My plus 4 handbrake cable failed, (as others have) on the bend where it turns down towards the rear O/S wheel. It is quite a tight bend and the outer sheath had split and let water in, rusting the inner cable. You can only see the problem area with the rear wheel removed.
Only solution is a new cable assembly. I did it myself but a bit of a pig as it means seats out, along with gearbox tunnel and propshaft tunnel and of course both wheels off. The cable was well over £100 and stock was low.
If you have the parcel shelf out, try pulling on the steel cable that goes down to that wheel, and if it pulls right back out, you will confirm it is broken. If you are in France, then I think recovery to the UK will be the only solution.
