For all of you that come here on holiday in your cars, campers etc,
Don’t forget, that as from Sunday 1st July the speed limit on all nationals/departmentals single carriagway roads,
The new speed limit is now 80 kph .
Just got 20 minutes to go to rush down the road at 90, Pierrot.
Nah, not bothered, the GPS has an 80 slot. 
Like on autoroutes it’s the silly level of enforcement and penalties like custodial sentencing and confiscation of vehicles which has changed and which is the problem.Not the ridiculous unrealistic limits regardless of this latest ridiculous reduction from the already ridiculous 90 kmh.I haven’t bothered with going to Le Mans in recent years partly for that reason but even more sadly probably also won’t bother with going to the Le Mans Classic either.In addition to rarely using French roads even as through routes let alone staying in France.The choice between avoiding the place or paying a fortune in tolls for the privilege of getting seriously nicked on motorways designed for 120 mph + is bad enough.Let alone the zbwits who are running the French government now also hitting drivers using the non motorway routes.Such ridiculous speed enforcement just defeats the object of using a road network which was/is designed for crossing France at reasonable speeds.
No doubt the aim in large part being to force more people onto the silly fast TGV rail services which are just a big accident waiting to happen.
My attitude is stuff em let the cycling loons takeover the French roads and see how much revenue that those peasants will bring in for the place.While the ones using vehicles are not even capable of driving their under powered over loaded motor homes at the draconian French limits anyway so no revenue raising potential for Macron’s muppet regime there either.With the lose lose that the ■■■■■■ Frogs driving their equally under powered Euro zb boxes will still be having head on crashes at a combined speed of 100 mph instead of 120 mph +.
What is the speed limit for towing a caravan on the motorways and nationals?
shuttlespanker:
What is the speed limit for towing a caravan on the motorways and nationals?
Sorry mate, no idea, but pretty sure it is not less than the 100 I do on duals, and 90 (now 80) on single tracks.
Just found this:
For caravans (and motrohomes) under 3.5 tonnes, the limit is 50kmh in built up areas, 90kmh on single carriageway /trunk roads, 110 kmh on dual carriageways and 130kmh motorways. For caravans (and mortorhomes) over 3.5 tonnes the limits are a little different.Aug 17, 2010
Doesn’t help if you are over 3.5T and obviously isn’t accurate re 90/80 from today.
I’m parked up in Chateauroux and I’ve just been for a walk and spotted the gendarmes with a speed camera, there’s euros to be made today from the unsuspecting.
shuttlespanker:
What is the speed limit for towing a caravan on the motorways and nationals?
This article from Jan 2017 says
“aucune limitation de vitesse spécifique n’existe pour les autos tractant une caravane, sauf si le poids total roulant autorisé en charge (PTRA) du véhicule tracteur (ou l’ensemble des véhicules) dépasse 3500 kg.”
lemondedupleinair.com/quelle … -caravane/
And looking here
legifrance.gouv.fr/rechCode … rue&page=1
The “Article 413-■■?” are about speed, but only mention, so far as I can see, extra limits for buses and vehicles above 3,500kgs.
The fact I havent found any limit doesnt mean that there isnt one of course. "Absence of evidence, doesnt mean, evidence of absence".
While updating my TomTom truck this morning, the software flashed up a warning regarding the changes, and included it in the latest update.
From here as at date/time of this post:
Scroll until you find “Rules of the Road”, then click the link called “Speed Limits”
There’s also this:
SPEED LIMITS: The speed limit on many A and B roads in France will be reduced to 80km/h (50mph) – in a bid to save up to 400 lives a year. Coming into effect from July 1 2018.
Lots of good info from the RAC, but I didn’t see anything about speed limits for caravans.
dieseldave:
From here as at date/time of this post:Driving in France: top tips, advice and guidance | RAC Drive
Scroll until you find “Rules of the Road”, then click the link called “Speed Limits”
0
There’s also this:
SPEED LIMITS: The speed limit on many A and B roads in France will be reduced to 80km/h (50mph) – in a bid to save up to 400 lives a year. Coming into effect from July 1 2018.
Lots of good info from the RAC, but I didn’t see anything about speed limits for caravans.
I think the RAC can be very misleading and I would urge everyone to be aware of local limits.
For instance not all dual carriageways are 110, some are 90, not all motorways are 130, some are 110, not all of those are further restricted in rain, and there are many instances nowadays where urban limits are 30.
Not saying it is not a useful guide but it is necessary to keep looking at the signs, thay can change up and down almost in the blink of an eye.
Also to Pierre(?), I wonder if my Garmin will do the same, probably some places and not others, as it sometimes does now by ignoring recent local changes.
I spend a lot of time driving from Calais/Coquelles, I use Motorhome, car, motorcycle, pickup truck.
I drive to central Portugal.
I never use toll roads, other than the bit to get by Biarritz, as that is a pain, I can honestly say that the speed limits will make no difference over that distance, as it is rare to actually have a clear road for any distance, when on single carriageways, unless you are travelling through the night…Even then, when you have stopped for a ■■■■, or to grab a bottle of water, or refuel…Time is not relative over such a distance, so I don`t see anyone realistically avoiding France because of a change in limits.
I would use the ferry from P`mouth to Santander or Bilbao, but the prices are just too much to justify it in any way, other than saving time and time is something I have right now.
