Securing your van registration plate!
I very recently experienced a very alarming event. I arrived at the port in Dover after a 168 mile run from home and prior to embarkation with my car and caravan I thought I'd just check round the van and to my horror, I discovered that the registration
plate had vanished. I hastily wrote the car registration onto the void space with a permanent marker pen.
On the boat I had visions of being hauled out of our car and incarcerated in a Gendarmerie cell whilst I tried to raise a few thousand euros!
Once at the caravan site we were going to, I made up letters with black insulation tape and suffice to say, the tape seemed to work better than the double sided registration plate adhesive strips that had been used.
I did learn that the Gendarmes are not much interested (somewhat relieved) in UK caravan / trailer plates as they are always the same as the car registration whereas all French caravans / trailers the registration plate is different to the car registration
number as they have to be registered in their own right.
So the moral of the story, screw the plates on, don't rely on adhesive strip, carry some black insulation tape and a black permanent pen. I now will carry a spare plate with me as you will NOT find anyone who can make you one whilst in France and unlikely
elsewhere! 2 weeks in France, I didn't get stopped, so I was lucky! Make sure you have your purchase receipt for your van with you as proof ownership as things could have got tricky.
Happy vanning in Europe!