French Customs - up to the minute -

[iangrant]

They came onto the jetty in St Vaast and were very polite. Three men with guns! They checked all of the foreign boats, boarding the Dutch ones.

From the jetty, they asked for "papers" pretending not to speak English, I struggled through in pigeon French and they let me carry on!

I offered the "Bill of Sale" - NOT interested -
The VAT UK Customs paid letter - NOT interested -
All they wanted was the plastic card from the small ships registry, my passport (as the owner) and where she was berthed in the UK. (I had the berthing agreement and they loved that).
Talking to another couple, there had been an earlier incident down the coast where a crew couldn't find the paperwork - INSTANT 1,000 Euro fine! When they did present the paperwork at the Customs Office - no refund!

Hope that answers the earlier questions on the papers required for France.

Ian

 

[rogerroger]

It's strange that generally, the French have done a very good job attracting visiting yachts from other countries with good prices and facilities etc. If their customs continue like this I'm sure they'll end up shooting themselves in the foot and driving visitors away.

I recently chartered a boat with friends and went to Cherbourg. The charter company would not give us the necessary paper work and told us they'd fax the necessary documents through should French customs requested them.... I'm sure we'd have have to pay a hefty fine first though.

/forums/images/icons/cool.gif Roger Holden /forums/images/icons/cool.gif
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.first-magnitude.co.uk>First Magnitude</A>

 

[iangrant]

You are right about the pices - It worked out about 20 Euros per night (37 ft) and a really excellent meal with friendly service in the restaurant at £10 per person (including wine).

Compare that to Port Solent


Ian

 

[steve_cronin]

Those have always (well in living memory anyway) been the requirements when visiting france. it is just that various officers interpret the imposition and importance to different degrees.

In thirty years of visiting France I have only been asked for papers twice. Once in Cherbourg on the very first trip (Pre SSR) and about six years ago in Morlaix when the officer turned up in jeans & a holed sweater. Both were friendly and all was soon completed. Not saying they don't do it just that we have been lucky - kids with us most imes I suppose.

Got boarded once by three guys with automatics & flak jackets after being buzzed three miles off C'bourg by a helicopter. (All male crew) It was the day John Major and his French counterpart were meeting G Bush to discuss Iraq.

As to the pistols, I was once told by a friendly policemen in Trebeurden that he daren't fire his because a colleague had injured himself when his gun blew up due to lack of maintenance & rust in the barrel! I still don't know to this day if he was serious though.

Steve Cronin

 

[Roberto]

I have been boarded once by French customs sailing towards the CI, armed men with guns, they checked the papers and took a long serious look at all our luggage, not finding anything interesting apart from a pink flowery bed sheet from one of our ladies, which made them laugh, we talked a bit after the control had ended.

How big is the number of sailboats they catch transporting huge amounts of drugs, how sometimes a friendly wave from a skipper transforms in pistol shots, etc.

That s why they are carrying guns I suppose.

 

[JEG]

What happens if one has sailed away for a year & a day or more &, therefore, no longer has a berth in uk? Would part 1 registration be accepted? I fear this is merely extortion dressed up as regulations.

 

[milltech]

I had a couple of Police come aboard in Cherbourg around 1988, looked at the papers, enjoyed a drink and departed, all very friendly. In perhaps an average of two Cross Channels per summer since I have never been boarded or questioned, or ever been asked for my passport.

I cannot say the same for English Customs who seem to have become the new European Gestapo, lawless and uncontrollable. Apart from what I read in the Telegraph of their attitude at Dover; I was boarded at sea, at dawn, by masked men from a high speed rib, who held my crew in the wheelhouse and burst into my cabin. I was asleep and it gave me a helluva fright by the way. No apology of course when nothing was found.

I think the French have it right, so they like to see a few papers occasionally, I see nothing wrong with that. For the most part we all come and go as we please and are made more welcome there than in our own country.

John

 

[kdf]

A subject near and dear to my heart - Sailed from ireland to Brittany and got boarded near La Trinite by the Duane. Showed them bill of sale (not interested), vat receipt (not interested), insurance (not interested), Certificate of Origin (from Irish equiv of RYA, also not interested). They showed me an SSR form from the UK and demanded same. Told them boat was from Ireland and we don't have an SSR scheme. Fine 1500 euros but reduced to 100 after much screaming and abuse from local French boats about welcoming tourists etc.

