photocopies). The French
Police or Gendarmes place a lot of emphasis on the vehicle registration
document, which in France is called (sounds like) "cart-gree", so if you
name is not on it make sure you have a simple letter from the owner/keeper
explaining your possession of the vehicle. They may also ask to see your
certificate of motor insurance.
It really does help you if your name and/or address is the same on all of
the documents and always have them ready to produce rather than have to
rummage through a bag of last week's socks at the roadside because that's
where you think you last saw your driving licence! If you have one of the
old green driving licences without your photo then the Gendarme may ask
to see your passport to help verify your identity, so have that handy too.
If you can't understand what they want, then offer to show your driving
documents anyway because it will help to expedite your departure and that's
a very good thing. There are differences between Gendarmes (blue patrol
cars and motorcycles) and the Police (white patrol cars and motorcycles)
but for for all intents and purposes, it is probably best for motorists
to consider them to be the same with the same powers.
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4a)
GETTING
A MOTORING PENALTY TICKET BY THE FRENCH POLICE If you do commit
an offence where an on-the-spot motoring fine can be imposed, you will be
expected to pay immediately in cash or with a cheque in euros. As far as
I know, you can't pay by any other method. The officer will write out your
motoring penalty ticket and will also endorse your ticket with a receipt
for your cash. I don't know how much it is for every offence, but if you
reserve 150 euros in your wallet as "Motoring Mistake Money", you won't
go far wrong. Note: You should always be issued with a receipt when
parting with your cash.
Drivers,
we can never say that we never make a mistake on the road. It happens and
it is especially easy to get it wrong on foreign turf when the roads markings
and signs are subtly different. Ok, so you have just turned right against
a no-right-turn sign. You didn't see the sign until the last moment, but
now it's too late. You haven't caused an accident or put anyone in danger
but a Gendarme has seen you and has signalled for you to stop so that he
can have words. Now, if the Gendarme can't speak English and you can't speak
French then conversation will be limited. Body language however, is universal
and the officer will understand it. So if you stick your elbow out
of the driver's window and lean out with a face looking like a bulldog chewing
a wasp, then the officer will form a first impression "spoken" by your body
language.
So
much better to stop your vehicle, put your hazard lights on if you think
it's appropriate and safely get out of your car and meet the officer on
the pavement or away from passing traffic. Don't think that the officer
is going to write out a ticket immediately because he may have already started
thinking about giving you a verbal warning if you pass his attitude test.
So stay cool, try and appear to be a little humble and genuinely sorry for
making a mistake. Why? Because you have made a mistake and you
have been "captured"!
This
is not the time for machismo! If you start arguing and gesticulating wildly
about where the sign should have been positioned or that it's partially
obscured by an advertising board or the sun was in your eyes or whatever
the reason, the officer will whip out his ticket book and pen faster than
you can say Jacque Robeenson. It's best just to be polite and volunteer
your driving documents. If you want to apologise then the word "sorry" sounds
just like if you were to say, "des o'lay". And with a bit o'luck you'll
get away with a verbal warning and £100 gets to stay in your pocket! So,
a bit of grovelling may save you money, afterall you worked hard for that
£100, why give it away?
Of
course, if you think the officer is completely mistaken then you have the
right to argue the matter in court at a later date. The side of the road
is not the time or the place and you won't win.
BACK TO THE TOP
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5)
FRENCH
FILLING STATIONS / PETROL STATIONS IN FRANCE Pétrole is
NOT petrol. Essence is petrol (normally unleaded 95 or 98
octane). Gazole is
diesel. Super is usually the old
"leaded" 4-star. Don't be tempted to put Super in newer cars otherwise
it will damage the catalytic-converter and those things are expensive and
you probably won't be able to get the nozzle in anyway because it has a
larger diameter. Super is also likely to be a lot more expensive
than unleaded, so why bother with it? Important Note: The 24-hour
un-manned petrol stations are unlikely to accept anything other than a French
Visa card (or notes in Euros).
