Richard Hammond, founder of French Connections HCB, inherited his love of cars from his father who used to restore them for a living. No wonder Richard is sympathetic when people don’t want to leave their own vehicle behind when they move. He explains how he and his team can help you bring your car to France and register it in accordance with requirements…

“I’m really passionate about classic cars. It comes from hanging out in my Dad’s workshop when I was growing up in the Gers. I have several at the moment, including a Sunbeam Rapier called Katie and a Sunbeam Alpine Series 3 called Annie who is as British as they come.

It turns out that more than half of our team at French Connections HCB admits to having a nickname for their car. The same is true of many of the clients who ask for our help with registration and importation. The truth is that a car is a fundamental part of family life and we definitely grow attached. But there are also some very solid financial reasons for bringing your car with you when you move.”

Buying a car in France is expensive

“For a start, foreign cars are considerably more expensive to buy over here than in the UK, US or Dubai. Up to double the price in France for a comparative car in the UK. It’s also true that the UK/US spec is usually higher, with more sporty options.

There are other considerations too. Here in France, there’s a government-led push towards French-made vehicles, so Peugeot and Renault prices are extremely competitive compared to foreign makes. People also tend to hang onto their cars for longer. This means the second hand car market is often overstocked with early models and high mileage. As a very general rule, cars work harder here, perhaps because there’s much less public transport in rural areas. So a car is seen as a functional necessity rather than luxury item.

With cars, there’s a lot to be said for familiarity. If you’re happy with your car and you wouldn’t be able to buy it again for the same price once you’ve moved, it makes sense to consider bringing it with you. However, European administration doesn’t make it easy. And that can put a lot of people off. French Connections HCB operates in France and Italy and the situation is different in each of them. They each have their own laws and requirements for importing and registering a foreign vehicle. There’s a significant amount of bureaucracy. And there’s a very long list of documents that you have to provide at each step of the process. It is often said that what you need most is patience!”

Registering a car in France

In France you need to be officially registered online as a taxpayer to be able to complete the formalities. If you’re only just moving to Europe, you are very unlikely to already be paying tax here. Fortunately, it’s legal for somebody else to register for you. That’s one of the services we offer at French Connections HCB.

The online platform for registering your foreign car is not particularly user-friendly. Only certain sized PDFs are acceptable, for example. And the ‘quitus fiscal’ (which is the certificate confirming VAT tax clearance for your vehicle) is often very slow to arrive.

A quitus fiscal can only be obtained if your UK-registered car arrived in France before December 31 2020. If it arrived after that date, you need to go through customs to get a ‘certificat de dédouanement’ to allow you to register your car here.

Most Prefectures insist on a conformity certificate that can only be issued by the manufacturer of the vehicle. Some Prefectures insist on it being done in French. If for whatever reason that can’t be done, the DREAL (Direction Régionale Environnement Aménagement Logement) is the only organisation in the whole of France that’s authorised to carry out the inspection. Fortunately, there is an office in every region of France.”

Registering a classic car in France

“Classic cars add another layer of complication because the manufacturer which needs to issue the conformity certificate may no longer exist. In those cases, as long as your car is more than 30 years old, we work with the FFVE (Fédération Française des Véhicules d’Époque). They can issue a French document in lieu of the usual Certificate of Conformity. They also deal with classic motorbikes.”

Help with registering your car or bike in France

“If it’s your first time and you aren’t familiar with the process, it’s a good idea to talk to us. We handle enquiries about car imports, transportation and registration on a daily basis so we can offer support and guidance every step of the way, or even handle the entire process for you. It takes roughly three months from start to finish, so we are happy to divide the cost over those three months interest free. We also offer a money back guarantee.

People often ask if we look after motorbikes too. Basically, if it’s got wheels and you want to bring it to France, Italy or Portugal, French Connections HCB can make it happen!

If you need to transport your car to France from another country, we can organise shipment with one of our International Shipping partners, Ship My Car and CFR Rinkens. In addition, if you don’t want to drive your vehicle through France initially, our partner Pop Valet will collect and deliver it door to door with their fully trackable service. We also work with a trusted insurance partner, Fab French Insurance, which offers extremely competitive premiums for people bringing cars in from abroad.”

To find out more, you can book a free 15 minute consultation with Richard on the website of frenchconnectionshcb.com

Richard is a Property & Business Specialist and Founder of frenchconnectionshcb.com, which helps people with all aspects of moving to France.

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When you’re researching how to register your British registered vehicle in France, you will notice that two documents are frequently mentioned: the Certificat de Conformité and the Contrôle Technique. One or both are essential, depending on what type and age of vehicle you have.

