Moving to France.

Basher57

Basher57

Free Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2018
Posts
15
Likes collected
5
Location
Angus Scotland
Funster No
52,260
MH
Still looking
Exp
Had last MH from '05 - '13, now looking to start again this year.
Hi, we are at the very early stages of a possible move to France. We have put our house on the market and when sold we will be searching for a house in France. Our question is, for the interim period when we're living in the van and we'll no longer have an address in UK and haven't purchased a property in France, how does it work for insurance cover for the van. Any help very much appreciated regarding this and any other info.
Cheers Pete & Barbara
 
Use a relatives address in UK , as Kevan suggests for insurance, road tax, mail etc. In my experience re-registering your vehicle in France is either very straightforward or bl**** awfully complicated ! Hope you get the former.
Good luck with your new life.
 
Hello!
Any idea where in France, region departement you'd like to settle in?
Do you master French, or just a few words to start with?
Any major problem you don't know how to deal with, let me know. I don't know it all, far from it, especially from the foreign side, but at least I can put you on the right way with specific google search that I certainly master more than you do....in French that is. Also I can give phone calls which will be far less stressing for me than it could be for you, and answers will be better understood as well!
Also on here, stcyr who knows better problems from the English side. I don't know whether you are familiar or not with giving a shout on here to a precise funster so here: use @ then without space the funster's username. Here I call you Basher57
 
Last edited:
Hollyberry said:
Use a relatives address in UK , as Kevan suggests for insurance, road tax, mail etc. In my experience re-registering your vehicle in France is either very straightforward or bl**** awfully complicated ! Hope you get the former.
Good luck with your new life.
Click to expand...
I do know from when I had a Bongo a vehicle can only be registered in France if the rear passenger door opens on the (French) kerbside. Looking at your avatar if that is your van, you may have a problem. Good luck

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Motor homes and caravans whose habitation door, opens onto the road and not onto the pavement will almost certainly not be registered in France.

You will be able to continue to use it whilst registered in the UK, unless, of course, you become resident in France then you no longer have the right to drive a foreign registered vehicle owned by you whilst in France. Or, maybe I'm wrong .... but I wouldn't risk playing with fire "ne joue pas avec le feu"

phil
 
It is possible to register a camping car built in UK. I know I did it. Mine was an older van had a few problems but got there in the end, a newer vans would be easy. Good luck.
 
I haven't bothered with French registration, I bought my house here in 2004, my MH at the time was a Mclouis which I bought new from the factory in Milan Lhd, but Augusta is UK registered at my son's house. It's kept in storage when not in use so who's to know? My next MH will be LHD again probably bought from the factory in Germany so that will end up on French plates I guess.
 
Do you have any friends or relatives in France. If so why not buy a french Motor home and use there address. Just another thought have you given much thought as to how Brexit will effect you. I live over here in France and I am having to go through the humiliation of applying for French nationality. You will find when you move to France the French love forms.
 
After 31 October, registering your van with French authorities could be the least of your problems. After that date you will be entering France as a Third Country National. Staying in France at all longer than 90 days could be your first important hoop to jump through, never mind health cover etc,etc. Have a look at the RIFT page on Facebook which will highlight other sites to search through so at least you will have knowledge of the uncertainties facing you.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Augusta08 said:
I haven't bothered with French registration, I bought my house here in 2004, my MH at the time was a Mclouis which I bought new from the factory in Milan Lhd, but Augusta is UK registered at my son's house. It's kept in storage when not in use so who's to know? My next MH will be LHD again probably bought from the factory in Germany so that will end up on French plates I guess.
Click to expand...
If you are a French resident it is not legal to drive an English insured and registered vehicle in France. A few years ago 1 of my tenants had his Polish car impounded because he was an English resident and had not registered his car here.
 
Free movement in the EU will probably end for UK citizens on October 31st 2019 if Boris achieves his bizarre plan to leap into the dark with his no deal plan.
Chosing to live in the EU will be a whole lot more difficult with many beauocratic hurdles to cross.
Take advice and care to avoid too many expensive mistakes.
 
Augusta08 said:
but Augusta is UK registered at my son's house. It's kept in storage when not in use so who's to know?
Click to expand...

Just keep it quiet mainly with neighbours, and IF, IF, you're a French resident be careful with which address is on YOUR identity papers. Other than that .... I would not worry! And no, Brexit won't make you their target! :gum:
 
yodeli said:
Just keep it quiet mainly with neighbours, and IF, IF, you're a French resident be careful with which address is on YOUR identity papers. Other than that .... I would not worry! And no, Brexit won't make you their target! :gum:
Click to expand...

His difficulty will be getting identity papers to put an address on :whistle:
 
moulin 87 OOPS made a mistake , I was thinking of Driving Licence, and Identity came out instead. Usually you can say to the gendarmes or policemen I have no ID or passport with me , and then you show your driving licence which does the job! Thanks for putting it right , I hadn't even noticed my mistake

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
yodeli said:
moulin 87 OOPS made a mistake , I was thinking of Driving Licence, and Identity came out instead. Usually you can say to the gendarmes or policemen I have no ID or passport with me , and then you show your driving licence which does the job! Thanks for putting it right , I hadn't even noticed my mistake
Click to expand...

They are not accepting any new applications to exchange a British driving license for a French one. They had a huge backlog at the beginning of this year. 95000 people applied when they were expecting a maximum of 35000!! Some people have been waiting 2 years.

I think they have said there will one year after Brexit when a UK licence will still be valid.
 
Chris said:
I will watch this thread.

I was thinking of moving to France too....
Click to expand...
Flying pig.png

-------------------------------------------------------------

I was resident for 4 years whilst working in France for an American company before we joined the E.U. and don't recall any difficulties.
 
Last edited:
Chris said:
I will watch this thread.

I was thinking of moving to France too....
Click to expand...

Yeah Right !:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Quite, I've a UK passport a UK (and German) driving licenses, my nextdoor neighbour is a gendarme, he's more interested in ensuring I cut my side of the hedge. Life runs at different pace here. C'est la vie. :-)
 
nicholsong said:
You devious Francophobia Welsh Solicitor, who speaks with forked-tongue and supports a junior Rugby team.

Now defend that.
Click to expand...

Junior rugby team?????

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
I've been in the throes of re-registering my Cheyenne here since April.It's a long drawn-out process and I'm nearly there. The hab door on the left was not a problem at the DREAL inspection, which is the final hurdle before applying for immatriculation. However, it may depend on the region you are in as they seem to vary in their application of the rules.

Good luck with your move (y)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top