SAVE THE DATE: European Jensen Clubs Summer Rally. JULY 2nd - JULY 6th 2023

[kees]

Isn't there a EU rule that cars that are allowed in its home country are also allowed under the same rules in other EU countries? Which would mean that a classic car/historic vehicle from Switserland, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands etc. should also be considered a classic car/historic vehicle by the French authorities.
Not sure about UK classic cars since Brexit.

[felixkk]

You may be right, I have no idea, but I'm thinking that our strategy of making a historic vehicle sticker with the vehicle details is the best one in this whole chaotic situation... also one of the reasons I'm having a FIVA Identity Pass made. The pass is also useful to have the car MOTed.

[Chris_R]

It's not an EU rule, it's a UN Convention that allows cars from one country to travel into another and to recognise them. However, this only applies to construction regulations covering things like tyres, lights and certain other things as the convention dates from the 1940s. It does not give you the right to drive anywhere you like.
In any case, you are allowed into the country. It is the zones that have the restrictions and foreign registered cars are not being treated differently. Each zone can implement a cutoff class below which you cannot enter without penalty. Rouen is right now implemented at category 3 which means cars at Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 2 and Euro 3 for diesel. Category 4 (Euro 3 petrol) and Category 5 (Euro 2 petrol) cars already are not permitted into Rouen. From January 2025 the cutoff level may move to category 2, Euro 5 for petrol and Euro 4 for Diesel. There is currently no sticker for classic cars but there will need to be soon. Other areas may have different cutoff levels but the idea is that over time the cutoff will move closer to category 1 and electric cars only.

Right now, on my research, you cannot get stickers for cars over a certain age (I think 1996). That also means you, including French owners, cannot get stickers for classic cars. French classic car owners can carry their registration documents to prove exemption. Foreign classic cars are likewise in theory also exempt but without the sticker there is the chance of being stopped, no different to a French classic car owner. While the French owner can show French documents it will then rely on the Gendarme to accept your registration document and on your French being good enough to explain to the Gendarme the case.
They will soon be implementing automatic cameras to recognise stickers and any car, including French classic cars, entering such a zone without a sticker will automatically be issued a penalty. When the cameras come in then French classic cars will require a sticker exempting them. The system for issuing the stickers does need to be updated. I don't know about other areas but in Rouen the cameras will be implemented from 2024.

[kees]

Thanks Chris,
Very well explained. So to minimise the risk avoid Rouen. It is fairly easy to bypass the place.

[felixkk]

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/

Map Europe_Urban Regulation Zones.jpg (333.21 KiB) Viewed 439 times

[kees]

Not sure where this map is coming from, but the Dutch situation does not seem to correspond with the indications on the map. Only diesel cars are restricted depending on their emissions. Diesel cars over 40 years old are exempt. All petrol cars and classic cars are not restricted anywhere.
I am not aware of any Zero-emission zones in the Netherlands.
Amsterdam, Arnhem, Den Haag en Utrecht have restrictions on all diesel cars bar cars older than 40 years. Other towns may have restrictions for heavy goods vehicles propelled by diesel.
So I wonder how accurate/useful this map is for the rest of Europe and what vehicles are involved.
It is a pity that the EU cannot create a uniform strategy. At the moment every country or even every town/region can make up its own rules it seems.

[felixkk]

There's a link, where you can see exactly which restrictions apply...

At the moment every country or even every town/region can make up its own rules it seems.

It does seem like a bit of a chaos at the moment

[Joerg]

I will come on my old British plates and will definitely have no paperwork with me - that together with my German only language will save me for sure.

[Chris_R]

No speeding tickets for you then!

[Joerg]

What speed ?

[kees]

I made up route files for the trip from Heerjansdam to Fontefraud and the drives from the hotel to the various places to visit. These can be up-loaded on my TomTom. I have used Tyre for these, a program designed for routes for Motorbikes.
Very easy to set out your routes and download them on your TomTom. You can also download them on a Garmin but you have to store them in a different format. Tyre is fairly self-explanatory.

[Chris_R]

It appears there are two corridors to transit Rouen that are not restricted by the Crit'Air Zones.
One enters Rouen from the northwest on the A150 and exiting to the south on the N338/N138 and crossing the Seine on Pont Gustav Flaubert.
The second enters Rouen from the northeast on the A28/N28 and exiting south on the D18E. Crossing the Seine on Pont Mathilde.
There is no crossover between the two routes through.
Avoiding Rouen there is the Pont de Brotonne at Rives-en-Seine about 35km west of Rouen or the Pont de Courcelles at Courcelles-sur-Seine about 35-40km southeast of Rouen in the direction of Paris.
I have used the Pont de Brotonne and the route is a pleasant one to use, relatively traffic free.

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[Joerg]

White Lady still without gearbox
PW had a brake master cylinder failure during my todays ( last ) test drive and is now without front brakes ( the rear is cable operated - that saved me!!)
So I have to come with a 541R - at least one with a proper V8 engine

[felixkk]

White Lady still without gearbox
PW had a brake master cylinder failure during my todays ( last ) test drive and is now without front brakes ( the rear is cable operated - that saved me!!)
So I have to come with a 541R - at least one with a proper V8 engine

Ah, which car to take OF COURSE THE 541 WITH THE V8. Ok, ok, I'm not objective.

[Chris_R]

The date has arrived and we're now in the historic abbey. More will arrive later today.

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