When we drive at about 100 kph, cars towing trailers fly past us.
In that case they’re probably aeroplanes and not subject to autoroute speed limits 
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Oh silly me, that’s why they’re going so fast!
definitely 90kh if you’re pulling a trailer or caravan… and less in bad weather… the links make interesting reading…
https://www.autoroutes.fr/fr/vitesse-et-distances-de-securite.htm
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I take your point about being more likely to cause an accident by driving slower than the speed fiends in Germany, but trailers are far more dangerous at speed than a single-lump vehicle. There’s too much that can potentially go wrong.
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I agree with Karen. I’ve seen trailers turn turtle whilst being towed often taking the car with them…
Code de la Route Article R413-8
Version en vigueur depuis le 10 janvier 2014
La vitesse des véhicules dont le poids total autorisé en charge est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes ou des ensembles de véhicules dont le poids total roulant autorisé est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes, à l’exception des véhicules de transport en commun, est limitée à :
1° 90 km/h sur les autoroutes ;
2° 80 km/h sur les routes à caractère prioritaire et signalées comme telles. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 90 km/h pour les véhicules dont le poids total est inférieur ou égal à 12 tonnes sur les routes à deux chaussées séparées par un terre-plein central ;
3° 80 km/h sur les autres routes. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est abaissée à 60 km/h pour les véhicules articulés ou avec remorque dont le poids total est supérieur à 12 tonnes.
4° 50 km/h en agglomération. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 70 km/h sur le boulevard périphérique de Paris.
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it’s quite scary here in france, when lorries and cars insist on speeding and harrassing the driver in front, just because that driver is following the legal guidance.
those speeding drivers will/do cause accidents but thankfully … so far… we’ve not been one of their victims.
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I know I will get pilloried for this but colleagues in the UK suggested switching your lights on if you are getting tailgated. It can look like brake lights I guess.
I’ve found on bicycles and scooters having very long hair down back from helmet does help. And a tiny wobble also sends a message to the driver behind there’s a good chance they’ll heed. I also wave thanks whenever possible to any driver who has made a point of taking care.
And as a driver or rider myself I’m really, really careful of horses and will overtake incredibly slowly and right on the other side of the road if I can. If there’s not enough space to give a wide berth I just wait until there is.
That’s interesting @b33jay and ties up with what @Stella was saying (I think). My “outfit” is waaaaaay under that sort of weight but that surely dlesn’t mean I can drive at normal car speeds?
EDIT: As it happens, I’ve just bought a copy of the Code de Route, so I will try to wade my way through that!
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I discovered that a friend 'borrowed ’ my code and has lost it 
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I’ve sent you a message
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No pillory for you Karen, but definitely one for your colleagues. If a driver is such an idiot to drive so close to alarm you to that extent, who knows what he/she will do in sheer panic at such an action?
so often… this is what happens… drivers are much too close, as if urging the vehicle in front to go faster… it can be very frightening, especially if one “knows the road” and does need to slow down for a hidden bend etc… while the vehicle behind possibly is totally unaware of anything … and presses harder and harder.
In my experience, the only thing that gets rid of tailgaters is to wait until there is an overtaking spot then slow down until they overtake.
But I’ve been surprised how reluctant some people are to overtake. I was once doing 80 in an 80 zone and being tailgated. I rounded a corner to see a 1km straight, overtaking permitted, no other traffic in sight. I slowed to 70, 60, 50 then 45 and the following driver just would not overtake. I eventually stopped in a field entrance. He crept past before finally accelerating away.
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Exactly.
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We had just that, the other day on the way back from Charente… dratted car followed us nearly all the way home… refusing to overtake, time after time… dropping back even… before charging up again.
OH was driving and was NOT amused.
some drivers just don’t know how to drive properly.
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When I first came to France looking for a property to buy, several times, because I didn’t know where I was and I had someone up my backside, I slowed to let them pass and pulled in, only to be hooted at - and I don’t think they were saying thank you!
I was once tooted at by a lorry driver who was so close he couldn’t see that I had put my indicator on - luckily I was turning left not right.
I did just that one time on a winding narrow road with a solid white line down the middle, and I flashed my headlights when the car tailgating me overtook me on that solid white line! I was doing 90kms/hr, the legal limit.
Once the driver had overtaken, he slowed down to my speed, just in front of me, and actually braked suddenly, as I had to, to avoid a collision. Then the car in front pulled away and a bent arm appeared with a middle finger pointing up to the sky!