Taking the moggie to France

[bruce and caz]

Hi. We have a 1957 saloon we want to take and keep in France all year as we have a holiday home near Carcassonne. Lots of conflicting information on the internet about what to do? it all seems very difficult if not impossible. Please can someone clarify the current situation for keeping / registering a classic vehicle in France.

Many thanks

[bmcecosse]

First - avoid the floods - and then the petrol shortages....... I'm sure there are some folks on here with Minors in France who will soon pop up and tell you what's what. Obviously RH dip headlights will be needed...

[mattyb]

I think I have a pair of Left hand drive sealed beam headlamps taken from my US imported Triumph TR6 stored somewhere ! PM if your interested in them and happy motoring in France !

Best Regards

Matt[frame][/frame]

[Nickol]

I am informed by some friends that France is not much different, but I do know about the formalities in Germany.

Firstly, and I have done this a few years ago before living here permanently, provided that the car is only temporarily in a EU country ( up to 6 months) there is no need for any formalities. You only have to inform your insurance company of the fact who will probably want to know the circumstances e.g if it is garaged, in what address your hol home is ( In my case, there was extra to pay for the risk). Sometimes I did not bring the car back for the winter, reasoning it was just as safe in my Garage in England as in Germany.

Practically however, the news is even better. The continental countries, as opposed to GB have a registration system not for cars but for inhabitants. Thus provided you are not registered as living in a place, it is unlike GB, actually bureaucratically impossible to register your car locally anyway. We have a small holding in Italy and a car that is registered in Germany but parked there. Every two years we drive it back for its TÜV ( german MOT) and then back again.

Certainly it is better to fit right hand dip lights - they are readily available for my '68 model - rather than a sticker on the headlamp. It only takes a few minutes to do.

Should you however, wish to and indeed are able to formally re-register the car then ( in Germany anyway) then a minefield
awaits. More on that if you wish later.

Things will no doubt be different though should UK leave the EU. O dear o dear dear.........

[bmcecosse]

I believe there is a system in France where a Classic can operate in a restricted radius of it's 'home' address - or go through much more complicated regs if it is likely to wander further ? I don't KNOW this - but i'm sure I have heard it in the past.

[Nickol]

If this system is the same in France as it is here, then you can apply for a separate registration where the number plates are red - the restriction being as you say but also for recognised classic events further afield. The tax is then cheaper - for a normal "historic" vehicle I am obliged to pay a flat rate of 190 euro per year. The same restriction I mentioned before does apply though. You personally have to be registered, other wise you cannot then register the car.

As stated, there is no practical problem having your moggy more or less permanently outside its country of registration - for britain you need to bring it back for a yearly MOT anyway.

[bmcecosse]

Even if it is old enough to not need an MOT in the UK?

[Nickol]

Yes, i forgot the new ruling. Makes no particular difference though. Except of course, if Britain leaves the EU. Then most likely the 6 month rule will apply.

[faversham999]

Just got back from France had cheap sticky tape on the Headlights , had it on wrong side but it looked good .

[John Naylor]

Probably changed since I lived in France (2001-2003). I had a 2CV van that I had the choice of Collectors or Normal Tax class. For Collectors classification there was no MOT required but I couldn't travel outside the next departement without special dispensation. Importing into France is something else! Weeks of obtaining documents, a few hundred pounds and an inspection before they would accept my modern car onto French plates. Hopefully somebody will be along with up to date info?...

[woodiesenfrance]

The OP has done the clever thing, pm'd us and I've sent our Club's up to date advice by email.
Regarding previous posts : advice given re Germany is irrelevant, ditto any advice which is not based on current FFVE guidance.
Worrying about dipping headlights is a waste of time, that problem is quickly solved. It's the bureaucratic process that can be a real headache if you don't know where to go and in what order.
Amicale Morris Minor France has, for 20 years, helped many folk, MMOC or related Club members or not, through the ever-changing minefield of importing Minors (and indeed other British classics) into France. We keep our info sheets up to date, in English and in French.
Bonne route, à toutes et à tous