Driving In France - Important Rules of the Road

• By: Editor
• On: 22/Apr/2009
• In: France Travel Tips

· In France you drive on the right hand side of the road.

· The legal driving age is 18. 

· Full licence holders in the UK under the age of 18 are not permitted to drive in France.

· All passengers are required to wear a seat belt when driving in France. 

· Make sure you have your driving licence, insurance certificate and vehicle registration with you at all times.

· Children under the age of 10 are not permitted to sit in the front seat. 

· It is compulsory that all cars have seatbelts, both in the front and back of the vehicle.

· All cars must carry a yellow fluorescent jacket, which the driver can put on in an emergency. The jacket needs to be kept in the car, not in the boot. If you fail to carry a yellow fluorescent jacket you may receive an instant fine of up to 130 Euros if stopped by police. 

· Drivers are also required to carry a red warning triangle which can be used in the event of an accident or breakdown.

· The speed limits in France are:

  50km/h in towns,
  80km/h on the Paris péripherique (51 mph),
  90km/h on main roads (56 mph),
  110 km/h on dual carriage ways (68 mph),
  130 km/h on motorways (81mph).

Be warned if you are caught over the speed limit you could be fined on the spot. Fines are very expensive and you are required to pay in cash!

· Sometimes French police check your toll ticket as you're leaving a toll road. From this they will be able to calculate your speed over a long distance.

· One major thing to look out for is a sign with a yellow diamond and a black outline called ‘Priorite a droit’, this causes major confusion and can be very dangerous if you are not paying attention! 

This sign is not as common in recent times but if you see it remember the following:

If you are driving along a road and you see this sign, anyone who wishes to join the road on your right hand side has priority over you! Even if you are travelling at speed you are required to give way to traffic entering from the right hand side!

When this rule ends you will see the same sign with a black line going through it to state the rule no longer applies.

· Headlights must be used during poor visibility such as heavy fog and mist as well as at night!

· Bus lanes are only for buses, taxis and bicycles.

· Toll booths in France are known as "Peages". Drivers should be prepared to stop a number of times to pay at tolls.

· Drink driving – Blood alcohol levels are stricter than in the UK - 0.5 mg/ml rather than 0.8 mg/ml. The best option as always is not to drink and drive!

· Parking spaces are indicated by white dotted lines. If you see parking spaces marked "Payant" that means you have to pay, unmarked spaces are free.

· The following sign translations are very helpful:

Allumez vos lanternes - Switch on your lights.
Attention travaux - Road works.
Fin d'interdiction de stationner - End of parking restrictions.
Interdit aux pietons - No pedestrians.
Route barree - Road closed.
Vouz n'avez pas le priorite - Give way
Attention au feu - Fire hazard.
Chausee deformee - Uneven surface.
Gravillons - Loose chippings.
Rappel - Repeat of sign.

If you haven't already arranged your car hire take a look at our car hire France page and start planning your holiday today! 

If you have further tips on driving in France we would love to hear from you! Drop us a line in the comment box below.  Thank you.