firstly excuse my ignorance on this its completely foreign to me {literally}
if a customer who i may do a bit of work for asked me to take a load to france could i just jump in the truck and go or is there some special license/documentation /permit etc i would need.the only time i have been abroad is with easy jet so i dont really know where to start
An International Operators license for a start 
Emergency gear onboard the vehicle viz: fire extinguisher, 1st aid kit, spare bulbs, triangle, high viz vest, etc. etc.
GB sticker, headlight left dip beam maskers, log book.
Someone else will be along in a minute to deal with the paperwork side of things.
the op license isnt a prob we have one for some unknown reason, seems this is going to be bit more involved than i thought 
Driveroneuk:
, headlight left dip beam maskers,
Someone else will be along in a minute to deal with the paperwork side of things.
Just a thought?
Do our continental cousins use beam benders whilst driving over here 
No, and very few UK trucks use them over there either, but they are a legal requirement.
Go to the euro forum and read through the stickys
at the top of the forum,s page,and if you still have
unanswerde questions, post them and some one will
come up with a reply for you
Dont forget letter from employer,to cover time when you were not at work,for holidays,illness,absent,etc.As when Gendarmarie ask for tachos,fine is 2001 Euros,for no proper records,of what you have been doing for the last 28 days.Blank CMRs required,even if empty.Not sure what letter you need if you are self employed.Write a letter to yourself?If broken down,at roadside,you need to wear a high viz,and put down two warning triangles.And spare glasses,if get down to Spain.
Also Letter from Employer authorising you to drive the vehicle, I believe the log book must also be carried? I know when I did European the employer always made sure we had the log book and the letter along of course with the medical form in case of hospital treatment being required
i dont think i,ll bother to be honest, seems a lot of hassle for what they want to pay, i,ll stick with the crap weather and roads over here
chaversdad:
i dont think i,ll bother to be honest, seems a lot of hassle for what they want to pay, i,ll stick with the crap weather and roads over here
This link explains what you need and I found it very helpfull when I started running abroad. and even has a couple of forms you can cut and paste.
thats a usefull link i,ve never seen that before
try reading the posts here Euro Drivers Info Point
it might help…
French like their 3 hour lunch break at the “Rouitiers”,wine included.Then do it again at night with a 5 course meal.Don`t know how they get the work done with all that food eating time.English drivers with a 3 minute pot noodle meal.Or rip off MSA.Nothing wrong with a pot noodle though!!
chaversdad:
i dont think i,ll bother to be honest, seems a lot of hassle for what they want to pay, i,ll stick with the crap weather and roads over here
if you are that easy to put off perhaps you should just stay in england. 
tim williams:
English drivers with a 3 minute pot noodle meal.Nothing wrong with a pot noodle though!!
Especially if it’s a Bombay Bad Boy,but don’t forget to put the bog roll in the fridge first.
Ken.
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if you are that easy to put off perhaps you should just stay in england.
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im not afraid of trying anything if it makes money, but what i meant was the rewards for the hassle involved arnt as great as they should be, pay me the right money and i,ll go anyway no matter how much trouble it is
well if the rate for the job is crap then fair enough,
but really all you need are a few basic items that are
easy to get or you should have anyway eg tax book/
log book/int licence/warning triangle. 5 mins in the office or yard
to gather up but if the bother of it puts you off …
What you need to remember is that three quarters of the revenue on most french trips is made on the france > uk leg. A large number of the foreign trucks you see in the uk go back to france empty. UK export loads to northern france only usually pay little more than the boat fare.
fao,chavesdad,go on get your self out to France, the UK is the worst place in Europe for a truck driver,all you need is a international road permit, the letters the boys have mentioned, all your vehicle docs and insurances, the high viz and triangles fire ex,bubs are important, fines are heavy, but you will enjoy it, you might be lucky and find a couple of brit drivers on the boat who will put you right, if you dont go then sub the job out to one of the boys on the site, good luck bruv.
i feel like doing the job just for the experience 
, but the rate really is bad and its not that i cant be bothered to get everything together glenman, but whats the point in chewing on all the way to france not knowing what i,m doing when i can earn just the same going to scotland 3 times in a week, i only asked the origanol question because work is tight and i,m exploring every possible avenue of work, but as it goes this job is a non starter as it was only going to be every once in a while anyway, as i said, i didnt know what it involves and now i do its not going over there thats put me off it just isnt worth it financially, not that hard to understand is it?