French bike laws

[Levisp]

Hope this hasn't been asked before but does anyone know if helmet reflective stickers are required for visiting riders in France. I have searched the nerd and get conflicting information. I understand if you live in France then the law applies but visitors ?

[simbo]

Yes. Not many follow it though.

[BoB21]

From what I've read no. Only helmets sold in France. European law says can't retrospectively prosecute against foreign helmets. That's the way I've interpreted it and that's what I'm doing with.Any lawyers out there!!!!!!

[Steve F]

Not a lawyer, but my wife and I circumnavigated most of France last year. We stocked up on the required bits and pieces, breathalysers etc, and wore high-biz tabbards. Helmet hi viz? Nah. More importantly, when we scrutinised other foreign riders and French nationals riding around France, not one had bothered with any helmet hi viz, and very few with any form of hi viz/reflective jacket/tabbard!

[gogs01]

Travelled through France last month without any reflective or hi-vis add-ons. Didn't have any bother and didn't notice anyone else with reflective stickers (but would you ?).

[Levisp]

As far as I know the MUSTs are :
1) Helmet
2) Gloves
3) High Viz if broken down at the side of road. Note you do not have a wear high viz while riding.

[BoB21]

That's what I came up with

[Our Gee]

During many bike trips to France I have never been stopped and checked. However as most of the items mentioned above (apart from the breathalyser maybe) are common sense requirements and easy to carry I can’t see why anyone would not want to comply. Since “Brexit” (and that bloody song contest !!) there has been some talk of anti British feelings so not wanting to give anyone an excuse to harass me I will do as the local rules require, however ambiguous they may be.
Incidently we do have friends who have lived in France for many years and their advice has been invaluable over the years. One thing they told us about is that the Gendarmes do seem to do things in fits and starts. Nothing done for years then one Sunday morning they arrive in force block the road and check everything and I mean everything.

[bandytales]

As far as I know the MUSTs are :
1) Helmet
2) Gloves
3) High Viz if broken down at the side of road. Note you do not have a wear high viz while riding.

See:
http://www.bikenormandy.com/book-a-moto ... pe/advice/

[slowvet]

I follow a French YouTube rider called Tounsi. He got pulled over for a wheelie I believe and they gave him a breathalyzer test. Is that normal protocol for every stop?

[Levisp]

Well I have re-read all the sites and your thoughts on here too and have come to the conclusion that it all depends on the day how pissed off the Gendarme are who stops you. Personally I do not fancy standing at the side of the road arguing with the Gendarme. So to save the hassle I have decided to comply and put some stickers on my lid. The only problem is I do not want to put some tatty sticker that you then cannot get off on my expensive helmet. So the next search came up with


https://www.stikare.com/product-page/s-shoei-logos


for my Shoei helmet. Looks like a very discrete neat and expensive solution to a problem that possible doesn't exist. Spending 30 euros now is insurance that I do not have any hassle with the boys in blue and avoids a possible 135 euros fine. And yes I know I can buy a cheap £3 set of reflective stickers off eBay.


Am I paranoid ? Maybe.

[bandytales]

Am I paranoid ? Maybe.

On this issue, yes.

[Levisp]

On this issue, yes.

Good to know. Ill go and lay down in a darken room and keep taking the pills.

[gogs01]

I'm sure that French police can be as difficult as police anywhere when they want to be, but my only personal experience of being stopped, during my very many trips there, was fairly positive.


My wife and I were travelling on a quiet Route Nationale when we came upon a police car parked on a roundabout.  They stopped us and asked to check my bike's documents and this was the ONE time I had left home without them !  I offered my driving licence which was checked via the computer in the car and we were on our way in 10 minutes.


I can therefore understand people wanting to comply with all the various laws, because that is the surest way of ensuring you'll never be checked !  ;D

[Our Gee]

A few years ago we where crossing over (by car)from Spain into France via the Col du Pourtalet (A136/D934). This is a fairly quiet road with not much traffic. Just before the border we came to a Spanish Police check. About 15 cars had been stopped and what looked like an intensive checking was going on. We duly joined the queue expecting a long delay. After a couple of minutes one of the officers spotted our GB plate and beckoned us forward past all of the other cars. A quick glance into our car and he waved us straight through.