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5a)
ROUNDABOUTS NEAR FILLING
STATIONS Watch out for diesel and petrol spills. Anything on the
road surface that shimmers with the colours of a rainbow is fuel and very
slippery. Not too much of a problem for cars but for bikes it can lead to
a mishap. I normally flip my visor up on the approach to any roundabout
because I can often smell spilled fuel before I see it. Pay extra attention
when driving in the rain and at night as a fuel spill is very difficult
to spot.
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6)
INDICATORS In France, I have noticed that
they are generally not used as often as they should be, if at all. Are indicator
bulbs expensive in France? :-) Don't take a chance and make an educated
guess - just be prepared for anything to happen. Don't be too alarmed when
the unthinkable happens right in front of you - that's the way it is, get
used to it!
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7)
THE SOLID
WHITE LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Means much the same
as the UK's double white lines. No doubt there are exceptions to not crossing
the solid white line such as to overtake a horse-drawn vehicle or a slow-moving
agricultural machine. I don't know for sure exactly what all the exceptions
/ rules are but if you are in any doubt, don't overtake if you need to cross
the solid white line in order to do so.
 How
much money would UK taxpayers save if the UK highways departments only painted
one solid white line in the centre of the carriageway? Remember the guy
that saved his company a ton of money by only manufacturing match boxes
with one striking strip instead of two? How many thousands of miles of two-solid-white-lines
are there in the UK? Wouldn't just one solid white line save materials,
labour costs and mean the same thing? The Highway Code and relevant legislation
could easily be re-written to reflect that change. So, if the single solid
white line does make an appearance in the UK, remember where you first read
about the idea :-)
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8)
"I'M TOWING A FORTY-FOOT TRAILER" SYNDROME
Picture this scenario
and don't forget that you are driving on the right-hand side of the road...
You are behind a vehicle travelling at a slow speed through a village and
the little car in front of you slows right down and moves over to the crown
of the road without using any hand signals or indicators. Ah! - you think
to yourself - he's going to turn left! No problem - so
you think. The road is wide and there is plenty of room to pass, so
you move to pass him on his right and then he suddenly makes a right turn
in front of your vehicle narrowly missing your bumper. I have seen this
happen so many times that it is worthy of a mention. Not so much for motorists
but for the benefit of the motorcyclist who can get seriously injured as
a result of this type of manoeuvre. The opposite happens with left-turns
which is potentially even more dangerous because of the additional hazard
of oncoming traffic hitting you whilst you lay in the road after having
broad-sided the car! So Bikers especially, please be aware of this "invisible
trailer" thing if you intend touring on two-wheels around France. French hospitals are very well equipped, but let's not go there!
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9)
LIGHTS ON MOTORCYCLES
Use dipped
headlamps during the hours of daylight.
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10)
SLIPPERY ROAD SURFACE IN SUMMER
The roads in the South of France can be very slippery after a shower of
rain because the last rainfall might have been weeks ago and the accumulation
of oily deposits left by motor vehicles using the road float to the top
of the surface water and create skid-pan conditions. Reduce your speed,
don't leave your braking to the last moment and accelerate gently.
BACK TO THE TOP |
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11)
CAN I DRIVE ON L-PLATES AS A PROVISIONAL LICENCE HOLDER IN FRANCE?
No.
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12)
DO I NEED TO PUT DIPPED-BEAM HEADLAMP DIVERTERS ON MY MOTORCYCLE HEADLAMPS?
Do you mean the black adhesive plastic triangles or clear plastic lenses
seen stuck on the front headlamps of UK cars abroad? Interesting question!
As far as I am aware, most, if not all motorcycle headlamps only dip down
on dipped beam and not down-and-to-the-left. So full-beam is simply up and
dipped-beam is simply down. Try at home when it's getting dark and
face a wall or the garage door and dip your motorcycle lights. If they dip
down AND to the left then you need to blank out that part of the lens responsible
because if you don't, you will dazzle oncoming drivers in France. If you
are not sure, do the same test with your car headlamps and compare it with
your motorcycle results. If you are still in doubt, double-check with your
local motorcycle dealer who sells and services your make of motorcycle.
On that subject, BMW bikers might want to read this
BMW
motorcycles
Talking
of dealerships, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki all have large dealerships
in Carcassonne so if you do chuck it down the road or something snaps, you
are not far away from a replacement part.
