The first weekend in August is the traditional "chassé/croisé" on the roads when the July holidaymakers cross over with the August departures. Usually this means huge traffic jams at the main peage areas. We reported earlier that fake gendarmes are operating on some autoroutes and now the Nord police have warned of a similar scam on the Lille/Paris and other northern motorways.
Generally they have an unmarked car with a blue gyrophare and target foreigners in the "aires de repos" especially around Cambrai. They try to dish out spurious fines and will accept jewellery in lieu of cash.
Police remind us that
- Gendarmes on motorways usually are in marked cars and always in uniform. They do not stop cars on the carriageway unless for safety reasons. They will not accept payment other than cash (and if you have a French registered car and a French address, ask for a PV to be paid later).
- They will ask you to hand them your documents, not your bags.
If in doubt, telephone 17
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