Unfortunately, the information you find online can sometimes be misleading. At best it’s frustating. At worse it will lose you money and may result in a failed attempt to register your car or motor bike. We asked the team at French Connections HCB who’ve registered hundreds of UK registered cars in France, to share some tips. And if you read this and think it all sounds too much, French Connections HCB can help you – and if they don’t succeed, they’ll give you your money back.

Let’s start with the Certificat de Conformité

You will almost always be asked to provide a European Certificate of Conformity, no matter what age or type of vehicle you wish to register. This is a document provided by the manufacturer of your vehicle (Ford, Peugeot, Audi etc.). It certifies the car’s conformity to European standards. Without it, your vehicle registration will not succeed. Your vehicle must already be in France to begin the registration process – you can’t start before you arrive.

The certification must come from the original manufacturer or one of their registered/validated representatives. There are websites that say they can provide you with a Certificate very quickly, but an ICOC (Independent Certificate of Conformity) will not be accepted by the French authorities. And this is not a quick process.

Get the right certificate

You can see the difference in the two examples below. The Nissan certificate was accepted while the independent one was rejected.

The Conformity document is usually accepted in any language. However, you are, to an extent, at the whim of the agent in charge of your file. They may refuse it unless it is in French. In that case, your best course of action is to request a French version from the manufacturer in France. If the manufacturer of your car does not exist in France, you will need to go through the DREAL (Direction Régionale Environnement Aménagement Logement). They are the body responsible for validating the conformity of vehicles which don’t have a certificate. This is a very long and can be a very costly process, as the authorities may require modifications to be made to your vehicle to make sure it conforms.

There are occasions when a Certificate of Conformity is not required at all. If the ‘K’ line of your registration certificate is filled in, you can start the registration process without providing the document. That’s because it already has a European approval number. If the agent in charge of your file specifically requests a certificate, you can provide it at a later stage.

Now let’s talk about the Contrôle Technique

The Contrôle Technique is a test carried out every two years on vehicles over 4 years old. It is the equivalent of the UK MOT. The purpose of the test is to ensure that the vehicle is safe and in good condition to drive on French roads. Your vehicle must have successfully passed a French or European Contrôle Technique. And it must be no more than 6 months before you begin the French registration process. Organising a Contrôle Technique in France is easy. Many garages offer this service. Take your (foreign) vehicle registration certificate with you to the appointment.

Some garages may also ask for your Certificate of Conformity. If you don’t have it, our advice is to simply make an alternative appointment at a garage that doesn’t require it. As the UK is no longer part of the EU, British MOTs are increasingly being refused. We strongly advise that you do your Contrôle Technique in France. It will help to make sure that your registration application will be valid.

What happens if my vehicle fails its Contrôle Technique?

You can still apply for registration if your vehicle fails its Contrôle Technique. But you must undergo a successful inspection within two months.

Even when you have successfully passed the Contrôle Technique, the agent in charge of your file could still legitimately request a Certificate of Conformity to finalise the process. That’s because the Contrôle Technique makes sure your vehicle is safe and in good condition to drive. But it doesn’t verify its conformity to French road standards. Only a Certificate of Conformity can do that.

While the car registration process can be frustrating, there is good news about driving in France. Unlike most countries, France has no annual road tax to pay. The only ongoing fees you have to pay once your car is registered in France are a bi-annual Contrôle Technique plus the usual insurance and vehicle maintenance. There are no additional taxes as they are all paid as part of French registration.

You can find more details about registering your British car, bike or vehicle in France at frenchconnectionshcb.com

They guarantee to make a full refund if they are  not successful in registering your car, even for reasons beyond their control.

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As of midnight 30 June 2018, the speed limit on all two-lane roads in France, was reduced from 90 kilometres per hour (55 miles per hour) to 80 kilometres per hour (50 miles per hour).

The French Government say that the change is to increase road safety and decrease auto emissions to support the environment.

Current speed limits in France

Motorway: 130 kilometres per hour, 110 kilometres per hour in wet weather (80 miles per hour, 68 miles per hour in wet weather)

Dual Carriageway (Major Roads): 110 kilometres per hour; 100 kilometres per hour in wet weather (68 miles per hour (62 miles per hour in wet weather)

Two-lane roads outside built-up areas: 80 kilometres per hour; 70 kilometres per hour in wet weather (50 miles per hour; 43 miles per hour in wet weather)

Built up areas (towns and villages): 50 kilometres per hour (31 miles per hour)

Fines will be inflicted on motorists who are caught breaking the rules for speed limits.

The new speed limit is no more popular with the French than it will be with tourists with many predicting more traffic jams and calling the change a money-making move.

