Driving in France
Car is a comfortable and efficient means of travel in France as roads are well-maintained and the road network is very well developed, in fact there are nearly a million kilometres of roads, of which almost 8,000 kilometres are limited-access roads called "autoroutes" (motorways). Motorways in France are marked with "A" signs and are express highways for which you must pay tolls. Be prepared to stop several times during the trip to pay as the motorways are private financed and therefore prices per km can vary (toll booths are called "peages"). Cash and all major credit cards (Eurocard, MasterCard, Visa, Carte Bleue) are accepted as payment for tolls and at service stations. The Routes Nationales (marked with "N" signs) are national motorways for which there are no tolls, often with several lanes. Then, there are Routes Departementales (marked with "D" signs) which are smaller scenic country roads with less traffic.
You will find orange emergency telephones every 2 km, park and rest areas are located every 10/20 kilometers, 24-hour petrol stations offer a basic maintenance service (auto services, food service and children's areas) and can be found every 30-40 kilometers. Motels are found every 100 kilometers or so. Please note that some 24 hours automatic petrol pumps may not always accept international credit cards.
The charges for assistance on a motorway are fixed by the Government and cover the cost of repairing the vehicle locally (up to 30 mins) or of towing it up to 5km beyond the next motorway exit. A supplement is added for night assistance (from 6pm to 8am) or for assistance during week-ends and bank holidays (usually 25%). Note that if you break down on a motorway or on the Paris périphérique you can only call the police or the official breakdown service operating in that area, and cannot request assistance from your own company.
To find out everything about toll charges, service stations, rest areas, restaurants, filling stations, and for details of your journey, visit the French Autoroute website.
Driving Laws
In order to drive a car in France, you must be at least 18 years old and have had a valid driving license (you may obtain an international driving permit before you leave). Visitors staying less than 90 days and carrying a valid EU, international, or U.S. (state) license may drive in France. Drivers must carry driving permits, international insurance cards, and vehicle registration cards (the last two documents are provided by the rental company if you rented a car).
French law requires that all passengers riding in cars wear seat belts; children in particular must be restrained in approved child seats depending on their age. On motorcyles and scooters, helmets are required for driver and passenger.
Vehicles drive on the right in France and French driving habits and driving laws differ from those in other countries, i.e. be careful because the French rules for priorité à droite (yield right-of-way) are the opposite of the U.S. and a vehicle entering from the right has priority in cities and towns. U-turns are not permitted, nor is crossing a solid white line or driving in bus lanes. The maximum legal concentration of blood alcohol is 0.5 grams per liter. The fines for not wearing seat belts, driving through a red light, driving while intoxicated or drunk, and driving without a valid license are extremely high (even including confiscation of the vehicle).
Speed Limit
Unless otherwise signposted and on dry roads:
• 130 km/h on toll motorways (autoroutes)
• 110 km/h on dual carriageways and motorways without tolls
• 90 km/h on other roads
• 80 km/h on the Paris ring roads (the "périphérique")
• 50 km/h in towns. Town name starts the limit, a bar through the town name is the derestriction sign.
On wet roads:
• 110 km/h on toll motorways
• 100 km/h on dual carriageways and motorways without tolls
• 80 km/h on other roads.
Speed limit of 50 km/h:
• On motorways in foggy conditions, when visibility is less than 50 m.
Cars towing a caravan: if the weight of the trailer exceeds that of the car, the speed limits are lower: 65 km/h if the excess is less than 30%, or 45km/h if the excess is more than 30%.
Finding your way
Road maps and guides are available at bookshops and service stations. The main reference maps are Michelin, which has maps of all of France as well as each region, and the maps published by the IGN (Institut géographique national French national geographical institute) which provide the most detailed coverage of France. The website of ITI has custom point-to-point routing with driving times and distances.
For information on road conditions visit the Centre National d'Information Routière (CNIR) website. Otherwise in your car on frequency 107.7 you can listen to the Autoroute FM radio station.
For information on road conditions, consult regional information centers before you set off:
Ile-de-France/Centre +33 (0) 1 48 99 33 33
North +33 (0) 3 20 47 33 33
East +33 (0) 3 87 63 33 33
West +33 (0) 2 99 32 33 33
South-West +33 (0) 5 56 96 33 33
Rhone-Alpes/Auvergne +33 (0) 4 72 81 57 33
Mediterranean +33 (0) 4 91 78 78 78
For motorway conditions throughout France:
Autoroute info +33 (0) 1 47 05 90 01
Useful Links
Route Planner
Information on motorways
Roads and traffic info
French and international news
Traffic reports around Paris
Road conditions info
ASF - Autoroutes du Sud de la France
AREA Autoroutes Rhône-Alpes
ATMB Autoroute et tunnel du Mont Blanc
COFIROUTE
ESCOTA Société des Autoroutes Esterel Côte d'Azur Provence Alpes
SANEF Société des Autoroutes du Nord et de l'Est de la France
SAPN Société des Autoroutes Paris Normandie
SAPR Société des Autoroutes Paris Rhin Rhône
