We Welcome Motorbikes and Bikers at our Bed & Breakfast near Le Mans

We have welcomed bikers at "La Basse Cour" ever since we first opened our doors; and we don't mean just for the GP Moto and 24 Hour Moto weekends. The Normandy and Pays de la Loire regions, like much of France, have mile upon mile of deserted, winding backroads which are a biker's dream after the crowded roads of Britain.

The big barn provides shelter for any number of motorbikes and can be used for emergency repairs - you can borrow airlines and workshop tools if necessary. Phil is happy to help out in a basic 'pass me a 13mm spanner and shine the light over here' sort of way but don't expect any technical help when it comes to bikes as he's useless!

Access to the house is via an unmetalled drive so take it easy as you turn in - it is hard-packed, we haven't had any catastrophes yet, but be careful! It's wise to use a weight spreader or ask us for one before leaning heavy bikes on a side stand on the main parking area in front of the barn.

Inside the barn there is a solid floor, plenty of space and it is securely padlocked at night.

In case of wet weather there is an airer in the barn for drying wet weather gear. Cloths and detergent provided for cleaning helmets and visors.

If you don't want to clutter your room with helmets and gloves etc. then you can leave them in the entrance hall; and as long as you haven't got hobnail boots, segs or a penchant for riding in stiletto heels, there's no need to take biking boots off in the house.

Some motorbike resources for France

Horizons Unlimited, a website dedicated to motorcycle travel.
Excellent Biker Travellers Community, with bike travel information on the Bulletin Board, monthly Motorcycle Travel E-zine, travellers' Stories, tips and information.

Le Mans 24 Hours Bikes - 24 Heures Moto The official site for the racing circuit at Le Mans

Moto GP News Latest news on the Moto GP circuit.

Driving in France / Riding in France

Information on road conditions and radar speed traps, rules and regulations for driving in France, speed limits, roadsigns, "Priorité-à-droite", fuel, what to do in case of an accident.

Road Conditions and Speed Traps in France

Fixed and mobile speed trap and blackspot positions in France downloadable to GPS; the free version is updated monthly.

Fixed speed camera positions in France shown on a map. Official government site, updated as speed cameras are added.

Are there road problems on your route - the Bison Futé site will tell you.

Driving and Riding in France - Rules & Regulations

Download an English language version of some basic rules of Driving in France.

France Speed Limits

Speed limits are as follows unless otherwise signposted:

French Road Signs

Download the 160 commonest French road signs (meanings are in French)

