Speed Cameras in France

Be  aware that the Gendarmes now have the first speed cameras which can be used from a moving car.  Most of these cars are currently unmarked white 5-door Renault Maganes, but more types  will soon be added to the fleet.

At the moment they can only operate wile following the  target car, but will soon be able to also operate on an approaching car.


Edited by Mike Fishwick - 12 May 2013 at 10:24am

We are now seeing the latest technology cameras, which can scan up to four lanes, recognise the vehicle type, and apply the appropriate speed limit - they take the form of a metal tube about five feet high, with a number of slots for the camera to peer through.  They may be black or grey.

However - don't worry about them yet, as the UK has refused to sign the agreement for cross-border enforcement of motoring offences, so you can enjoy immunity unless stopped by a gendarme, who will then apply a far larger on the spot fine than a resident of France would be given.

Never mind, though - in justifying their stand on this issue, a DoT spokesman stated that 'Our priority is to protect the interests of British drivers . . .'



Edited by Mike Fishwick - 21 Jul 2014 at 4:40pm

Yes John - and I am one of them, because (like most EU states) the UK has not signed up for the cross-border prosecution agreement.

Having a French licence means that the UK police cannot give me any points, and having a French-registered car means that do not pay any form of road tax, and I can spit on your speed cameras!

Les Gendarmes do have fixed ANPR cameras, but they are only used for speeding, and sometimes combined with a sensor to detect tailgating.  With no VED, and insurance checked at random, they do not maintain the massive database used in the UK.

They do not care if a UK car has a valid tax disc, so long as it has insurance, but if the driver has a French address and a UK license they will issue an additional fine for not having changed over - unless you can prove that you have been resident in france for less than six months. 

As the chances of being caught on camera is far higher in the UK there is no point in not getting a French licence - although many people hang on to their UK licence as a last link with 'home' for years - until caught in a 'Your papers please' roadside check, which is quite a common occurance. 

 I sometimes get my papers checked over a couple of times in a week, as the gendarmes are interested in the Z3, and while checking my details they walk around the car looking for a radar/laser detector.  Sometimes the gendarmes check your registration and ownership details,  license, insurance, and Control Technique (MoT) via a satcoms link in only a couple of minutes.  These tasks are often left to junior Gendarmes under training, for the more senior people regard it as a menial task.

They are far more interested in checking that a convenient bar or restaurant is displaying its permit to sell alcohol in the correct manner - just before lunch time, in the expecation that the patron will often ask if they would like a free lunch!