If you are not from the USA or one of the other countries which drive on the right, driving in France can be quite tricky. Driving is on the right and overtaking is on the left. Importantly you should give way to the right unless a sign with a yellow diagonal indicated that it is your right of way. Right of way is given to all official vehicles such as police (cars and bikes), ambulances, fire trucks and public utility vehicles including those bearing the words Service de Nettoiement and Generale des Eaux.
Instead of using an upward pointing arrow to mean straight on there is an arrow pointing right on the left hand side of the road or vice versa.
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Carry a warning triangle at all times in case you break down. It is to be placed 30 metres behind the car. If you have to get out of your car in an emergency you should put on a fluorescent yellow jacket. Use of your lights in any sort of poor visibility is mandatory. You can do a 24 hour check on driving conditions in France by calling (1) 48 94 33 33.
If you are involved in an accident you and the other driver should look for a policeman. If you are the only one whose car is damaged a bailiff can help. Otherwise you may have to go to the town hall. Get the licence number, name and insurance company of the other driver. Take photographs if you can. Try to get the names and addresses of any witnesses. Then contact us and/or your insurance company.
It is mandatory to for all passengers to wear seatbelts in the front seat and back seats. Children under the age of 10 cannot travel in the front passenger seat (unless the car does not have back seats). Non use of helmets for motorcyclists is punishable by a fine.
You can recognise national roads when they start with the letter N, while motorways have A before the identifying number. Minor roads have a D. Motorway signs have white letters on a blue background.
Currently unleaded 98 costs 1.281 Euros, unleaded 95 is 1.252 and diesel is 1.116. However, prices vary hugely across different parts of France. Visit http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/ for more information on the price of unleaded and diesel. Filling up at service stations on motorways is more expensive than at the supermarket stations.
The alcohol limit is 50 milligrams and your licence could be revoked for two years if you exceed this, or you could get a large fine.
You need your passport, insurance certificate, vehicle registration and driving licence at all times.
No, you need a valid international driving licence.
Driving licence- Permis de Conduite
Insurance certificate – Carte Verte
Services (rest stops) - Aire de repos
Bailiff (for accidents) - Huissier
Pay-and-display machine – Horodateur
End of no parking zone - Fin d'interdiction de stationer
Beware roadworks - Attention travaux
Petrol - Essence
Unleaded - Sans plomb
Diesel – Gazole
Town center – Centre Ville
No pedestrians - Interdit aux pietons
Exit – Sortie
One lane road - Voie unique
Turn on your lights - Allumez vos feux (lanterns)
Closed - Ferme
Most motorways are toll roads and are recognizable by a blue sign (the sign is green if there is no toll to pay and it will say Prochain èchangement gratui). Take a ticket on entering and produce it later to pay. Have some loose change (Euros) handy.
Villages: 50 km
Open Road: 110 km (90Km when wet)
Motorways: 130 km (110Km when wet)
Radar traps are frequent and you could lose your licence on the spot for going 25 kilometres above the limit. Signs which denote where the speed limit starts have a white background with a red border and when they end the sign has a diagonal black bar through it.
The conversion from kilometres to miles per hour is one kilometres = 0.62 miles per hour. Therefore the speed limit in French villages is 30 miles per hour.
The minimum driving age is 18. To rent a car in France you must be at least 20 years of age and have held your driving licence for one year.
The police can be accessed by calling 17, the fire services are on 18. The British Embassy is in Paris at 35, rue du Faubourg St Honoré, 75363, and can be called on 33 1 44 51 31 00.
Be sure to observe all parking signs in the cities or any built up areas otherwise you face being towed or getting an on the spot fine. Parking is free between 9pm to 7am, on holidays and during the month of August. In small towns there is usually free parking between 12pm – 1.30pm. France also has an unusual system - stationnement alterné semi-mensal’ – whereby parking is done on alternate sides of the road month by month so keep an eye out for this. Look for road signs marked with dates during which you cannot park on that side of the road. A black letter P with a red circle around it means no parking.