Driving in France
Bonjour! The French drive on the right side of the road, something you will need to get adjusted to faster than the language if you're coming from a country that drives on the left.
The Roads
The roads in France are in extremely good condition because of the large amount of tolls. The majority of roads in France have tolls. All major credit cards are accepted while paying the toll. The toll fee depends upon the distance you travel and also the type of vehicle you are driving. Trunk roads, also known as route nationales do not have tolls. For these kinds of roads, it is always a good idea to pay by cash than by credit card.
Age Requirement
The minimum age requirement for driving in France is 18.
Seatbelts
Seatbelts for all passengers are mandatory. Children under 10 years of age are not allowed to sit in the front and must be seated at the rear with a seatbelt tightly fastened.
Speed Limits
Speed limits vary depending on where you are driving in France. The speed limit for expressways is 130kph. Since France experiences a lot of bad weather conditions, speed limits can also vary depending upon the weather. The laws are stricter for people who've had their licenses for less number of years, for example, a person who has held a license for less than one year must always follow the speed limit of 90kph.
More and more roads in France have fixed speed cameras, which are all preceded by a warning road sign.
Speed limits in France are as follows:
- 50 km/h in towns
- 90 km/h on main roads
- 110 km/h on dual carriage ways
- 130 km/h on motorways
Be aware that urban speed limits begin at the town or city sign (not always where the first 50km/h sign is situated), usually denoted by a white name panel with a red border, and the limit ends where the name panel has a diagonal black bar through it.
In France, anyone caught travelling at more than 25km/h above the speed limit can have their license confiscated on the spot.
Priority to the right: the "Priorite a droite"
This strange rule only applies when driving in France, so it causes much confusion for forign drivers. This rule basically states that when driving along a road, anyone joining from your right hand side has priority over the main road on which you are driving, regardless of the size of the adjoining road. The joining car does not have to stop - you do! This law is thankfully not widely used any more, but in certain roundabouts (like some main roundabouts in Paris for example) you will still see cars stop as the traffic from the right joins. On the expressways this rule doesn't apply anymore.
If you see the critical sign (yellow triangle with a black border) it means that the road on which you are driving has priority.
Traffic Lights
When you wish to turn left in an intersection that has traffic lights, make sure that there's no oncoming traffic before you turn, because usually both directions will have a green light. You can enter the intersection, and wait until there is no oncoming traffic going the other way, and then complete the turn.
Unlike when driving the USA, you cannot turn right when you have a red light in an intersection.
Another thing that foreign drivers might find confusing about traffic lights in France is that sometimes there are traffic lights that are meant for traffic coming OUT of the intersection for pedestrians who are crossing the street. This means that you will have one traffic light for going into the intersection, and another for going out of the same intersection. These traffic lights are most common in roundabouts, where you will have a traffic light as you get out of the roundabout.
Police
Police have the authority to collect fines on the spot. Some of them can even collect up to €380.
Drinking and Driving
Although the legally allowed blood alcohol limit is higher than most countries (0.5 mg/ml per litter), going over the limit can cause you serious damage. If you have between 0.5 and 0.8mg of alcohol in your blood you could be fined between 135€ to 750€. You will not be allowed to drive until the alcohol level drops to 0.5mg.
Documentation
Always make sure that you have your driving license, insurance certificate and vehicle registration in hand along with ownership papers and passport. An international driver’s license is required for foreign drivers. If you cannot hand in your driving license and vehicle registration, you will be fined.
Other Issues
There are several other requirements to fulfill before driving. Every car must be equipped with F stickers to indicate country of registration, warning triangles, spare bulbs and a first aid kit. A law in France states that if you fail to provide help during a fire or do not take any actions to prevent it from escalating, it is an offence.
Usually, the French do not use horns. They are only meant to be used in case of extreme danger. While parking in a dimly lit area, the parking lights must be kept on. If another driver who is behind you flashes his headlights, he is indicating that he wants to pass.
Additional Information
All information on this page is provided as a service to our users. It is not meant to be a comprehensive document, though we try to keep it as updated as we can. We cannot be held responsible in any way for any consequences arising from any inaccuracies.
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