More on driving in France

Make sure you have the right equipment and paperwork in your car when you’re driving in France: Top tips for driving in France

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Choosing a hire car can be a difficult decision – there’a lot of choice. We check out what are the safest rental cars and we have a great offer for all our readers – up to 10% off your hire car costs with one of the best hire companies there is (see the link at bottom of the page).

Safe rental cars

You need a car that will cope with the demands of your trip – in addition to safely transporting your loved ones about. Safety matters, and more and more of us are looking into how safe a car is when purchasing a vehicle. We talk to the experts at Rhino Car Hire to provide you with the information you need to ensure the vehicle you hire is as safe as the vehicle you drive at home.

Rhino reveal that the top 5 safest hire cars in their opinion are:

Ford Fiesta
Volkswagen Golf
Vauxhall Insignia
Volkswagen Tiguan
Seat Alhambra

To provide this information they advised that they conducted research. They took the most common rental car makes and models in Europe in their most popular categories to access information to enable their research to allow readers to make informed choices about rental cars. The information has been provided by The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).

*Results used are based on the newest model available of the vehicle. Safety ratings for older models may vary.

We hope that you’ll find having the latest safety information for car hire useful (2017).

Rhino Car Hire have a great range of rental vehicles in France. With their easy booking system plus a fabulous offer for The Good Life France readers giving you up to 10% off rental prices with one of the already most competitively priced hire car company in France, we think they’re great.

The post Safest Rental Cars – The Safest Hire Cars Revealed appeared first on The Good Life France.

The authorities in several cities have introduced a scheme known as Crit’Air. It means that all vehicles in those cities must display a sticker which reflects their carbon emissions. It’s in the name of pollution control and failure to display the mandatory stickers, including foreign vehicles, may result in a fine of up to 135 Euros (though this might be increased).

Cities and departments that employ some form of traffic restrictions based on Crit’Air stickers – as of June 2019 – are:

Paris: Zone de Protection de l’Air (ZPA) – zone de circulation restreinte (ZCR)
Lille: ZPA – ZCR
Strasbourg: ZPA – ZCR
Dijon (+ Côte-d’or): ZPA
Guéret (+ Creuse) : Zone de Protection de l’Air Deparmental (ZPAd)
Clermont-Ferrand (+ Puy-de-Dome) : ZPAd
Lyon-Villeurbanne: ZPA
Grenoble (+ Isère): ZPA – ZCR
Annecy (+ Haute-Savoie): ZPA
Chambery (+ Savoie): ZPA
Valence (+ Drôme): ZPAd
Vallée de l’Arve: ZPA
Toulouse
Bordeaux (+ Gironde): ZPAd
Auch (+ Gers): ZPAd
Pau (+ Pyrénées-Atlantiques): ZPAd
Montpellier (+ Hérault): ZPAd
Marseille (+ Bouches-du-Rhone): ZPAd
Chartres (+ Eure-et-Loir): ZPAd
Orléans (+ Loiret): ZPAd
Angers (+ Maine-et-Loire): ZPAd
Rennes: ZPA
La Roche-sur-Yon (+ Vendée): ZPAd
Poitiers (+ Vienne): ZPAd
Niort (+ Deux_Sèvres): ZPAd

So – if you need to drive in these cities, get a Crit Air sticker and don’t get caught out. It’s like the scheme will be rolled out to more cities in France and the rest of Europe going forward.

Stickers, which cost a few Euros plus postage, can be purchased online at: www.certificat-air.gouv.fr (English language version) and there are different sections for French registered cars or cars from the UK, rest of Europe etc.

You’ll need to get your car log book out to complete the form to order a sticker. You have to answer questions such as registration date of the car, CO2 emissions etc. Application is all online and simple as long as you have all the correct paperwork and information.

The regulations apply to all vehicles from motorbikes to cars, HGV lorries and coaches. Stickers are valid for the lifetime of the cat.

In Paris from 0800 – 20.00 on weekdays there is also a ban on the following vehicles:

• Cars registered prior to 1997
• Motorbikes & Scooters registered prior to June 1st 2000
• Lorries, trucks and buses registered prior to 2001

The aim of the policy is said to be to try to control air pollution in the cities.

The post Paris introduces mandatory pollution stickers for vehicles appeared first on The Good Life France.

If you’re into scenic routes, Mont-Cenis pass in Savoie should definitely be on your list.

