France. snow chains.

[athiest]

Hi all, we are off to France at the end of this month and I have bought an RAC beam bender set. In the pack was a list of must have items in France. Do we really have to have a set of snow chains in August?

[Brian Kirby]

Only if a) you are on a road where chains are required in snow, and, b) it snows! :-D

[Derek Uzzell]

This is the AA's advice:

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/snow-chains-winter-tyres.html

 

Not relevant to France, but it's interesting to note the footnote relating to M+S tyres.

 

It's often been suggested on this forum that fitting M+S-marked tyres will 'legalise' a motorhome for winter driving in countries like Germany. However (assuming the AA's footnote is correct) the M+S-marked tyres that have been mentioned on the forum are usually M+S -marked 'summer' tyres (eg. Michelin's Agilis Camping), not 'winter' or 'all-season' tyres.

 

While it should be straightforward enough to identify 'winter' tyres suitable for motorhome usage, finding 'all season' tyres may be trickier. Presumably, if a tyre's name makes it obvious that it's 'all season' (eg. Continental's "Vanco Four Season" or Pirelli's "Chrono Four Seasons") it should be OK. (though the sizes available may be more restricted than for 'summer' tyres). But, as far as I'm aware, there's no specific tyre-marking to indicate a tyre has been designed for 'all season' usage.

[athiest]

Hi again, thanks to both of you for the answer. So no snow chains then. "A"

[Iain Strachan]

Dont bother buying a breathalyser kit either!

Cheers

[Derek Uzzell]

Iain Strachan - 2013-08-02 5:57 PM

 

Dont bother buying a breathalyser kit either!

Cheers

 

Unless, of course, you'd like to use the kit in the way it's intended to be used - to check one's breath alchohol-level before driving. While prosecution for not carrying a breathalyser in one's vehicle while driving in France is currently not taking place, that doesn't make owning/using a breathalyser valueless - if it did there would be no market for them.

 

While best practice is not to drink and drive, many people do. A breathalyser self-check may prove to be an educational experience, and there's always the possibility that, after a heavy night of boozy revelry with your new camping-car friends wildcamping on a French beach, you'll still be over the limit the following morning.