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Evening all, sorry for not being here for a while but felt a bit low over xmas as it was the first as an orphan, on the plus side i'm looking for an au pair
any way to the question, i'm taking my parents ashes to France and wondered what documention, etc i will need for travelling in France, i have european cover on my insurance but what else is needed as this will be my first time...all help is as usual appreciated

I know we have members here who spend a lot of time in France, so they will hopefully chime in soon. In the meantime, this will help you, Robbie:

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/ov ... -2012.html

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/to ... monaco.pdf

The key thing to remember, obviously, is to drive on the right! It's easy, if you're preoccupied and especially on a bike or driving a right hand drive car, to set off on the wrong side of the road after being stopped for a while, particularly on a quiet road without traffic. Some people have a reminder sticker on teh steering wheel or dash board.

You also need to be wary of the "priority to traffic from the right" rule that still prevails in some areas. Thundering down a road at speed and having a wee Renault or worse, a giant tractor, drive straight out from a minor road can be rather disconcerting! However, that's all covered in the above links.

I hope that your trip goes as well as you expect in such poignant circumstances.

Don't forget the spare bulbs, driving licence and first aid kit
If you are in a car - high viz jackets and warning triangle
Don't get pulled for speedin

I think that most (if not all) of the legal requirements are covered in the AA links, but I'd make these suggestions.

If you're riding the Falco, be aware that E95 fuel will often have 10% ethanol added, although the ethanol content should be specified if greater than 5%. E97/98 will generally either have no ethanol or less than 5%. Most UK debit and credit cards are now accepted at 24 hr pumps, unlike a few years ago.

As Dusty says, be vigilant when starting again after a stop to conduire a droite (drive on the right). For a similar reason, if you're tired stop and either have a nice strong coffee or find a B&B (chambre d'hote) for the night.

Take driving licence, insurance docs and log book, and remember that if you're caught speeding that French police can and will levy on the spot fines. If you don't have sufficient cash, they will take you to the nearest ATM to withdraw the funds and pay the fine. Ask me how I know...

Will you need any kind of permit to take your parent's ashes abroad?

As well as taking driving licence, insurance and log book, it's a good idea to photocopy them and leave the copies at home with someone you can trust, in case you need them to contact someone for you or you lose the docs or get them stolen.

European breakdown cover might be useful - if you do have it you prolly won't need it but if you don't.........

Take a roll of electrical insulation tape scan and email all your documents to yourself then save a copy of them on your mobile device and or pen drive.
To avoid driving on napoleons side of the road use the dual carriageway at the start till you get adjusted. Go on the tunnel its brilliant

Take a decent camera

Black and white stripey jersey, beret, string of onions........?

Thanks for all the knowledge/info that's been generously imparted..i'll be buying the beret ,stripey jersey and onions in calais

i'll be taking the ZRX as the Aprilia would kill my knees.
i've decided on a route avoiding tolls as i want to see a bit of the countryside, so i've allowed 3 days to get to my uncles in saint antonin nobel val, will be stopping in Chartres and claremont ferrand.

i'll probably have a drift hd camera on the bike for some of it fingers crossed and a good stills camera is on the list.

Clear mint is a wasteland like driving across Scotland without the attractions. IMHO

flatlander wrote: To avoid driving on napoleons side of the road use the dual carriageway at the start till you get adjusted.

It wouldn't hurt to add a reminder to the bike, like an arrow in insulation tape inside the screen or on top of the tank.

I saw the aftermath of a foreign gent setting off in the morning onto an empty road and riding along happily on the wrong side until he was reminded by hitting a car head on. I was told he was mostly ok.

robbier6 wrote:i've decided on a route avoiding tolls as i want to see a bit of the countryside, so i've allowed 3 days to get to my uncles in saint antonin nobel val, will be stopping in Chartres and claremont ferrand.

i'll probably have a drift hd camera on the bike for some of it fingers crossed and a good stills camera is on the list.

I'd recommend using one of the overnight crossings to France - I regularly use the Portsmouth-Le Havre crossing. Make sure you get a cabin for a decent night's kip, get a full English Breakfast on board and you'll be ready to face the world. If it were me I'd get past the boring bit of France (a hundred miles or so either side of Orleans) as quickly as possible and concentrate on the bits south of a line drawn roughly through Clermont-Ferrand. Clermont is to be avoided, as Flatllander says.

The advantage of sailing to Le Havre or Caen is that you neatly sidestep Paris. I can give you a route that will get you from Le Havre to Chartres mainly avoiding autoroutes. You should arrive in Chartres at lunchtime if you take the overnight crossing, and the cathedral is well worth a look (and I'm not remotely religious).

I know you want to avoid motorways, but the A75 south of Clermont is the best motorway I've ever ridden on. It has real bends, fantastic views and you go over the Viaduc du Millau, which is a must-see. I'd incorporate at least some of it into your route. And the best of it is - it's not a toll motorway (or wasn't when I last travelled on it in October 2014).

Also might be worth mentioning to avoid any muslims brandishing AK47's

If you head down to Cahors and across that brings you to millau as well the motorway after millau to Narbonnw is boring IMO there's a nice hotel near Chartres brilliant cheese !

Cahors, that's close to where the family are, my destination is saint-antonin-noble-val, where they film 100 foot journey the latest Helen Mirren film.

Mango, i'll take you up on that route offer if you don't mind please.
A75 you say, ok i'll give it a try.

thanks again guys for all your help.