It’s one of the highest mountain passes of the Alps and it’s practically a line between the Cottian and Graian Alps. If you’re traveling to or from Italy, ditch the Frejus tunnel and go this way instead – you won’t be disappointed. The roads are nice but curvy, it is a mountain pass after all, but the nature all around is spectacular. Watching the sheep and birds while the wind is blowing in your hair, it’s pretty awesome. You can even see a small waterfall or two on the road as well.

The cherry on the cake is most definitely the Lac du Mont-Cenis, a beautiful, big, turquoise lake. It’s not appropriate for swimming, but what a view you get when you see it from the road. Magnificent.

The best view is from the ruins of the 19th century Italian fortress. If you’re traveling on a hot summer day, the breeze up here is so refreshing.

There are plenty of quiet little tracks to walk on or cycle and dogs will love it too.

Not very far away from the lake there are plenty of small hotels where you can rent a room or stay in your camper for the night if you’re just passing by on your road trip. It’s quite popular but it’s still pretty much unspoiled and there are a lot less people around than you might expect in a place that’s this awesome.

If you’re into mountains, fresh air and stunning views, you shouldn’t miss this drive. In the warmer part of the year that is, as in the colder months this pass can be closed if the conditions are bad.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your bike, car or camper ready and hit the road!

Sanja Cvitic is a travel enthusiast, who sees beauty in small things and enjoys great views. She loves everything about France, especially food, language and culture. She tries to capture all the great moments, not just in her head, but also in photos and says writing about those moments makes them last forever.

The post Driving the Col du Mont-Cenis in the French Alps appeared first on The Good Life France.

Avoid driving license confusion: Your licence and driving in France

Changes to your licence:

As of the 8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence was abolished. This change affects people with driving licences in England, Scotland and Wales. Please note, however, that there is still a requirement for a paper counterpart in Northern Ireland. If you have a paper counterpart at home, the advice from the DVLA is to destroy it; it is no longer needed.

The old paper counterpart used to record driver penalty points. New points will no longer be added in this way; instead they will be added online. It is therefore crucial that drivers wishing to hire a car go to the DVLA’s View Driving Licence service. The link to this service can be found at: www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

The site can then be used to view your driver licence details including any penalty points and most importantly the site will provide you with a check code, this is the code required by most car hire companies and will be requested at the car hire collection desk. This code provides the car hire company with your driver details along side those provided by you on your paper or photocard licence. The check code will be valid for 21 days.

Getting your code:

Visit the DVLA website and enter:

• Your driver number
• Your postcode
• Your national insurance number

Request to share your licence information and create a code. Your hire company will then use this to check your details before issuing you with a hire car.

 I have an old style paper driving licence. Can I still use it?

Yes. Photocard driving licences were introduced in 1998, however approximately 7 million drivers in the UK still have a paper driving licence. The fact that the counter part has been abolished has led to some confusion for holders of the old style paper licences. These do not need to be destroyed. They are still valid after June 2015. The only time a driver would need to change their paper driving licence would be if any important driver details such as name or address change, at this point a new photocard license would be issued in place. If you hold an old style paper license, you must provide an alternative form of photo ID, such as a passport when hiring a car.

In summary:

When hiring a car the company will want to see either your photocard licence or your pre-1998 paper licence (both are valid). However they may wish to check if you have any penalty points, this is when they would ask you to provide them with a check code. The code can be obtained from the DVLA website prior to your visit.

The post How To Hire A Car In France With A British Driving Licence appeared first on The Good Life France.

For the best deals for car hire in France – look no further. We’ve done the hard work for you and found one of the best car hire sites there is with thousands of pick up and drop off locations, a huge choice of cars, market leading rates plus an exclusive discount for The Good Life France readers.

Years ago, hiring a car in France was an experience that could take hours checking all the different offers to see which one suits you best. These days it’s easy – there are several price comparison websites that bring all the info together and one of the very best is Rhino Car Hire.

Rhino Car Hire compare rates among the world’s leading car hire companies and find the best deals. Because they’re such a big company, they’re able to negotiate better rates than you or me and they pass the savings on. You can pick up and drop off from hundreds of locations from Avignon in Provence to Yvetot in Normandy, and everywhere in between all over France.

Why hire a car in France

France is a big country and has a great public transport system that joins city to city but to really experience authentic France a hire car is often the best, and sometimes the only way to go. Take for example Provence, all those lavender and sunflower fields and exquisite hill top towns – there’s not much public transport there outside the big towns, so if you want to see all the beauty of Provence a hire car is one of the best ways to do it (or a tour guide with a car). Consider Dordogne, the lush garden of France with its medieval towns and ravishing countryside that’s not ruined by train tracks joining all those delicious little off the beaten track places together – hire a car and you can discover them for yourself on un-crowded roads.

