Originally Posted By P Dron
This morning I had to go to Draguignan to deliver some papers to my notaire and I decided to go in the Morgan and then have a drive up into the mountains, so that was two outings on successive days.

At the roundabout outside the Sous-Préfecture there was a swarm of police and I was pulled over for a routine check. As I handed over my documents, I guessed correctly what would happen next. The surly flic asked what was the year of manufacture and when I replied 2015 he said that in that case it did not qualify as a ”voiture de collection” and therefore the silver-on-black number plates were not legal. I gave him my best puzzled stare and said that I did not know the definition of that expression.

Surly flic then went to consult my case with his colleagues, including a young one who was tapping stuff into a laptop. For a couple of minutes, resigned to having to change to boring modern plates (I have a pair ready) I was wondering how much the fine would be. Then the surly flic handed me back my papers, said that everything was in order and that I was free to move on. He even stood in the middle the road and stopped the traffic to let me out. Evidently, as I had not said anything to annoy them, they had decided that it was not worth the hassle to take it any further. Ha ha.


Good result! I've always had a great response from the French Police/Gendarmerie. Not that I've had much contact with them, I tend to behave myself these days.

Tim H.
1986 4/4 VVTi Sport, 2002 LR Defender, 2022 Mini Cooper SE