IO540,
It is true that legally a non-IR pilot needs to be in sight of the surface, but in reality (and I've been to France/Spain a number of times) there is a world of difference between ...
This is an area where e.g. the IMC Rating comes in very handy despite not being valid outside the UK.
I completely agree, but I was just making the point that legally the restrictions faced by permit aircraft overseas are not much more onerous than for 'vanilla' PPLs in any aircraft.
In reality, if I got caught out by the weather in France in the SR20 I'd use the instruments and my IMC rather than scud running whatever the law said. In the microlight I'd have fewer options, though the ability to land in quite small fields would be useful.
And yes, although there is an exception for takeoffs and landings, the 'congested areas' rule does put the use some airfields into a bit of a grey area for permit aircraft.