If you’ve never driven abroad before but plan on taking your car with you to France, then you need to be aware that it is very different to driving in the UK – mad you will need extra insurance cover. Unfortunately Britain is one of the few places where people drive on the left hand side of the road. Throughout Europe, and that includes France, people drive on the right hand side of the road. You need to get used to this very quickly if you don’t want to be involved in a road traffic accident the minute you get there. You will need to take your vehicle registration documents or log book with you as most countries require foreign drivers to do this. You should also take your insurance documents with you.

France is a member of the EU, just the same as Britain and your general insurance will normally cover you when you drive through most of Europe. However, you should check with your insurer before you go as to what sort of cover you are required to have. Most drivers have breakdown cover and think that this will also cover them when they are driving in Europe, but this is a mistake. If you are driving in France or any other European country then you should have European breakdown cover as your home breakdown cover will not suffice. There is nothing worse than breaking down in the middle of nowhere in a strange country and finding that you are not insured against a breakdown in another European country. Breaking down without the right insurance could prove very expensive, be on the safe side and check that you have the right cover before you set off. If you don’t have European breakdown cover then it could cost you a lot of money to get your car shipped back to the UK, let alone the unnerving experience of being left by the roadside at dead of night in France.