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rules of France

dano1917

dano1917

RIP
It looks like maybe, just maybe I may be lucky enough to be taking a trip to France. I know there is no metal detecting over there, but was wondering the rules on picking up safe ordnance that may still be laying on top of the ground i.e. spent fuses and chunks of exploded relics. At the very least take some pics of the old trench lines. If I did find some spent fuses etc. How would I get it home (USA)? The trip is in the "iffy" stage right now but is a 20 year long dream. Even if I found some cool stuff at flea markets I am still not sure about getting it home with airline regulations and all. Just seeing the stuff laying around would give me a "woody" I guess if you live "over there" this is stuff that may well be taken for granted. Maybe i'm urininating up the proverbial rope here, but any suggestionds, hints would be helpful. WW1 intrigues me, mostly because of the technilogocal development that took place during the war, and my Grandfather on one of my ex-wives side fought for the IL 33rd div.
Dano
 
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Hi Dano,
The French police have got stricter on anything being removed from the battlefields, particularly by us foreigners. I have been stopped by them on more than one occasion and had the car searched but had managed to hide the finds. I know of some who have had their car impounded after being searched. As for getting it back to the States -Good luck.
regards
Richard
 
i have to admit we have managed to get stuff to blighty reletively easy but customers can swamp you easyly.
 
Hi friend
best is to order it online from somewhere mate,or er move to France.
I wouldnt bother anymore,Ive bought gifts home from France in my car given to me from relatives and obviously safe.
But could have easily been stopped and had my car impounded or slung in a french jail for a while.
(I must have looked as guilty as hell!!)

As to taking stuff from what is essentially a mass grave,theres a real ethical question here.
Estimates are there are anything between quarter to half a million men lying in that soil.
Try 'siefreid' at specialist auctions.com
just type in 'inert'
Honestly mate its not worth the hassle.

If you cany help but get 'wood' with the idea of picking stuff up,just get naked and squirm around your stuff on the floor!! he he.:beer:
 
Hmmm,the way i understand it is you get stitched good and proper if caught with car full of stuff now.
Shipping inert items to the states just requires common sense making sure the bits are indeed inert and just label up as 'brass and steel' components on the label.Same goes for shipping to the UK from the US.
Ive never had probs with that method. safest bet is to buy through a dealer though

best

waff
 
Hello


Indeed, in france all war items are forbidden. Ammunitions of course, but also carried items for guns, and all aroud a toxic war (gas mask, by example). All policemen and customs agents know these.

Two years ago, we worked near the canadian memorial (Vimy). I remember, we found a lot of old german WWI bootles in trenches, and gave them to canadian tourists. They were very happy !
But of course we never gave any war item.


dano1917 said:
It looks like maybe, just maybe I may be lucky enough to be taking a trip to France.
Click to expand...

May you tell me wich date and what place do you plan to visit ?
 
It wasn't a problem in France 30 years ago but due to the increase of
visitors doing the wrong things a law has been accepted several years ago
that simply forbids taking anything from the forests. If you do it is
considered stealing from the state and could end up with all the goods
confiscated and a very heavy fine which need to be pay on the spot. If
you are unable to do so the police will confiscate your car.

Simply not worth the risks. Mind you, that has not stop me from going
there twice a year.

http://www.westernfront.nl
 
Taking ordnance on a plane is going to be very difficult, even in Belgium..


Cross the border into Belgium. Laws are less strict over here. Loads of possibilities.
High-speed trains connect Brussels with Paris..

Visit Ypres (near the French border), the Atlantik Wall museum in Ostend, ... Loads of stuff to see.

And, perhaps you could catch a big fair. :) You _will_ get a woody.
 
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dano1917 said:
It looks like maybe, just maybe I may be lucky enough to be taking a trip to France. I know there is no metal detecting over there, but was wondering the rules on picking up safe ordnance that may still be laying on top of the ground i.e. spent fuses and chunks of exploded relics. At the very least take some pics of the old trench lines. If I did find some spent fuses etc. How would I get it home (USA)? The trip is in the "iffy" stage right now but is a 20 year long dream. Even if I found some cool stuff at flea markets I am still not sure about getting it home with airline regulations and all. Just seeing the stuff laying around would give me a "woody" I guess if you live "over there" this is stuff that may well be taken for granted. Maybe i'm urininating up the proverbial rope here, but any suggestionds, hints would be helpful. WW1 intrigues me, mostly because of the technilogocal development that took place during the war, and my Grandfather on one of my ex-wives side fought for the IL 33rd div.
Dano
Click to expand...

