Okay so Le Crossing is booked. Am I right in thinking, apart from the obvious, that I'll just need my passport, insurance and breakdown cover and the V5 with me Just want to check that I don't have to worry about hi vis, or breathalysers. So all I need is the stuff above, me, my bike, my kit and some petrol
Just wear a stripy long-sleeved shirt (blue and white) under your leathers and put some garlic and onions on the bike. You should be fine.
Dont need hi-vis or breathaylisers. Beware parked cars on auto routes. Might be gendarmes with cameras. Take your E111 card or whatever it is called these days. Other than that visa, bike etc as you would over here. Stck to Departemente roads. Theyre empty and in generally good nick. Do NOT speed in towns and villages. What you do in between is fair game but if you speed in the villages they will get the hump and call the next village gendarmes etc. That said the French are a very forgiving and welcoming people as long as you dont take the piss. Their motorists are bike friendly. On the departemente watch out for tractors. Its a rural and agricultural economy. There may be mud too. Have fun. You wont want to come home.
Trouble is you cant get to and back from anywhere interesting in a day. Better to go for Le Weekend if poss.
Turn east at Calais and head for Adinkerque (40 miles) for cheapo plonk and fags at Tobacco Terminus...
:tongue: Its just a day trip with some of the Kent Ducati owners clubs. Just fancied it, so I thought I'd give it a go
As has been said, get an E111 if you haven't already, you can apply online. If you want a cuppa on the way back feel free to stop in. I'm a few mins off the M20, Michael knows where I live :wink:
Take the coastal road D940 from calais heading south. Be fine for a day trip. See some old bunkers etc.
You will need both parts of your driving licence. You are meant to have one of those eu stickers on your number plate as well but I don`t think they enforce it to strictly. For just a day out, the D940 south from Calais is as good a road as any to start your day on. I just hope you southern shandy drinkers know how lucky you are to be so close to a crossing to France. If it wasn`t for the 250 mile hack down the motorway I`d have to do, I`d be day tripping in France every chance I got. Have a good `un.
"The Tobaconnist" has been my man in tobacco alley for years, maybe I will try Tobacco Terminus next time :wink:.
Oh yes, here`s a little taster for you. This was taken on the D940 near Calais, 2011. We`d stayed over night in St Omer, then a quick visit to Batterie Todt (just up the road from here) then on to Calais for the ferry.
