Joined: 20/7/2006 Gold Member 
Forum Posts: 493
| Site Reviews Total: | 0 |
|
| Site Reviews 2026: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2025: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2024: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2023: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2022: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2021: | 0 |
| Site Reviews 2020: | 0 |
|
| Site Nights 2026: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2025: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2024: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2023: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2022: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2021: | 0 |
| Site Nights 2020: | 0 |
|
For all of you travelling to France this year this might be of interest
Quote from the CC
Watch your Speed (France)
We recently published new speed limits for vehicles/outfits towing in France that are over 3.5t in weight (May edition), which was provided by the legal department of the Association Française des Automobilistes.We have since received conflicting information from two different sources: the FFCC (Fédération Française de Camping et de Caravanning) and the FIA (Fédération Internationale de L’Automobile).
Both of these professional organisations have interpreted the same French law (Code de la Route articles R413 – 8 and R413-8-1) in two different ways:
The FFCC have interpreted the law as follows:
The lower speed limits of 90kph (on motorways and dual carriageways with a central reservation and 80kph on other roads outside of built up areas) are for any outfit where the towing vehicle has a maximum GTM (Gross Train Mass) exceeding 3.5t (as indicated on the vehicle's handbook, or sometimes on the engine plate), irrespective of what the actual weight of the caravan/trailer being towed. If the GTM of the towing vehicle is less than 3.5t then these lower speed limits do not apply.
The FIA do not agree:
They interpret the law to be, that any vehicle or combination of vehicles that has a total GVM (gross vehicle mass) of over 3.5t must adhere to the new lower speed limits.
When subject to specific speed limits, as mentioned, stickers indicating these new limits should be displayed on the back of the trailer. There should be two: one for 80kph and one for 90kph. These stickers can only be brought from HGV supplier in France, the FFCC have advised us that law is very tolerant towards vehicles that don’t have the stickers, however this is only their opinion.
Both the FIA and the FFCC agree that the wording of this law needs to be clarified, and we will keep you updated if and when this happens.
Our advice for now is to drive at the lower speed limits if you have GTM exceeding 3.5t or a combination of vehicles with a GVM (which is the same as the maximum permitted weight) of over 3.5t, and obtain the stickers, until such times as we can confirm the correct interpretation of the law. We will of course keep you updated!
|
Topic: Speed limits changed in France