 

[jtwebb]

My experience is they are basically a revenue collecting organisation. Rumour has it that they are on commission. I have been boarded three times in the last 13 months. Once in Port Diellette where they had stopped behind us for the night and only wanted the paper work. The next time was in the Dover TSS (admitedly in January) as we were leaving French waters. They stayed on board until well in UK waters, tried to trap the helsman into making a mistake whilst I was below at their insistance, damaged the carpet, removed hatches and left them lying loose and clambered through bedding in boots. My subsequent complaints have resulted in the statement that their log shows none of this so obviously their log keeping is at fault. The last occasion was on route from Jersey to St Malo and my wifes ploy of insisting that, what she said was a nice young man, examine her make up seemed to result in no hassle. They still wanted the documentation.

They want the SSR or Part 1, the VAT receipt and passports. They have always been show my ICC, Yachtmaster, radio licences and the details were logged. They could also observe the charts and plotting equipment out and ready but if that was any concern I do not know. As I said, they are a revenue collecting service and one can not imagine why they are so keen to discourage visitors.

J Webb<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by jtwebb on 29/08/2002 16:41 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

whenever you enter a french marina, the staff are obliged to inform the douane - though they dont always seem to do so. we were inspected 4 times last year and three times this. gallic charm on every occasion. my wife quite enjoyed the visits!

i have wondered whether the customs visits were (post Schever....? ie the border free agreement) just a way of justifying themselves, and keeping jobs.

mind you, makes you wonder what the uk customs are doing. we never seem to see them, and neither do our asylum seekers. cant all be making tea.

 

[cynthia]

Boarded this summer at Camaret, as we had a folder with every conceivable document in it was a friendly and painless exercise. They issued us with a fiche to prove we had been checked out. Absolutely no problems then or since. Let's face it they do have the right to check on visiting yachts, so why the complaints?

 

[imptish]

I have obviously been lucky that I have never been boarded by French customs on my many trips to France over the years. I have the relavent documents and certificates EXCEPT I can't prove my boat has had VAT paid. How do I rectify this, and do I need to?

I bought my 20 year old boat three years ago privately and have a receipt from the previous owner. That's as far as the paper trail goes back. Can anyone advise as to what I should do to get proof.

Giles

 

[Trevethan]

I am in the same situation.

I have been in touch with the Excisemen who have promised to send me a leaflet which tells me what I need. They can't provide a certificate unfortunately, which would seem the the best thing to me either that or VAT status should be included on the SSR docket.

I'll let you know what the written material states once it arrives.

 

[cgull]

my charter company provides all documents whether you are going cross channel or not

 

[hlb]

SSR Numbers are not worth a carrot, although for some unknown reason the french seem to think there some thing special. I've ended up with a choice of numbers and cirtificates for my boat. Even sent me a choice of two numbers and two cirtificates a month or two ago. And all the lot for a tenner.

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[Guest]

I've been into Belgium on two occasions in the last couple of years when I have forgotten completely to take my papers with me. Only took a few apologies and nobody was worried: " just ring us when we are next here and we'll take a look then" summarises the attitude. And the food and beer is better too! Forget France!!!!!

 

[petery]

The RYA web site gives advice on this problem

 

[jtwebb]

My complaint was mainly the damage and the attempt to trap the helmsman into a mistake for which he could end up in court on the dover crossing. It just aint British!

In fact, on that trip, we were approached by Dutch Customs and Belgian Police. The Dutch had a conversation over the radio and went away happy. The Belgian Police asked me to hold the SSR up so they could see it through binoculars and were happy. They did advise us to cover the name of the Dutch port which was on the transom as they said it was not legal as the boat was not Dutch any more. I interpreted that as 'watch the French try anything to fine you'. The Frence did intercept us, had a long radio conversation and then boarded us with the sad result I have described. If the Dutch and Belgians were happy, why not the French?

J Webb

 

[salamicollie]

British Customs do exist - I have been searched (very thourghly and very politely)in Port Patrick and intercepted by the Revenue Cutter in the Irish Sea to be asked a where from/to home port/seen anything sus, in the last couple of years ... perhaps they are chasing boats in the Irish Sea while they know the French are sorting you lot out in the Channel...

 

[summerwind]

You should be careful what you say about HM Customs & Excise. I can promise you that they are quite active around the S. Devon coast and think nothing about putting a five man rummaging crew through your boat in the early hours.

My experience was that they were very nice, but missed nothing! I missed my sleep and having just crossed the channel, I was in dire need.