Hiring a car in France

Generally hire cars in France are of European make and you can choose from automatic or manual. Automatic cars are usually more expensive but if you’re not used to hilly roads like in the south of France and you want to avoid ‘hill-start hell’ it might be a good idea to get an auto.

American visitors are always a bit surprised to find that European cars are smaller on the whole – there’s a reason for this though, roads in France are often quite narrow and winding, small is sometimes better! If you have a lot of luggage to transport, make sure you take that into consideration when considering the model. I once met friends at the airport who had hired a car for 4 but had luggage for 8. We had to rush around getting a roof rack sorted at the last minute which wasn’t fun.

Often its cheaper to hire a car for longer on a cost per day basis, so if you’re thinking to save by hiring for 5 days instead of the 7 days you’d really like, check the prices because you might be surprised to find there’s hardly any difference.

Why Rhino Car Hire?

We’ve partnered with Rhino Car Hire because they offer a fantastic service AND provide the lowest car hire prices (they are confident that they can provide the best prices available for car hire 99% of the time). To make it even better – they’re offering The Good Life France readers up to 10% discount on top of those already low car hire rates (valid until May 2017).

There are no credit card fees, no amendment fees and they also offer all their customers a complete car hire service with additional features such as the really helpful Rhino route planner, Rhino Drive Smart Guides and Rory the Rhino Blog. They have a ‘Live Chat’ customer service support and 24 hour helpline, and if you’ve ever had an issue with a hire car and needed help only to find office hours apply, you’ll know how important that is. When a company goes out of its way to offer exactly what people want when hiring a car – we’re proud to work with them.

Click here to get up to 10% discount from Rhino Car Hire

Drive safely in France – rules and regulations

The post How to Get the Best Deal on Car Hire in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

Driving is a great way to explore a country you’re visiting. Going off the beaten track and discovering a hidden gem not in the guide book is one of the great joys of travel. That unrivalled feeling of freedom to go where you want, when you want. And in Europe we are spoilt for choice of places to go.

Of course, if you do decide to rent an automobile whilst travelling, then you’ll need to adhere to the appropriate laws of the country you’re in. Navigating the roads and highways in Europe can be challenging enough, without factoring in the varying rules and regulations which must be followed. There is much more to it than just driving on the opposite side of the road.

It’s vital that you take time to familiarize yourself with Europe’s rules of the road, otherwise you risk a financial penalty, driving ban or worse. iCarhireinsurance.com, a leading provider of car hire excess insurance, have produced an interactive infographic to help you familiarize yourself with some of the most important driving laws in Europe.

Hover over each country in the map below to find out the essential driving laws to help you avoid any nasty surprises.

Please note: Whilst every effort has been made to make sure the information on this page is correct, the article is intended only to give a broad overview and its advisable that you seek detailed and up-to-date information from an official source before travelling.

The stated amount of alcohol permitted is measured by blood.

The post European Driving Laws appeared first on The Good Life France.

New rules come into force as at July 2015 for drivers and cyclists in France. You need to be aware of them since breaking the rules unwittingly won’t save you from being fined or worse, you could have your vehicle confiscated.

The full rules can be found at the Government website: www.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr

French Driving Rules 2015

The use of headsets in cars and bikes is now illegal, that includes phone headsets, and ear buds, ear pieces that are part of a hands-free phone kit. Use them and risk a fine of 135€ and 3 points on your licence. In-car sets that don’t require a headset/earpiece are still permitted.

The French government are aiming to clamp down on the number of road accidents in France following an increase in recorded incidents in 2014.

Here are some of the main rules:

Drive while under the influence of drugs you will be fined 4,500€ fine + 6 points in your licence

Alcohol limits are 0.5g/l but for new drivers there is a reduction to 0.2g/l. New drivers are classified as anyone who passed their test within the last 3 years. Break the law and you will elicit a 4,500€ fine + 6 points

Clunk click every trip – if you don’t wear your seat belt you face a 135€ fine + 3 points

Watch a screen which is not a driving aid for instance a DVD and you could be made to pay 1500€ fine + 3 points

Use your phone manually while driving, for instance texting and you’ll be fined 135€ + 3 points

Use headphones (either in ear or external) means 135€fine + 3 points – this applies to all road users, car, bike, quad bike etc.

You also have to carry in your vehicle a number of obligatory items – see our driving check list here.

Until now British drivers in France have avoided some fines and points as their details have not been available for follow up. However this is all set to change from 2017 when the DVLA will make British drivers’ details available to French authorities.

More on driving in France plus advice on how to deal with accidents and break downs.

The post Update to French Driving Rules 2015 appeared first on The Good Life France.