Useful info

Motoring in France

Before you go
Make sure you have the following:- Full UK driving licence, current insurance certificate, GB sticker, spare set of bulbs & fuses, red warning triangle, adjusted main headlight beams and a first aid kit.

Speed Limits
Towns - 50 kph (31 mph)
Main roads - 90 kph (55 mph)
Dual carriageways - 110 kph (68 mph)
Motorways 130 kph (80 mph)
When it is raining or bad weather the speeds in town reduce by 10 kph and on the motorways the new limit is 110kph.

Seat Belts
Front and rear seat belts must be worn at all times. Children under 10 may not travel in the front seat unless in a special child seat.

Drinking and driving
The blood alcohol limit is 0.05% alcohol. Unlike in the UK random breath tests are frequent and maybe carried out without any additional reason.

Shop Times

Most shops in the main towns open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Shops out of town often shut at lunchtime from noon until 2pm and banks are either open Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday. Almost all shops are closed on Sundays with the exception of the bakeries that usually open for a few hours in the morning.

Normandy Climate

The climate throughout Normandy is generally a few degrees warmer and therefore the summer season often extends beyond that in the UK. It is often said that the area around Granville has its own even milder microclimate with the westerly facing coast being warmed by the Gulf Stream often being given as the reason. It's not uncommon to hear from guests that travel out of season in October & November to report that they have spent time on the beach and even the odd few that have ventured into the sea!

Click here to check the current weather in Granville.

The Euro

Since the start of 2001 the 12 eurozone countries (Germany, France, Ireland, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands) have adopted the euro replacing each countries existing national currency. For a period following the introduction of the euro both currencies were valid but at the start of 2002 each country phased out their old currency, including France who withdrew the French franc on February 17th 2002.

The euro can be used in all countries of the eurozone and this applies even with the euro coins that have a 'national' side. So do take euro currency with you or take your cash card and get your euro cash from the ferry cash machine.

For those of you familiar with converting from francs to pounds you'll be pleased to hear that many places still have a reference to the equivalent franc value, although as time goes on this practice is likely to die out. The euro is worth 6.55957 French francs and as a guide one euro was worth £0.76 (76 pence) at the start of March 2008. Click here to use a currency converter with current exchange rates.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions, which is available here.