I have just obtained work starting Mon 30/09/13 doing both UK and France / Belgium.
I have never driven abroad professionally, only in my Motorhome.
I am not at all concerned about the driving aspect - my concern is overnight parking.
Does anyone know of any lists of truckstops / parking areas I can get off the net to print out, or can anyone give me some advice.
Thanks
hi I found this one somewhere on here,IRU TRANSPARK. give it a look see if it helps
It is best not to park any where near the cross channel ports, most drivers plan the shift so they drive about 3 to 4 hours in one go rather than park up , as illegal immigrants will get in the load and trailer.
They have been known to cut the roof of the trailer and get inside the trailer that way, they may do this when the truck is moving by jumping off a bridge.
Download the UKBA check list form, to cover yourself from huge fines for each immigrant they find in the trailer.
Use a TIR cord and record the seal numbers, check they are not glued together.
Secure parking around Calais is All 4 trucks, guard dogs, electric fence, 24 hour security, laundry and tumble drier machines, internet, shop and restaurant.
You can drive on the corridor 24/7/365 and is not subject to truck bans when there are public holidays.The road is from Calais to the border at Belgium.
If you have no tacho records for the last 28 days, due to sickness,holidays or absence, you will need an attestation activity form off the internet to show the road traffic enforcement officials, or risk a fine of 2000 to 3000 euros to be paid on the spot at the road side for court deposit, then argue later.
You will need to buy a vignette to use to road networks.
Hi - thanks for that info from both of you - much appreciated 
For France, the law is to wear a hi viz jacket or vest when standing in the road while broken down, also required are two warning triangles, one in front of the broken down vehicle and one at the rear.
You will see vehicles and motorbike patrols with Douanes written on the side, they are Customs, and may signal you to exit a junction to have a random control check point.
The check point may have a mobile X ray scanner lorry or large van to scan trailers, and maybe a dog unit to sniff out illegal articles inside all vehicles, it seems alarming when you drive in, but just relax, they are only human, crack some jokes,and pass the attitude test and they may wave you on.
You will need some blank CMR books to write out your own CMR forms for loading and unloading, not all factories or depots have their own CMR `s.
The CMR is the first thing the traffic enforcement authorites ask for when stopped at the road side.
A reputable break down card or firm and tyre call out card or firm is a must, the Police have the powers to arrange their own towing arrangments to get a stranded vehicle off the toll or motorway roads, which is very expensive.
Look for the Rouitier signs on the free national roads, free parking with value for money 5 to 6 course meals for drivers, they fill up early to late afternoons, so get in there quick.The menu is from 10 to 20 euros.Enjoy it, have fun.
Check the websites that list the holiday periods when trucks are banned in France on the free nationals and the toll roads, unless you have perishables, even with onions on the load you can drive on sundays, the weekend ban is all over France and starts at 22.00 Saturday to 22.00 Sunday.
Paris is a different matter, some roads in the weekdays are exempt from LGV traffic at certain times of the day and night.But you can drive around these routes.
Parking in both countries is very safe,if there are lots of trucks together is is a good place.
Some holiday bans can last for a few days, so planning where to be parked up makes life easier and if it has hot food and showers while you are parked up.
The eastern European drivers have a habit of starting up their engines at all times of the day and night, to charge their batteries, as they have satellite dishes on their cabs to watch films and tv from their own country.A bicyle carried in the cab gets you out of the cab exploring rural lanes and other hidden delights off the beaten track.Ideal for a 45 hour weekly rest or a 24 hour rest period, rather than sat in the cab all weekend.
Many thanks for that toby
Try this boutique.routiers.com/pagetype.a … 20Routiers
or as Kerbut suggested this relais-routiers.com
Good to have a hard copy if no internet access available mind:)
Hi - many thanks to you all for your help and advice but unfortunately I have had to turn the work down due to a family problem, so no tramping for me at the mo. 
toby1234abc:
Parking in both countries is very safe,if there are lots of trucks together is is a good place.
definitely not, I would try hard not to park up in Belgium with anything valuable in a curtainsider, the major transit routes in the south of france can be just as bad. fancy a night out near marseille toby?
milodon:
toby1234abc:
Parking in both countries is very safe,if there are lots of trucks together is is a good place.definitely not, I would try hard not to park up in Belgium with anything valuable in a curtainsider, the major transit routes in the south of france can be just as bad. fancy a night out near marseille toby?
Agree with you there also in Belgium would try to avoid to parking in the laybys on the motorways and use the proper services if you can although can be hard to find a space after about 6 in the evening
If you have to park quite close to Calais (an hour or 3) youre best to turn round and park on the south (or east) bound services on the m’way when you see one, that way you are pointing away from Calais, and not liable to get immigrants trying to get in trailer.
Beware some dodgy pink light on Belgium & Dutch / Germany Laybys - unpleasant 
kindle530:
If you have to park quite close to Calais (an hour or 3) youre best to turn round and park on the south (or east) bound services on the m’way when you see one, that way you are pointing away from Calais, and not liable to get immigrants trying to get in trailer.
i agree its getting where you have to park further away from calais all the time not worth parking any where between jabbeke and calais,seen a english van the other night just after jabbeke in the big layby dropping people of to get in trailers
And tear off all the packing labels on the pallets that say the delivery address is the UK.
Make up some false labels on a computer printer that say the load is destined for a country south.
But when coming through UKBA controls have the correct labels on.
I agree, if at all possible park at least 3 hours away from Calais, whichever way you’re going.
At the top of this forum there are several ‘stickies’ that will give you the majority of the information you’ll need.
Attestation forms, there is a link in the stickies, are to show you were taking a weekend break/holiday/off sick, for any time you don’t have a card/disc in your tacho head.
These days the French authorities in particular want everything done on it by computer before printing, with the drivers signature and a company stamp.
Those UKBF forms are a check list of checks you make to your tractor n trailer to ensure you have no stowaways. You do a check each time you stop and record it, there’s even a bit for your customer to sign, to say they didn’t load any hidden stowaways in the load (or some such idiocy). Most won’t sign it even after 10 or more years of drivers asking. All it is, is to show you have done everything in your power to prevent stowaways. Don’t bin them after each trip, file them with the rest of each trips paperwork. There will come a time when you’ll get stowaways, the years of check sheets for each trip demonstrate you’ve been taking the threat seriously. One check sheet for the one trip you get caught out on isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.
There are lots of things that are different on the continent compared to the UK, driving on the wrong side of the road is just a minor detail. Talk to people, read up what info you can, ask questions once you’ve got the gist of the differences. General questions about “driving in Europe” are very difficult to answer. Every country has its foibles and each countries foibles are different, even different areas of the same country have differences. You could drive for 3 or 4 days in one general direction from Calais. You’ll have seen the differences in the UK, you can imagine the enormous scope for difference between Northern France and Southern Spain.
The law enforcement officers will speak in their own language when they stop you.Most of them speak very good English.
Expect a long delay when you rant and rave at them swearing.That is the point you realise they understand what you have said.
It is best to wind the window down or open the door when.stopped.
Offer to shake their hand.They may refuse.
What could be a large fine could be a verbal warning if pass the attitude test.
With a French Douanes control patience is the key.
Upset them and expect a 30 mile detour to their X ray machine or a full strip out of the trailer with the load being taken off at their depot or a yard somewhere.
They may put a sniffer dog in the cab or trailer.
The Biaritz/Bayonne area is 24/7 control in all 3 peages.