In France you can fly along airways at VFR cruising levels ie odd or even plus 500 feet depending which direction you are heading. If you call up Lille mid Channel and ask them for say FL 55 heading South East and follow an airway route it will take you as if by magic through all the nasty French restricted zones. You will also proably get handed over to your next frequency. Of course you may need to be on top (which is ok in France if you have climbed up through a hole in the cloud) but obviously not in the cloud without an IR. The attached link explains about the airways.
http://www.higher.flyer.co.uk/html/fairways.html
The Jepp trip kit gives all restricted and danger area crossing contacts, if I fly VFR I make a long list of the danger areas,, who to contact and when and then just ask, they don't usually refuse.
Have a great trip.