Spardo:
dieseldave:
From here as at date/time of this post:Driving in France: top tips, advice and guidance | RAC Drive
Scroll until you find “Rules of the Road”, then click the link called “Speed Limits”
0
There’s also this:
SPEED LIMITS: The speed limit on many A and B roads in France will be reduced to 80km/h (50mph) – in a bid to save up to 400 lives a year. Coming into effect from July 1 2018.
Lots of good info from the RAC, but I didn’t see anything about speed limits for caravans.
I think the RAC can be very misleading and I would urge everyone to be aware of local limits.
For instance not all dual carriageways are 110, some are 90, not all motorways are 130, some are 110, not all of those are further restricted in rain, and there are many instances nowadays where urban limits are 30.
Not saying it is not a useful guide but it is necessary to keep looking at the signs, thay can change up and down almost in the blink of an eye.
Also to Pierre(?), I wonder if my Garmin will do the same, probably some places and not others, as it sometimes does now by ignoring recent local changes.
Hi Spardo,
I’m sure you’re right about the variations, but I saw the RAC info as a starting point and hoped to see something to do with caravans cos I’d seen them mentioned in the topic, but info from the RAC about speed limits for those towing caravans was noticeable by its absence. 
Spardo:
I think the RAC can be very misleading and I would urge everyone to be aware of local limits.For instance not all dual carriageways are 110, some are 90, not all motorways are 130, some are 110, not all of those are further restricted in rain, and there are many instances nowadays where urban limits are 30.
Not saying it is not a useful guide but it is necessary to keep looking at the signs, thay can change up and down almost in the blink of an eye.
Just the same as over here - The National Speed Limit is a set figure depending on road and vehicle classification. Lower, local limits (60, 50, 40, 30 or 20mph) very often apply and are indicated by appropriate signage.
Also worth bearing in mind that France has introduced emission controlled zones in several cities (with others set to join the scheme this year) and you can be fined £100+ if you are caught driving in such a zone without the appropriate sticker in your windscreen (sticker costs less than a fiver including postage to UK).
I remember talking to a French couple while stopped at a service area in France a few years back while coming up from Spain & asking them would it pay us to us the RN’s as the tolls were adding up.
There reply was stay on the autoroute as things had changed with lots of sneaky speed traps & even one fine would cost way more than the entire tolls for the trip & that is what most of us do nowadays (them that is)
att:
I spend a lot of time driving from Calais/Coquelles, I use car,
I drive to central Portugal.
I never use toll roads, other than the bit to get by Biarritz, as that is a pain, I can honestly say that the speed limits will make no difference over that distance, as it is rare to actually have a clear road for any distance, when on single carriageways
French roads generally have much less traffic density than UK ones and running at 50 mph max through France to Spain will considerably increase the overall journey time.Certainly to the point where clearing France in one hit is no longer possible.
On that note,like the laughably unrealistic 80 mph autoroute limit,a strictly enforced 50 mph limit in these type of road/traffic conditions for just one example,which I sometimes used when running to/from Switzerland.When it was no problem to run to Northern Italy in one hit via France,at reasonable speeds with a decent car,whether night or day.Is a total ■■■■ take. 
Dodgy Permit:
I remember talking to a French couple while stopped at a service area in France a few years back while coming up from Spain & asking them would it pay us to us the RN’s as the tolls were adding up.
There reply was stay on the autoroute as things had changed with lots of sneaky speed traps & even one fine would cost way more than the entire tolls for the trip & that is what most of us do nowadays (them that is)
That’s fine if you are driving a truck, but if you are a boy racer in a car, it could work out more expensive still.
Spardo:
Dodgy Permit:
I remember talking to a French couple while stopped at a service area in France a few years back while coming up from Spain & asking them would it pay us to us the RN’s as the tolls were adding up.
There reply was stay on the autoroute as things had changed with lots of sneaky speed traps & even one fine would cost way more than the entire tolls for the trip & that is what most of us do nowadays (them that is)That’s fine if you are driving a truck, but if you are a boy racer in a car, it could work out more expensive still.
We were in our car.
Why would you even want to do Spain in one hit? You’re supposed to be on holiday, not taking part in some sort of endurance competition!
Spardo:
Dodgy Permit:
I remember talking to a French couple while stopped at a service area in France a few years back while coming up from Spain & asking them would it pay us to us the RN’s as the tolls were adding up.
There reply was stay on the autoroute as things had changed with lots of sneaky speed traps & even one fine would cost way more than the entire tolls for the trip & that is what most of us do nowadays (them that is)if you are a boy racer in a car, it could work out more expensive still.
To be fair the crossing the continent in best Gran Turismo style,which ideally means 12 cylinders being better than 8,let alone 4,isn’t really the boy racer type scene.On that basis the autoroutes are now just as bad if not worse than other roads.With similar levels of enforcement and requiring the restraint of a saint to stay within the limits below which the penalties can get serious.Given road and traffic conditions in which running at sustained 120 mph,or sometimes even higher,speeds is often more than reasonable.
It’s very similar to driving in the US in France now in that regard.Probably with more chance of accidents caused by drivers lulled into a bored trance like state and/or a false sense of security there,than any potentially caused by speed on what remains of the unlimited German autobahn network.