On 1 Apr, 15:20, Adrian wrote:

Mizter T (Mizter T ) gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying:

Credit card. A couple of 'em, in fact - one UK Visa, one UK M/card. It
wasn't a _card_ issue so much as a policy issue. We were asked if they
were foreign cards - store security were called over to examine the
cards, our IDs and give an OK.
OK, that makes a bit more sense - even though it sounds a bit of a silly
policy. Then again perhaps this store had had several problems with
fraud and non-French credit/debit cards.

Mebbe. It must cause 'em plenty of hassle, though - it was a _huge_
store, right on an Autoroute junction in Reims, so well on the tourist
trail. Never had it in other supermarkets in France, small or large, more
or less on the foreigner routes.

I'd have been a bit stuffed in a similar situation - I don't normally
carry around any specific ID documentation (driving licence, passport)
on my person.

pats photocard driving licence fondly

Oh, I've got one of them, I just don't normally carry it around with
me - should it get lost and stolen, especially if it's in a wallet
alongside with bank cards, then it increases the risk of identity
theft and all that malarkey. (I also don't like the idea of carrying
round a de-facto ID card as well.)

When I'm driving to France I'd definitely take it, and I suppose most
of the time it'd stay in my wallet for the duration of my trip. That
said I've certainly been out driving in France without my wallet and
hence without my driving licence, and on at least one occasion I
didn't take it out to France at all as I'd mislaid it. TBH I've no
idea whether it is actually compulsory to carry a driving licence
whilst driving in France - advisable perhaps, but is it a legal
requirement? If so then I've broken the law many a time!