Towing limits in France

[Gate54]

Looking for a definitive answer on this.
My friend is towing a caravan in France this summer (I am unable to go due to some health issues) and I am trying to find out the towing speed limits for a car and caravan on the motorway.
I believe that he is restricted to 90 km/hour on the motorway because the GTW of his vehicle, which is 4.1 tonnes. He believes that if he is able to get the combined weight of his car and caravan to less than 3.5 tonnes then he can tow up to 130 km/hour (he would not tow at this speed).
He wants proof that there is an official statement to say he cannot tow above 90km/hour in France.
Can anyone help?

 

[Parksy]

The Caravan and Motorhome Club list the speed limits according to the weight of the outfit Here

 

[otherclive]

Looking for a definitive answer on this.
My friend is towing a caravan in France this summer (I am unable to go due to some health issues) and I am trying to find out the towing speed limits for a car and caravan on the motorway.
I believe that he is restricted to 90 km/hour on the motorway because the GTW of his vehicle, which is 4.1 tonnes. He believes that if he is able to get the combined weight of his car and caravan to less than 3.5 tonnes then he can tow up to 130 km/hour (he would not tow at this speed).
He wants proof that there is an official statement to say he cannot tow above 90km/hour in France.
Can anyone help?

French speed limits are base on GTW of the outfit. Therefore taking a lightly loaded outfit that may be less than 3.5 tonnes makes no difference. It is the plated weight not actual weight.

 

[Raywood]

As I understand it it is the GTW of the tow car that counts.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Gate,

If you are looking for a "definitive" answer then sadly an anonymous forum is not the place to ask, as you have no possible way of knowing the veracity of any answer you might receive. I suggest you should check on official web sites or ask the well respected organisations such as th the AA or RAC.

 

[Jcloughie]

Apart from limits on the train weight, there are also restrictions in poor weather which can be subjective. Also local restrictions. I was amazed in 2017. I was going slow (I thought). Around Blois. I was searching for my exit. Everybody else seemed to be passing me. Still got an £80 fine.

John

 

[otherclive]

Hello Gate,

If you are looking for a "definitive" answer then sadly an anonymous forum is not the place to ask, as you have no possible way of knowing the veracity of any answer you might receive. I suggest you should check on official web sites or ask the well respected organisations such as th the AA or RAC.

In Parksy post #2 above there's a link to the CMHC European speed limits, which I would have no hesitation in using as when we toured Europe I found CMHC information excellent.

Heres another from the French toll tag organisation

Emovis Tag UK

Travel without stopping on European Motorways. Emovis Tag UK can provide UK customers with a tag for automatic payment of motorway tolls in France, Spain & Portugal.

www.emovis-tag.co.uk

 

[Parksy]

Hello Gate,

If you are looking for a "definitive" answer then sadly an anonymous forum is not the place to ask, as you have no possible way of knowing the veracity of any answer you might receive. I suggest you should check on official web sites or ask the well respected organisations such as th the AA or RAC.

The waters are being muddied yet again for some unknown reason.
The URL that I provided is a direct link to the Caravan and Motorhome Club website who have provided the relevant information for many European countries including that for France.
Are you suggesting that the C&MC information is inaccurate?
F.Y.I Prof, this is not an 'anonymous forum'
It's Practical Caravan forum and I'm one of the moderators of this forum, but I'm beginning to lose patience with the fact that every time a reasonably straightforward question is asked which receives a straightforward answer, the same people later try to second guess the genuine replies and to confuse the issue. 😡
Gate 54:
Apologies for my outburst, the link that I added is genuinely that for the Caravan and Motorhome Club and the data is accurate.
Please ignore the smart alec pontification, I sometimes wonder why those who like to spread doubt and confusion use this forum unless it's to put others off.

