Sandandlime

Some parts of France, the cold ones oddly, mandate either winter/all season tyres or chains/socks. If you choose the tyre route then you need four of them. Chains/socks much less convenient but only needed on the driving wheels. Chains/socks need to be of an approved type, as does the tyre option. My insurer's website provides a summary overview. Obviously, one route is considerably cheaper than the other but which is most appropriate depends on where your'e going. Bear in mind that socks are unlikely to last for longer than 30 km of driving. https://www.mma.fr/zeroblabla/pneus-neige-hiver-obligatoires.html Enjoy your trip!

My thinking being that if you can start the car and either go for a drive or leave it running a while that should charge the 12v battery sufficiently for you to open the boot.

Not sure but perhaps a flat/tired/dead 12v battery could be the issue here. I experienced various problems when mine decided it didn't want to play - I could still open the boot though! Can you start the car?

Interesting. A few weeks ago my ES appeared very unhappy when I opened the door with flashing lights everywhere. I tried the usual restart stuff, in that I locked the door, found another key and tried again. Still the same. Very disconcerting. Phoned the dealer in Bordeaux, around 2 hours from me and was fortunate to go straight through to the service department as everyone else had finished for the day. Having described the issue to him he thought that my 12 volt battery had probably gone flat. He suggested that I charged it and tried again but to disconnect the battery when charging. I did what he said and everything was fine once it was charged overnight and reconnected. Didn't seem any point driving two hours each way to pay twice the price to change a battery so did it myself a few days later. No issues whatsoever other than a couple of warning lights that extinguished themselves after driving a short distance.

This makes total sense to me. A plate may delay but wouldn't stop anyone determined to do the dastardly. Portable power tools are very cheap these days; considerably less that a Lexus ES! A well designed software solution, while not quick to produce, is much more likely to prevent theft.

By memory only (often faulty!) there is a switch above your head in the panel by the rear view mirror. As to whether things vary in different model ideas well I've no idea! I never bothered with doing it on mine for the ferry, like you I didn't know how at the time but found the switch when it kept going off overnight for no apparent reason. Turned out I had a moth inside which was dormant in the day but wanting be outside at night.

I have CrossClimate 2s on my ES, replacing the original Bridgestones. Don't find them noticeably different to the original Bridgestones in normal use, I sometimes wonder if they are a bit more noisy but it may be my imagination and the cabin is still quiet nevertheless. Where I live in SW France, winter was long but not cold so their snow/ice performance wasn't needed. My main criterion for fitting them was that they are a legal requirement in the Departements south of here from November to March. I'd anticipated greater tyre wear but again can't say that its noticeable.

I'd opt for a Disklok myself https://disklokuk.co.uk I have one that I swap between my TR4 and ES depending on which is parked outside or in a less than ideal location.

Don't bother giving it a thought. It sorts itself out. Mine is rarely 'fully charged', only after a long mountain descent. The system doesn't allow it get too low either, just diverts power generated by the engine to charge the battery if needed. One of those rare things that just 'works'. Enjoy your purchase!

I frequently avoid the autoroutes. I go to the Spanish Pyrenees fairly frequently and generally prefer a cross-country route as the A65 is expensive and only saves me around 45 minutes. Stopping and lunch options are aplenty and better than the autoroute, though to be fair French services aren't bad. Also, when touring in my Alvis, stressful at 100km/h, or TR4, happy enough at 130 km/h but too bloody noisy, the autoroutes are just unpleasant, despite being typically quiet when I use them. In an out of Bordeaux I use one or the other and they're mostly fine but best to to avoid busy times or you're just paying to park on them. North to South no other sensible option unless you are very flush with time and happy to overnight. Having tried various options I generally use Apple Maps but as far as I'm aware, they all have an 'avoid tolls option' . From Calais to where you're visiting would take around 3 hours more if you avoid the autoroutes (probably difficult to do completely) but saves a chunk of wad. Only you can decide the cost/benefit of the reduced journey time. The Ulys navigation app and ViaMichelin will give you péage costs.

Totally agree with a péage badge. I wouldn't be without mine and once dropped my card at a busy barrier and had to crawl beneath the car to find it. Not fun. Things are even harder in a right hooker, especially on your own. https://ulys.vinci-autoroutes.com/e-toll-badge-ulys-classic/

Being France, everything is complicated. I haven't checked the regulations for some time and there was talk of not showing alerts on navigation apps but its never been an issue as far as I can tell. My TomTom, which I use in my old girls when useful certainly warns of there presence, was purchased here and receives updates for France. Allegedly it avoids legal issues by highlighting 'Danger Zones' instead. When I purchased my ES it came preloaded with Coyote which gives route guidance based on live information but also announced speed cameras, including mobile ones. I believe Waze also announces Hazard Zones which is usually a euphemism for a camera. I'm not sure about Google as I don't use it but understand the camera option is turned off when operating in France though maybe that's also update with hazard warnings? Whilst driving in France differs from the UK its still fundamentally a civilised country with very much quieter roads, outside of the cities at least. In general if the 'don't be a ******' approach is adopted driving is pretty stress free (okay, too many like to park in your back seat but they're best just ignored). If the 'I enjoy being a ******' approach is hard things stop being fun. Just chill and enjoy the trip.

Given what you said then I reiterate what I said earlier: 'Go for it'! I doubt that you'll be wanting Sport+ when on the autoroute as you won't need the additional responsiveness and the sound might get a bit tiresome at 130k+ hour after hour. In towns, normal mode, or even heaven forbid granny mode if congested. Up in the hills on some 'interesting' roads Sport+ would be fun. The only potential issue there is not scaring cyclists (this is taken very seriously and a requirement to leave at least 1.5m clear when passing) and you may find a lot of them on the interesting roads. I haven't been over that way in a few years but some Departements have a non-autoroute speed limit of 80 km/h. Not where I am thankfully, though a bit further south it applies, I'm lucky as I'm allowed to roll at 90 km/h. Things can get really exciting! I was caught speeding in my 1947 Alvis once 🤣

Yeah, I suppose in summary it is a bit of a gamble. It depends on how much louder the mod has made it, where/when you are and what you're doing. Showing off an RC F's performance might attract the wrong attention. Only you know how old it is and what you're going to be doing. I believe similar rules are applied in the UK who, allegedly, also have roadside noise tests from time to time. French aggravation is definitely more aggravating so best avoided. If the vehicle isn't silly and obviously loud, driven sensibly then, if it was me, I'd enjoy a great blast down to the Auvergne and search out some interesting routes for when you're there. YMMV.

I've lived in France or coming on 20 years. Everything here is 'complicated'. Fundamentally, you are not permitted to alter an exhaust from the manufacturer's standard. Even where I am located in rural France young guns drive around every day sporting exhausts that no one could ever consider legal but apart from swearing as they roar past, usually with the rap even louder than the exhaust, they seem to do so with with impunity. Allegedly, roadside noise tests take place from time to time but I've never come across one. The non-standard restriction extends further than exhausts and basically includes any modifications to the vehicle. In addition to my ES, I have three other cars varying in age between 1947 and 1975 all of which have exhaust and other modifications. My TR4 is notably loud. No one is ever interested. One of the complex things with living over here is learning when laws/regulations etc (and there is always at least one for everything) apply and when they're ignored. Unless your exhaust system is unusually noisy no one is going to be concerned. On the other hand, in the unlikely event that you are involved in an accident, things may be very different.