Australian tourist owning car in France

[parispete]

I am an Aussie retired to Europe, owning a flat in Paris 15 and now seeking to buy a car in France to use around Europe. I have my Aussie dring license plus an International, which I am told is enough.
It now seems that I may not buy a car in France because I do not have a 'Carte de Sejour' and thus can not legally take out insurance on the car.
Tourist status gives me 90 days from each arrival, which is more than enough and which suits me fine.
Can anyone tell me if owning a property here gives me the legal right to own, register and insure a car? Many thanks in advance for all advice.

[Bevdeforges]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

The best resource online for questions about what rights foreigners do or don't have in France is the Service Public website here: Etrangers en France - Service-public.fr

Now, just in case you can't find the answer to your question on that site I can tell you my experience. It depends a bit on your local prefecture (and you might ask at the prefecture de police for the 15th). I was supposed to show a carte de séjour in order to register my car when I arrived in France (I'm in a departement in the Ile de France region). I weaseled out of it, and it wasn't that difficult to do. (I dare not tell you how I did it, since I'm not sure my technique works any more anyhow. It wasn't supposed to work when I did it... but I did have a recippissée for a carte de séjour at the time, and I knew the prefecture didn't answer their phones after a certain time in the afternoon. Sometimes, if you throw yourself on the mercy of a fonctionnaire, you can work miracles. )

I don't know that you need a carte de séjour for the insurance. I would ask at a number of insurance agencies - or ask the conseiller at your French bank. (They sell insurance, too, and are usually quite eager to find a way...) If you can register the car, I would think you could find someone to insure it for you.
Cheers,
Bev

[parispete]

Thanks, Bev, you're a brick. Actually you must be at least half psychic because my bank in Paris already reckon they can help me with insurance, but it's the embassy who have raised grave doubts on my being able to have a car. But I'll check the site and let you know if it works. Thanks again.