In France apparently there have been blanket bans introduced on the collecting of relics from the old WW1 battelfields. The Argonne area is an example where enthusiasts can now only look but not touch. I feel this is a great shame as eversince the Great War ended in 1918 relatives of the fallen and indeed those wishing to gain some understanding of that horrific war have gone there and many brought back mementoes of one kind or another over a great many years. Obviously in recent times the commercial value in WW1 battlefield relics have increased and i can recall clearly in the late 1980's one or two specialist companies emerging with the view to making such relics available to the wider collecting public, some at reasonable price others not so. They were adamant in their advertisements that you should not go relic hunting yourself but buy from them as it was safest method. Many of these relics were thoroughly documented with full history of location etc. Many generations have walked those old battlefields and have collected in a responsible manner and brought their finds home and it was never a problem with the French authorities or customs and i can see no reason why this should not continue. Of course we live in draconian times now and many law abiding relic hunters are accused of being terrorists if caught by the French Dunes (customs) with a carboot full of empty shells, and or cases etc. I know people who have had their cars confiscated for being in possession of even trivial things such as shrapnel shards and trench art etc. Its the way of the world it seems, however there are still many good relics in circulation at the shows and on dealers lists etc though some countries have restrictions on what can be sent via post. In Russia the trade in war relics has even caught the attentions of the Russian Mafia such is the money that can be made! Relics have high commercial value nowadays whereas when i first started collecting relics were just a mere 'backwater' of militaria collecting to many and a lot cheaper than many other fields. I look back on those days with great fondness as we had none of this stupidity back then. Regards, Tim.
 
This is all thanks to the idiots who take unexploded (gas) shells from the
battlefields. I have heard many stories from EOD people who received a call
to collect ammunition which appeared to have been taken prior to their
visit. I have been visiting WW1 battlefields for 30 years now and in the
beginning I noticed a lot of shells in the ditch next to the road and
every year you could see the same shells lying there. But the last 10
years ammunition simply disappears and quite often similars shells turn up
at local fair (and not always fully disarmed). Worth quite some money
and that is probably the main reason why people take this kind of relics
home.

And remember, it could be your neighbour who does a bit of dismantling in
his garage and one day . . . . . . . . your house is gone and he moved
upwards without saying goodbye.
 
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There's been a lot of rubbish spouted in this thread. Here's the reality.

1. Metal detecting on battlefields in France is prohibited and there can be big fines (I've heard of 10,000 euros) and vehicle confiscations. It does still go on however.

2. It is not illegal to walk battlefields and pick up stuff of the surface, however it is only common sense that unexploded munitions, especially shells are left alone.

3. Up to a dozen people a year are killed in France by WW1 Munitions, others are injured.

4. If owning or selling these relics was illegal then the police would close down every 'Bourse aux Armes' in the land, where thousands of such items are sold.

5. Museums and military bookshops openly and legally sell relics.

6. Carrying huge amounts of relics back to the UK has always been contentious but stopping and confiscating this stuff is on the whim of the customs man. I have heard of French Customs stating their 'heritage' must not be taken abroad. Again it's rubbish as anyone in France can post stuff out of the country. If I bring a brass 18pd case back that's British heritage coming home (mate). I suspect most confiscated stuff ends up in the custom people's collections, unless they suspect it's live and call the EOD.

7. I know some US citizens who come to France every year to field walk and they post home large amounts of relics often at great cost. In most cases 90% of it reaches their homes safely but around 10% has been either confiscated by customs or lost in transit over the years. The consignments often contain fuzes, grenades, helmets and personal gear.

Dano. If you come over to France you will be able to get stuff back to the US. Just be careful what you put in luggage and post the rest.

John
 
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I only walk the fields, I don't metal detect over there or dig - there is still enough to be found just with your eyes. I leave live stuff where I find it (might photo it). In the mid 80s I spent a few weekends at Verdun and picked up on the French heritage feeling - understandable for that area. Even found a rifle with a bent barrel but left it there, with remains of boots, spades, water bottles. Show respect and you should be ok, just use your commonsense.
 
Go to Ypres in Belgium, there are 2 shops just a couple of Blocks from the Menin Gate..on the same road..Lots of Ordnance for sale there..lots of neat stuff!!!

Dean
 
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