 

[Gate54]

Thanks very much for all the replies. I think his issue still stands as the websites of the RAC, AA and CAMC all suggest that if weight is under 3.5 tonnes then the higher speed limits apply. The GTW doesn’t seem to be mentioned anywhere.
I doubt if he will be able to get the weight of the car and caravan under 3.5 tonnes.
To be fair it should be him who is researching this.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks very much for all the replies. I think his issue still stands as the websites of the RAC, AA and CAMC all suggest that if weight is under 3.5 tonnes then the higher speed limits apply. The GTW doesn’t seem to be mentioned anywhere.
I doubt if he will be able to get the weight of the car and caravan under 3.5 tonnes.
To be fair it should be him who is researching this.

Take it from one who has travelled in France it’s GTW or GTM not actual outfit weight.

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/5582430/french%20speed%20limits.pdf

 

[figbat]

How about a primary source? It says “total authorised weight” above 3.5T, which I would translate as MGW, is limited to 90 km/h on the autoroute.

Article R413-8​

Modifié par Décret n°2014-3 du 3 janvier 2014 - art. 1​

La vitesse des véhicules dont le poids total autorisé en charge est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes ou des ensembles de véhicules dont le poids total roulant autorisé est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes, à l'exception des véhicules de transport en commun, est limitée à :​

​

1° 90 km/h sur les autoroutes ;​

​

2° 80 km/h sur les routes à caractère prioritaire et signalées comme telles. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 90 km/h pour les véhicules dont le poids total est inférieur ou égal à 12 tonnes sur les routes à deux chaussées séparées par un terre-plein central ;​

​

3° 80 km/h sur les autres routes. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est abaissée à 60 km/h pour les véhicules articulés ou avec remorque dont le poids total est supérieur à 12 tonnes.​

​

4° 50 km/h en agglomération. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 70 km/h sur le boulevard périphérique de Paris.​

 

[otherclive]

How about a primary source? It says “total authorised weight” above 3.5T, which I would translate as MGW, is limited to 90 km/h on the autoroute.

Article R413-8​

Modifié par Décret n°2014-3 du 3 janvier 2014 - art. 1​

La vitesse des véhicules dont le poids total autorisé en charge est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes ou des ensembles de véhicules dont le poids total roulant autorisé est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes, à l'exception des véhicules de transport en commun, est limitée à :​

​

1° 90 km/h sur les autoroutes ;​

​

2° 80 km/h sur les routes à caractère prioritaire et signalées comme telles. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 90 km/h pour les véhicules dont le poids total est inférieur ou égal à 12 tonnes sur les routes à deux chaussées séparées par un terre-plein central ;​

​

3° 80 km/h sur les autres routes. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est abaissée à 60 km/h pour les véhicules articulés ou avec remorque dont le poids total est supérieur à 12 tonnes.​

​

4° 50 km/h en agglomération. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 70 km/h sur le boulevard périphérique de Paris.​

Straight from La Bouche du Cheval

Thinking it through logically it is no different in theory to our recent B versus BE licence requirements. . A police stop have no way of weighing your car, so to cut out uncertainty all that’s required is fir the police officer to look at the car and caravan weight plates and add them together. If the “ sum” exceeed 3500 kg and your speed was exceeding the designated speed limit, then you have a trip to the ATM as a minimum. 😂

 

[RogerL]

Straight from La Bouche du Cheval

Thinking it through logically it is no different in theory to our recent B versus BE licence requirements. . A police stop have no way of weighing your car, so to cut out uncertainty all that’s required is fir the police officer to look at the car and caravan weight plates and add them together. If the “ sum” exceeed 3500 kg and your speed was exceeding the designated speed limit, then you have a trip to the ATM as a minimum. 😂

Isn't the difference that the French rule simply takes the Gross Train Weight (GTW - line 4 on the VIN plate/sticker) of the car?

 

[Johnb]

And beware of these. Same rules apply regarding weight and, in this case, access.

"The total authorized laden weight is greater than 3.5 tonnes or combinations of vehicles whose total authorized rolling weight is greater than 3.5 tonnes"

 

[Gate54]

Thank you for those recent replies. I now have some official evidence to present him with!