BACK TO THE TOP
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13)
MOTORCYCLISTS Getting waved to
the front of a queue
by a Gendarme.
A péage
is a kiosk plus barrier where you either take a ticket and enter, or pay
and exit the French motorway system. The motorways or
autoroutes are not much fun on a motorbike because
there are no twisty bits but are nevertheless quite good for mile-crunching.
So if a Gendarme beckons you with a wave, it generally means "come to the
front of the queue". It's hotter than hell sitting in a traffic queue in
the sunshine in the South of France in full leathers, so to legally jump
the queue is first-class. Merci beaucoup Monsieur
Gendarme!
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14)
WHAT'S THE RULES ON DRINKING AND DRIVING IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE?
Don't be tempted. Nominate a designated driver or get a taxi. Without
going into details, the blood-alcohol limit is approximately half that of
the UK. If you are unable to resist temptation, just have one shandy
(beer and lemonade), which in France is called what sounds just like if
you were to say, "panna-shay". Or for the ladies, perhaps a spritzer
(a white wine and soda water). I don't know what that is in French exactly
but if you ask for "van-blonk-du-so-dar" that should get you a spritzer,
or if you prefer lemonade, lemonade is pronounced, "limb-o'nard".
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15)
I'VE HEARD THAT FRENCH ACCIDENT STATISTICS TEND TO SHOW THE FRENCH ARE AMONG
THE WORST DRIVERS IN EUROPE?
I'm not
joking when I say that I'm puzzled as to why that should be the case. I
read somewhere that the French should take a leaf out of the UK's driving
book and retire their Latin driving habits and also that the French want
a national Road Courtesy Day in France. So what can I say about this?
In my opinion, the French are just as courteous in the driving seat as UK
drivers, if not more so, and they are extremely biker-aware, which is a
very good thing. French drivers tend to get a move-on and don't dilly-dally.
So if you are dawdling, expect to get overtaken and if you doing the speed
limit (plus a bit to allow for speedo-error :-) but still get overtaken,
don't take it personally! If you are driving through town and you have to
swerve or brake suddenly to avoid hitting another car, make sure you are
not a fault and have forgotten about the
"priorité
à droite"
rule, as in
1)
above, especially if you feel the need to remind the other driver of the
Battle of Agincourt (or the Battle of Agincourt
Light :-) and shout something
deep and meaningful in his general direction!
Perhaps road traffic accidents in France would fall in numbers if French
insurance companies were to increase their premiums when their customers
received penalty points for a moving traffic offence. For example, in the
UK, a driver must declare every motoring conviction, pending or otherwise,
(other than parking offences) to their insurance company, but not in France
though I think. Maybe for a serious misdemeanour, i.e. "Drink-Driving",
but not for speeding or failing to stop at a red traffic light. Correct
me if I am wrong about this, but apparently, motor insurance companies in
France are more interested in details about recent claims and the driver's
claims history with previous insurance companies.
In my opinion, any moving traffic offence which causes a another road-user's
safety or life to be put at risk should affect a driver's premium. For example,
overtaking around "blind" corners or driving through fog at a ridiculous
speed or driving so close to the vehicle in front that they might well as
be "on-tow", should be considered "a reportable offence" to French motor
insurance companies. Sure, French drivers get their licences endorsed and
pay a fine, but as far as I know, they don't suffer the double-jeopardy
of an exorbitant annual insurance renewal as motorists do in the UK. If
they did, then maybe French drivers would think twice about putting themselves
in a position which may increase their annual motor insurance premium and
maybe then, French accident statistics would show a downward trend?
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16)
I NEED
TO GO TO A FRENCH POLICE STATION, WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
Your local police station
in France is most likely to be a Gendarmerie where Gendarmes in France have
responsibility for general law enforcement. They are members of the French
national police organisation and form part of the French Armed Forces. Expect
to find fences and security cameras and don't be surprised if you have to
speak into an intercom and explain exactly why you want assistance before
you get to speak to anyone in person, which could be a problem if you don't
speak French. All the Gendarmes I have met have been polite and friendly
enough, it's just that the experience does not yield the same slipper comfort
as popping into your local police station in the UK to ask a question or
seek directions.
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17)
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