French Road Signs	Most French road signs are the same as in the UK but here are some common road signs in France that are not so common in the UK.
	Fixed radar camera coming up within 400m (this may be pushed out to a kilometre in 2010). There will definitely be a camera coming up shortly - no bluffing. Having a radar detector is illegal but GPS based warning systems are allowed.
	Stop really does mean stop. These are commonly used as a cheap "traffic calming" measure and so may appear in apparently utterly idiotic places. Unless you're 100% sure there are no gendarmes in sight (make sure there are none hiding behind a bus shelter or sitting in a car up ahead) bikers should stop and put both feet down before moving off again. Failure to do so will result in a hefty on-the-spot fine - no excuses, even though you can probably see for miles that there is nothing else approaching the junction and there is no real need to stop.
Parking	Roadside parking more than 24 hours in the same place is forbidden (unless it is a long-term parking facility). If you do, your car may be towed away.
Disabled parking	Cars parked in disabled spaces must display a blue GIG - GIC parking badge.
	Free parking bays or free car park. There is usually a separate bay for motorbikes.
	Blue and red sign indicates you are entering a "No Parking" zone. The same in black and white with a bar through indicates you're leaving said zone. If dates are shown in the top right of the sign, then parking IS NOT allowed on those dates but is allowed on other dates. If dates are shown in both the top right and bottom left of the sign, it means that parking is allowed on the odd-numbered side of the road for the first half of the month but is not allowed on the even-numbered side, and the reverse in the second half of the month. Nice and simple. Not.
	Paying parking zone - could be meters or pay and display machines. Usually there will be some non-paying bays for motorbikes. Parking is often free between 12.00pm and 14.00pm and after 19.00pm until 8.00am but check on the ticket machine / meter.
	Limited free parking zone, usually for 1-2 hours. Cars need to display on their dashboard a disc which indicates what time the car arrived. A "disque de stationnement" can be bought for a couple of euros in many a bar/tabac and most supermarkets with a motorist section.
	These blue signs are found inside the zones indicated above. They mark the actual parking bays or car parks. Slang for a parking ticket is a "prune".
	Coming to a junction, the main road on which you are travelling bears left ahead.
	Autoroute speed limits. Normally 130kph (about 80mph) in dry weather, 110kph (about 70mph) in wet weather, in which case dipped lights should also be turned on.
	Usually seen at the entrance to a tunnel - turn your lights on.
	Usually seen at the exit from a tunnel - a reminder that you can turn your lights off if you wish.
	Layby ahead.
	Rest area on motorway with drinks available - possibly also a cafeteria for snacks, but not guaranteed.
	Whereas this motorway rest area has a proper restaurant.
	24 hour petrol, payment by credit card - these are sometimes found at péage exits. Some péage exits also have toilets next to a parking area. Otherwise there's always the side of the road, French-style.
	As you come on to a toll paying (péage) section of road - mainly motorway - you will see this sign if you need to take a ticket. Most toll roads require you to take a ticket, unless it is a section of toll road with a fixed fee as you exit.
	This marks an automated Télépéage lane on a toll road. Some lanes are for télépéage "badge" or bleeper holders only - don't go in these lanes unless you have a bleeper or other signs indicate that they also take cash or credit cards.
	Pay attendant in booth at exit from toll road. Cash or credit card.
	Pay by credit card at machine at exit from toll road. You can use these with UK credit cards without problem and they are usually quicker than queueing at the pay booths at busy times. Stick your ticket in and then your credit card - the machine will charge the appropriate amount and spit the card back out. Press button to request a receipt if you need it.
	"Priorité à Droite" is a VERY important driving rule in France. Knowing this rule can be a LIFE SAVER. Please read on and check out the following road signs to avoid catastrophe! Basically, even if you're on a main road you do not necessarily have right of way - there are many "Priorité à Droite" junctions where you have to give way to traffic coming from the right, whether in town, village or on country roads. THE RULE: If there is no roadsign or road marking to indicate otherwise, traffic coming from the right always has priority unless it is joining from a car park or a private road. When three or four cars reach such a junction from different roads at the same time, you'll often see everyone stop, unsure what to do. Black streaks of rubber at the approach to a junction are another sign of "P-à-D" - BEWARE!!! Proceed with caution. Apart from the usual "Give Way" and "Stop" signs and road markings, the following special signs are used specifically in relation to "Priorité-à-droite" in France.
	Usually seen on a main road as you leave a town or village, this yellow diamond means that the main road has priority and that all traffic joining from side roads must give way.
	End of priority zone. Traffic from the right has priority unless there are road signs/markings which indicate otherwise.
	You are coming to a junction where priority to the right applies - give way to the right.
	You are coming to a junction where you have priority.
	Viewpoint - usually there is some parking space nearby. If not in a hurry, this is often a good spot to stop and stretch legs - take note, you may sometimes have a way to walk to reach the viewpoint. Most give a panorama over the countryside/down a valley etc., whilst some have an orientation table indicating places within view.

Drinking and Driving in France - alcohol limits

It's sometimes suggested that the French are relaxed about drink driving - but the truth is that in general the police operate a policy of zero tolerance of drink driving.

In order not to violate the law, your blood alcohol level while driving must be less than 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood (or 0.25mg per litre of expired air).

A rule of thumb

The best advice is not to drink alcohol at all when driving. However, as a rule of thumb, and in no way to be taken as a recommendation or legal advice, an average (12 stone) man's limit in France is often quoted as two SMALL glasses of the type SERVED IN BARS AND RESTAURANTS AS STANDARD MEASURES. Those served in homes are generally much larger.

Each glass is equivalent to approx. 10g of alcohol, and once absorbed = approx 0.25 g of alcohol per litre of blood for a man of average build.

If you drink a standard French glass of beer (25 cl at 5°), wine (12.5cl at 10° to 12°) or whisky (3cl at 40 °), the amount of alcohol is roughly the same: 0.25 g of alcohol per litre of blood.

Smaller men and women will be over the limit after 2 glasses.

The body gets rid of alcohol at the rate of about 10g per hour (so gets rid of one standard glass in about 2.5 hours).

You can buy alcotests at pharmacies to check your own level.

Penalties

Between 0.5 g and 0.8 g of alcohol per litre of blood, you are committing a "violation of the 4th class" with a fixed penalty of six points and fine of 135€. I don't know how the points part is dealt with for non-residents on foreign licences.

Over 0.8 g of alcohol per litre of blood, you will have to appear in court. The court may order a fine of up to €4500, two years imprisonment, and a licence suspension up to three years.

Other driving tips on our website Driving in France

Fuel: Petrol and Diesel in France

Petrol stations sell diesel (gazole) and unleaded petrol (essence sans plomb) in 95 and 98 octane. Many also stock LPG (GPL in French).

Traffic Accidents in France

In the event of an accident call the police (Tel. 17). Both parties must both fill in an accident report form (constat à l'amiable) and exchange insurance details; get a blue constat à l'amiable form from your insurer before you leave, fill in your details before you have an accident and keep it to hand. Take photos if you can.

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