Vechicle Requirements
- Warning Triangle compulsory if car not fitted with hazard lights or if towing a trailer or if over 3,500 kgs.
-
Spare Bulb Kit recommended.
Speed Limits
|
Solo |
Built-up areas |
50 kph (31 mph) |
|
Car & Trailer |
Built-up areas |
50 kph (31 mph) |
Car and Caravan / Trailer combinations with a gross weight less than 3.5t have the same speed restrictions as a solo vehicle.
Visitors with a full licence less than two years old are restricted to the following speed limits.
|
Major roads outside towns |
80 kph (50 mph) |
Motorways
Most motorways (autoroutes) are toll roads (peage). Take a ticket on entering, and produce it later for payment according to the distance travelled.
Note that there will be a time on your ticket and paying for it 2 hours later and 300 Kilometres down the road is not too difficult for a machine to work out that you must have been exceeding the speed limit.
Sometimes you enter without a ticket and pay a set amount on leaving. Payment may be made by credit card or cash.
Emergency phones (orange) are located every 2km.
Rest areas are frequent on motorways with minimum facilities including parking, toilets and picnic areas.
Seat Belts
|
Front |
Compulsory |
|
Rear |
Compulsory if fitted |
|
Children |
Under 10 years must be in the rear using an approved seat or harness. |
|
Babies |
Up to nine months can be in an approved rear facing seat in the front. |
Visit www.childcarseats.org for more information on safe travel with children.
Driving Licence
EC licence accepted.
Minimum driving age 18.
16 for light motorcycles
14 for mopeds
Insurance
Third-Party compulsory.
Green Card recommended.
Fines
Speeding offences attract an on-the-spot fine of up to 750 Euro or 3,750 Euro and 3 months imprisonment.
An official receipt should be issued.
Severe penalties for road traffic infringements are in force. These include imprisonment and a heavy fine for causing death whilst over the alcohol limit or under the influence of drugs and a similar penalty for causing death by dangerous or negligent driving. The French police strictly apply speeding restrictions and drivers exceeding speed limits face heavy on-the-spot fines. Drivers who break French driving laws can also have their British driving licences confiscated by French Police; and the driver concerned prevented from continuing to drive the vehicle. This could lead to the vehicle being temporarily impounded if no alternative driver with a valid licence is available.
Drinking and Driving
Blood / Alcohol limit is 0.05%.
Drink Driving fines range from 750 Euro to 4,500 Euro and confiscation of the vehicle.
Emergency Phone Numbers
From a mobile phone dial 112 for all services
Parking
A Blue Zone system operates in major towns, discs available from police, tourist offices and tobacconists.
Parking meters and Pay and Display systems also operate.
Wheel clamps and the impounding of cars are likely for illegally parked cars especially in Paris.
Fuel
- Major credit cards accepted for fuel payment.
- A maximum of 10 litres of spare fuel may be carried in an approved can.
- British Petroleum www.bp.com provides details of fuel in many parts of Eurasia.
-
LPG (Autogas) outlets in France can be found listed at Biosfera www.biosfera.fr
Motorcycles
Helmets are compulsory.
Headlights to be used 24 hours
Caravans and Trailers
Be aware that the French police are familiar with vehicle over-loading and will deal with these occurrences accordingly.
There is an additional charge for caravans on the motorways.
