Can anyone help?, we are looking to buy a secondhand caravan, lower end of price bracket. What are the regulations regarding registration etc, do they come with caravan, or must we get it tested? any information would be a great help.

If you need a caravan, There are a number of options.
One option is to get a caravan of a weight less than 750 Kgs, which means that you can insure it and tow it as part of your vehicle ensemble, and it will have the same number plate as your car.

Any heavier than that then things get complicated as not only do they have to have their own carte-grise, but insurance and gas certificate as well.

If you intend to import a British caravan intending to register it here, then you may not be able to, as the door will be on the "wrong" side.

I have a Hobby caravan which was made in Germany, so apart from some registration issues, it would be more straight forward.

If I describe the registration as happened to me you won't go far wrong if you have the same scenario.
To get a Certificate de Conformité, I had to get a gas certificate from Veritas or like organisation, 420€, as the engineer had to come to us. The Certificate de Conformité from Hobby-France then cost 270€. Then it had to be inspected, by the DRIRE (called something else now) 89€, then the carte-grise a further 89€. You do the maths. No further testing is required.

There was a slight complication as the shassis number included the letter "I", which is not permitted in France. It is replaced by a "J" on the plate issued by the manufacturer. So mine has two plates, the original with an "I" and the French one with a "J". The chassis number remains etched in the chassis with an "I". To change it would be forgery in my perception.

So compact and bijou, but you have leave the van to change your mind, or large and comfortable, but not quite so on your pocket.

The cheapest option is a second-hand French registered large one, where you only have to register it depending on its department, or go for an Eriba or similar, where the problem is removed.

Many tnanks to lestroisours for your reply, very helpful, now just have to find a caravan.
Alison

Thanks for posting this question Alison. We have been thinking about getting a caravan to tour with too.
Can anyone help with answers to the following questions.

If a teardrop caravan weighs less than 500kg can it be towed as normal without all the paperwork( does it matter which side the door is on if it doesnt need separate registration?)

What is tha actual legal weight you can tow before it has to be registered separately and what paperwork do you need to prove this?ie who is going to ask you about your caravans weight? Some mini caravans in uk are around 600-700kg. Is this too heavy also why does it make a difference what side the door is on?

Are there any used caravan dealers in the limousin area? Where do you go to buy a french registered used caravan?

Thanks for any help Leigh

The Maximum weight is 750Kg before it needs to be registered and insured seperately. There is a caravan dealer, Between junctions 35 & 36 on the A20 but I can't remember how you get to it exactly. Do a Pages Jaunes search for Feytiat or Bousseil. As for the side the door opens on, I do not know the legal position, only the actual position ie left or right.