Planning a trip to France in 2023?

[dasadrew]

If you're planning to go to France in the Stag - or any vehicle for that matter - and that trip might take you through a few towns, it might be advisable to have a look at this info.

https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/

The German AA (ADAC) says that there is possibly an exception in Paris for historic vehicles, but no exception anywhere else. The info about Paris also only comes from a car club. The recognition of a foreign registered historic vehicle and its equivalence to a french registered Véhicule de Collection seems also not yet clarified.

Certificate is a one off charge of around €5, fine for not having one around €70

[Jeff]

What a coincidence!

Travelling Wednesday through France to Spain. Motorway through Rouen, paid 4.61€ yesterday as there is no ring road or by-pass. Another site wanted 30€. Not worth diverting around Rouen.

Apparently been in force since 2017, yet my friends or myself knew nothing about it until now.

[dasadrew]

Yes, the law was put into force on 29th June 2016. I'd never heard of it before and I can't recall ever seeing the prohibition signs when I was last in France 2019. Friends who do France in a camper told us at the weekend.

[wilf]

I am hoping there are no such zones between Caen and Le Mans!

[Custard]

There are no clean air zones between Caen and Le Mans, assuming you go there directly (past Allencon). If you download the app ‘Green-Zones’ it shows the environmental zones and when they are active. As a frequent traveller to France, I’ve got the certificates for my modern, but never bothered with the Stag as we don’t go into the environmental zones with it. I’m not suggesting that you don’t apply for a certificate (it’s really easy and the official site has an English option), but few French vehicles display the certificate………
If you do get a certificate, the link to the video they send you instructing how to apply the clean air certificate is hilarious!!!!! Hope that helps.

[ipc]

they can't categorise the Stag as it's too old so you can't get a Crit Air pass. I've tried, I do have one though for my Golf.

[MikeParker]

We went through Rouen last August in the Stag and the LEZ hadn't come into force at that point. We researched it at the time and came to the conclusion that it would be in force for this years trip. In 2019 we drove into the Paris low emission zone briefly and by accident, but have not received any fines (to my knowledge). Was that a Stag you got a certificate for Jeff? I just tried, and as ipc said above, it doesn't seem to be possible?

[RobinLegin]

I have the “Crit Air 1” displayed on my daily driver. Historic cars are exempt as far as I can make out. I will check with my classic car friends.

[flying farmer]

I found out about this last year as Annecy (where I will be going again this year in the Stag) is in a clean air zone. Also found there is an exemption for historic cars as far as I can tell

[mike@thenook]

Many years ago and in my previous Stag, 4 of us drove to Rouen and back in the same day and using the good old ferry crossing too - quite a few miles for a day out including a nice lunch and a look at the Christmas market..Always been one of my favourite towns in France.

[Jeff]

We went through Rouen last August in the Stag and the LEZ hadn't come into force at that point. We researched it at the time and came to the conclusion that it would be in force for this years trip. In 2019 we drove into the Paris low emission zone briefly and by accident, but have not received any fines (to my knowledge). Was that a Stag you got a certificate for Jeff? I just tried, and as ipc said above, it doesn't seem to be possible?

No, it's for our 2010 Volvo Mike. As drew said, been in force since 2016 and have stayed overnight in Rouen since then and 'got away with it' yet no signs anywhere. Will never stop in Rouen again, just drive straight through the sh1t 'ole!

[RobinLegin]

Pasted below is the advice I got from my French contact.

“Only 11 city areas impose restrictions (8:00 to 20:00 week days only) and exemptions are granted for historic vehicles (over 30 years of age, to keep it simple)”.

Hope this helps.

[dasadrew]

The current, and recently updated, info for french vehicles is as you say. The pre-condition is not simply 30 years old, but the vehicle registration document (carte grise) has to be explicitly that for a Véhicule de Collection". Sounds very similar to Germany, which also has a different number plate with an "H" for Historic Vehicle. Not sure what the UK document is which sits in the glovebox to confirm the car's pedigree as an historic vehicle. There are quite a few hoops to jump through in Germany for that status which only start with the car being 30 years old (only period parts or conversions etc.)

[wilf]

I can't think of any sole UK document just to confirm historic status, although the V5C does say "Historic vehicle" in the "Taxation class" field - maybe that is all we need?

I do have a letter from TfL confirming London ULEZ exemption due to historic status though.......

[dasadrew]

It's so many decades since I had a UK registered vehicle; is there a document which travels with the vehicle in the glovebox to identify the vehicle and its owner? In Germany it's the Fahrzeugschein - which is a pocket sized excerpt from the vehicle log book and has all the vehicle data (sizes, towing weights, emissions, owner, last MoT etc.), in France it's the Carte Grise.