I live my whole life on the french boarder. (except when I´m travelling ;-))
Every year in summer you can expect a new crazy laws. The alcotest you have to carry in your vehicle, the reflective stickers...etc...etc. The french people give a sh..about those rules, and the following summer noone talks about it anymore.
The flics are serious about unlawful things, but are the nicest people if it´s clear you´re o.k.
I was riding down a straight road, and I was at 160 km/h, when I saw a moto flic aiming at me with a laser. Suddenly he lowered the laser and saluted when I passed.
I was standing near a flic who had issues with some cloth. I took out my knive and gave him a hand, no problem about the knive. And whenever I eat I use my knive, in plain sight of the police. It all depends on the situation. Knives as tools are tolerated, knives as weapons not. So it depends on the situation. If the police can identify you as a regular rider on a trip, and you don´t carry a knive as a weapon...no problem. This applies also for Germany. You can carry a knive up to 13 cm blade length, if it´s not a weapon (butterfly knive, Kris, combat knive..., folding knives are allowed if you need two hands to open it, blade length also 13 cm. And it depends where you are. On a picnic spot oon the side of the road eating with your knive...no problem, going to bar with the same knive...big problem. In Berlin on the street...big problem, having a fight and a knive is found on you, big problem it´s armed encounter...even it wasn´t even taken out of your pocket.
So relax about this, be decent and everything will be alright. I carry a knive on my belt since I´m 13 years old. And never had any issues, but times changed, I would never carry it in England, as there are crazy kids killing each other with knives...

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