Driving to the South of France

[Budweiser]

We are leaving for the SoF in our DB11AMR V12. We will need the CRIT AIR but I’m not sure which one for my vehicle as they are categorise No. 1-5. Anyone know the answer?

Or would it cause an international incident if I didn’t bother?

[Abbott]

It depends where you will go and when. If you are steering clear of major cities then you shouldn't have any problems.
The category of sticker is dependant on the emissions of your car and is set from the reg document

[john ryan]

I'm there now. I have a sticker in my V8, but I have seen but one french car with one, so far. However, Les flics could no doubt be difficult if you didn't have one. I'm fairly sure you get whatever is appropriate for the emissions figure on your V5 ( which you have to submit IIRC)

[CSK1]

I live in the South of France and go to major cities like Lyon, Nice, Cannes. Even went through Grenoble with the DBX in February. No one cares about Crit’Air, I wouldn’t bother.

[Abbott]

Which vehicles are allowed to drive in Paris and the Greater Paris Metropolis today?

Since June 1 , 2021, the rules of the ZFE have applied uniformly: vehicles categorized as Unclassified, Crit'Air 5 and Crit'Air 4 cannot drive in the entire territory included within the zone. the A86 motorway, excluding this one, on the following days and times:
For buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles: 7 days a week, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
For private vehicles, light utility vehicles, two-wheelers, tricycles and motor quadricycles: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. – except public holidays.

At times of high pollution they further restrict the classes of critair sticker that can enter the zone and they do police it it strongly with police patrols at all the main junctions.

[drt30]

It's easy to do through the official website and it even tells you what sticker to get if you fill your details in. It's also only a few quid so not worth not doing, in my mind!

[CSK1]

A DB11 V12 AMR would be categorised as Crit’Air 1 anyway and if you stay on the périphérique it shouldn’t be a problem.
Depending where you go to the South of France, you could go towards the Champagne region and avoid Paris, even better.
Edited to say you only need the Crit’Air sticker in low emission zones.
So mostly in the centre of large cities.

Edited by CSK1 on Sunday 28th April 22:11

[Budweiser]

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.

We will be going via the champagne region to avoid Paris. Lyon is the only city we will pass through.

Our destination is La Napoule where we will stay for the first month then make our way back to Calais via Switzerland etc.

For the sake of a few € I will sort one out just to keep all options open.

Thanks again

[VanquishRider]

Budweiser said:

Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.

We will be going via the champagne region to avoid Paris. Lyon is the only city we will pass through.

Our destination is La Napoule where we will stay for the first month then make our way back to Calais via Switzerland etc.

For the sake of a few € I will sort one out just to keep all options open.

Thanks again

It's all very simple and costs almost nothing. So good to get one. By the way Reims is on the list. But it's only needed when Smog happens anyway.

[Abbott]

The Critair sticker system works much better than when they used to ban cars with odd or even number plates an alternate days. At least now they stop the more polluting vehicles.

[Budweiser]

I wonder if anyone here has been stopped and fined for not having/displaying a Crit Air certificate?

[NDA]

I seem to remember that you upload a copy of your V5 and 'they' choose the correct category.

Great to cruise down in such a great GT car, I've done that route many times in a variety of cars - plotting nice hotels down is part of the fun too. I found booking.com and the app very good for planning - 3 hotels down and 3 back usually.

[Abbott]

Budweiser said:

I wonder if anyone here has been stopped and fined for not having/displaying a Crit Air certificate?

I have certainly seen people stopped and fined for not following the old system of odd and even. It is really easy to police in rush hour as traffic is hardly moving so pulling people over isn't a challenge. Now retired I don't drive in to Paris anymore.

[LooneyTunes]

NDA said:

Great to cruise down in such a great GT car, I've done that route many times in a variety of cars - plotting nice hotels down is part of the fun too. I found booking.com and the app very good for planning - 3 hotels down and 3 back usually.

Biggest issue I find on the continent, especially when close to/in towns, is finding suitable parking (underground car parks with awkward approach/departure angles seem to be a continental favourite). .

Aside from picking hotels that are stopover points for arranged supercar tours, has anyone found a good list of hotels with good parking?

Frustratingly one good one in the champagne region now seems to be 2-3 nights min stay in the summer, which rules it out for single nights en route.

[NDA]

LooneyTunes said:

Aside from picking hotels that are stopover points for arranged supercar tours, has anyone found a good list of hotels with good parking?

I visit France every year and I'm afraid legwork is the only answer. If you're staying in chateaux, there's usually safe parking, town centre hotels (obviously) are a bit sketchy.

I always take a nice car, secure (ish) parking is therefore a consideration. I don't need it under cover, just off the street. So it's a case of (in my case) booking.com and then street view if it's not obvious from the description.

[ds666]

Budweiser said:

I wonder if anyone here has been stopped and fined for not having/displaying a Crit Air certificate?

I've taken my Vanquish into central Paris twice now and haven't bothered with a Crit . The family my daughter was living with in Paris hadn't bothered either ...

But I guess a UK sticker on the back makes us a target ....

[LooneyTunes]

NDA said:

LooneyTunes said:

Aside from picking hotels that are stopover points for arranged supercar tours, has anyone found a good list of hotels with good parking?

I visit France every year and I'm afraid legwork is the only answer. If you're staying in chateaux, there's usually safe parking, town centre hotels (obviously) are a bit sketchy.

I always take a nice car, secure (ish) parking is therefore a consideration. I don't need it under cover, just off the street. So it's a case of (in my case) booking.com and then street view if it's not obvious from the description.

That's what I feared, and is basically the streetview approach I've tended to adopt.

[M1AGM]

LooneyTunes said:

NDA said:

LooneyTunes said:

Aside from picking hotels that are stopover points for arranged supercar tours, has anyone found a good list of hotels with good parking?

I visit France every year and I'm afraid legwork is the only answer. If you're staying in chateaux, there's usually safe parking, town centre hotels (obviously) are a bit sketchy.

I always take a nice car, secure (ish) parking is therefore a consideration. I don't need it under cover, just off the street. So it's a case of (in my case) booking.com and then street view if it's not obvious from the description.

That's what I feared, and is basically the streetview approach I've tended to adopt.

I always ask for reserved or valet parking when making the reservations, if they reply saying they cannot guarantee parking its a red flag for me so I book elsewhere. It is trickier sorting out the lunch stops with a decent restaurant and off street parking, first world problems eh?

[NDA]

LooneyTunes said:

That's what I feared, and is basically the streetview approach I've tended to adopt.

I book around 10 hotel nights a year in France in the summer, the hunt for the perfect place (parking, restaurants nearby etc) is all part of the fun. I also find it quite quick to do. But maybe I'm slightly OCD!

Valet parking is a no no for me. I remember being nearly wrestled for the key to my Murcielago by the 12 year old valet parker - was never going to happen.

[CSK1]

Generally if you stop over at a nice hotel in the countryside, it doesn’t really matter if they have covered parking space, the main car park is generally quite safe.
I use the Michelin guide and app, and also back it up by looking at the Tripadvisor reviews where you can use keywords such as « parking » and read clients’ reviews and comments.
I’m also quite fond of the Relais & Châteaux network and guide, lovely reasonably sized and charming hotels. A bit pricey but worth every penny!