la bonne vie

Handy Hints for when visiting France .. we suggest you print this page and keep it

· The minimum age of a car driver in France is 18 years.

· The minimum age of a motorcyclist in France is 18 years for a motorcycle over 125cc.

· The minimum age of a motorcyclist in France is 15 years for a motorcycle under 125cc.

· Motorcycle riders and passengers must wear crash helmets.

· A Full UK driving licence is required.

· Third Party Motor Insurance is compulsory.

· A Green Card is not always required, but your insurer should be advised of your trip.

· Always carry Documentation such as your driving licence, vehicle registration document (V5), and certificate of motor insurance.

· If your licence does not incorporate a photograph ensure you carry your passport to validate the licence.

· If the vehicle is not registered in your name or hired, carry a letter from the registered owner giving you permission to drive it.

· First-Aid Kit is advised, but not compulsory.

· Carrying a Warning Triangle is compulsory, should your flashing hazard lights fail or become damaged.

· Visibility Vests are now likely to become compulsory throughout the EU.

· The use of Seat Belts front and rear are obligatory everywhere.

· GB Sticker: UK registered vehicles displaying Euro-plates no longer need a GB sticker.

· Headlamp Converters are compulsory.

· Dipped headlights must be used in poor daytime visibility.

· Motorcycles over 125cc must use dipped headlights during the day at all times.

· Drinking and Driving: Don't do it. Over 0.05 per cent and you could face anything up to imprisonment. France has strict drink driving laws, blood alcohol levels being stricter than in the UK. Rather than present you with meaningless figures relating to blood/breath alcohol levels, our advice is if you're driving, don't drink.

· Speed Limits, shown below, are implemented rigorously. Radar traps are frequent, anyone caught travelling at more than 25 km/h above the speed limit in France can have their licence confiscated on the spot.
Remember, speeding and other traffic offences are subject to on-the-spot fines. Ensure an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.
· In Town .. 50 km/h (31 mph).
· Other Roads .. 90 km/h or 80 km/h when wet (56 and 50 mph).
· Dual Carriageways .. 110 km/h or 100 km/h when wet (69 and 62 mph).
· Motorways .. 130 km/h or 110 km/h when wet (81 and 68 mph).
· N.B. When visibility is below 50m, speed limit is 50km/h everywhere.

· Children must be at least 10 years of age to sit in the front seat.

· Children under 10 years of age must be seated in the rear and seat-belted in an approved child seat (booster for non-babies). However, a very young child in an approved rear-facing safety seat can be in front.

· Carrying a replacement bulb set is recommended.

· Take care in built-up areas where the old rule giving priority to traffic coming from the right (Priorité à droite) still applies unless a yellow diamond indicates you have priority.

· On roundabouts you generally give priority to traffic already on the roundabout, in other words, coming from your left as you enter the roundabout.

· Fuel: All grades of unleaded petrol, diesel and LPG are available as well as lead substitute additive.

· Credit and Debit Cards are widely accepted, although they probably won't work at automatic pumps, which are often the only pumps in rural areas open out-of-hours, which also means lunch-time from noon to 3pm.

· It's a good idea to let your card issuer know you will be travelling abroad. This ensures they don't suspend your card if they spot it being used in unfamiliar places, which they sometimes do as an anti-fraud measure.

· Breakdown and Assistance, parking and resting zones are situated every 10 to 20km, with 24-hour petrol stations found approximately every 40km. If you do breakdown, pull up on the right hand lay-by. Make sure you illuminate your hazard warning lights and place a red warning triangle 30m behind your vehicle.

· Free orange emergency telephones are situated every 2km on all motorways.

· If you do break down and don't want to leave your vehicle, await a road patrols on all sections of the motorway.

· Flashing headlights on a motorway means I'm coming through; it's best just to quietly move over and don't let your ego get the better of you.

· Lights flashing on a country road may mean there's a police check ahead .. it's illegal to give these warnings !!

· Drive on the right side of the road !!

· Still on the subject of driving.... The French word Gendarme means literally 'armed men', they're tough, they're rough and they're generally disliked. In France, 3 times as many deaths occur on the roads than Britain for the same population, so it's no-wonder French police have an appalling attitude to towards motorists!!

· If you break the rules you can expect to be fined around €30 to over €3,000 for serious speeding offences or more for drunken or reckless driving.

· Non-residents must pay in cash on the spot & Residents have 30 days to pay up.

NB The above guidelines are pointers and are by no means exhaustive.

Mobile Phones / Pay Phone
Mobile phones set-up for roaming, usually receive a good French network signal from the gite.
The nearest pay phone is in Campeaux.
A European Phone Card can be purchased from most UK Post Offices and French Phone Cards can be obtained in larger general stores and often bar / tabacs.

Telephoning Britain from France
Telephoning Britain 0044 + std code less the first zero + number
so 0207 123 4567 becomes 00 44 207 123 4567

Emergency Telephone Numbers in France
15 Ambulance (SAMU = Service D'Aide Medicale Urgent)
17 Police (Gendarmes)
18 Fire service (Pompiers)
112 Universal Switchboard .. All three services (like 999 in U.K.)

Doctor, Chemist & Dentist
In case of emergency there is an English speaking Doctor in Beny-Bocage, called Dr Jacques Thieulle, by telephoning 02 31 68 63 20.
There is also a Chemist / Pharmacist in Beny-Bocage, called Sarl Pharmacie Leteutre,
telephone number 02 31 68 63 15.
The nearest Dentist is in Torigni-sur-Vire, called Dr Etienne Odoux, by telephoning 02 33 56 72 10.

Food Shopping & Basic Provisions
The local towns of Vire & Torigni-sur-Vire provide all the shopping you require, you'll find Supermarkets, Banks, Chemists, Bars & Restaurants.
There are no amenities other than the Mairie in Mont-Bertrand however, neighbouring village Campeaux has a Bakers (Boulangerie), Petrol Station (Station de Essence), a Butchers (Boucherie), a Bar / Tabac and General Store (Epicerie).

Opening times in France
Banks and most shops are closed on Mondays.
Banks and most shops are closed between 12 and 2

Le Triskell (Brasserie - Pizzeria)
17 Rue Andre Halbout - 14500 Vire
Tel : 02 31 68 00 66

Swimming Pool
With Indoor Flume & Outdoor Waterslide
Aqua-Vire Centre Aquatique
Parc De L'Europe - Vire
Tel : 02 31 66 30 60

Normandy Cuisine:
The Calvados region is renowned for its apples and dairy produce.

Meats:
The lamb and mutton from the Cherbourg peninsular are rated very highly, as are the Andouilles de Vire, smoked and cooked pork and tripe sausage, usually served cold as a starter. Traditional dishes invariably feature creamy sauces laced with apples, cider or calvados, such as Filet Mignon de Porc Normande, pork tenderloin cooked with apples and onions in cider and served with caramelised apple rings.

Seafood:
The proximity of the sea means that fish and seafood feature commonly on menus, look out for Moules à la Normande, mussels in a cream and white wine sauce or Sole Normande, Dover sole poached in cider and cream with shrimps.

Cheeses:
The brown and white Normandy cows produce the world-famous Camembert and Pont l'Evêque cheeses, as well as many others.

Wines:
No wines are produced in Normandy - instead there is cider, Calvados, the 'brandy' distilled from cider and Bénédictine a sweet liqueur first produced by monks in Fécamp.