Driving In France

Basic Legal Requirements

Driving Licence

When driving in France, you will need to ensure you bring both parts of your driving licence - the Photocard plus the Paper Counterpart (D740). If you do not have a Photocard yet, only the paper copy is required.

You must be the holder of a full driving licence (not a provisional), and have passed your test. Even if you have already passed your full test, you must be at least 18 years old, or 16 for motorcycles up to 80cc.

If your visit is for less than 90 days, you will not require an International Driving Permit. If you are intending to drive in France for more than 90 days, apply for the International Driving Permit through the Post Office. The international driving permit is in addition to your driving licence, so you will need to carry both copies.

While a photocopy may be useful if your licence is lost, you should carry the original with you.

Car Documents

You should carry your vehicles Registration Certificate (V5C) with you, which should be updated to show your correct details. For security reasons, it's best NOT to leave the Registration Certificate in the vehicle while it is parked - it makes it harder to a thief to resell the vehicle if they do not have the documentation.

While a photocopy may be useful if your Registration Certificate is lost, you should carry the original with you.

Insurance

It is compulsory to have at least third-party insurance for France, as for the UK. Most UK insurance policies will allow an element of European driving, often for a limited period.

Before leaving the UK, it is a good idea to contact your insurer, and check what your existing cover allows. You can also request a 'Green Card' which is an internationally recognised form of proof of insurance. You should carry proof of insurance with you while driving.

If your existing insurance does not provide European cover for the period required, most insurance brokers will have a suitable policy.

Your Vehicle

Your headlights will need to be adjusted to ensure that they do not dazzle oncoming users. If you will not be driving at night, you may not have to make any changes, but should be prepared in case you are delayed.

Standard halogen headlights and Autobulbs Xenon HID Conversion kits can be modified by the use of a stick on Headlight Beam Adaptors. Vehicles with factory fitted Xenon HID headlights may find there is an adjuster either on the headlights themselves or on the dashboard - check your manual for details. If there is no adjuster, you may need to visit a dealer for them to make the adjustments, and again to change them back after your visit.

Reflective Jackets or vests are now a legal requirement - you should have one for each passenger in the vehicle. At the moment this does not apply to motorbikes or trikes. The jackets should comply to the EN471 standard. In the event of a breakdown or accident, anyone outside the vehicle must wear one of the reflective jackets. Note that the jackets must be carried inside the vehicle, not in the boot. This is so you can put them on before getting out of the vehicle.

You should also carry a reflective Warning Triangle in the vehicle. In the event of an accident or breakdown, the triangle should be set up by the side of the road, at least 50 meters in the direction of of the traffic. If you have broken down in the outer lane of a dual carriageway or motorway, or attempting to place the warning triangle would place you in danger, do not use it. Remember to collect your warning triangle before leaving!

If you are planning on driving in mountain areas in winter, you must carry snow chains and fit them when conditions demand it. This is a requirement even if you have winter tyres already fitted. You need to be carrying chains in the mountain areas in winter, even if there is no snow!

Children under the age of 10 must not travel in the front seats, unless there are no rear seats, or all the rear seats are already occupied by children under 10. All passengers must use seat belts if fitted.

Child seats must be used for:

• babies under 13kg must be carried in a rear-facing child seat suitable for their weight
• Children between 9kg and 18kg (around 9 months to 5 years) should use a forward facing seat for their weight
• children over 15kg (around 4 years) and up to 10 years can use a booster seat with the main seat belt.

You may have a number plate that already has a valid 'GB' mark. If you do not, you will need to apply a GB sticker to the back of your vehicle.

You should carry a first aid kit in the vehicle. There is not a requirement for everyone to carry a fire extinguisher, but there is a requirement to be able to stop and assist in the case of a fire in your vehicle or another on the road. They are generally a useful safety item to carry in your vehicle if you have the space.

While there is no specific requirement to carry a set of spare bulbs, you do have to ensure all your lights are working all the time. Finding yourself in the middle of a country road on a Sunday evening with a faulty headlight or tail light could lead to a fine. The safest option is to carry a spare bulb kit suitable for your vehicle.

While HID bulbs last longer than their halogen counterparts, it makes sense to carry at least one spare Xenon HID bulb.

Driving - Legal Requirements

Lights

Dipped headlights are required on motorcycles all the time, and on other vehicles when there is low visibility, such as when it is raining. They are also required when driving through tunnels - you will see reminder signs before and after the tunnels.

Speed Limits

Speed limits can be modified by local signs, but the usual ones are:

• Built-up areas: 31 mph or 50 km/h
• Outside built-up areas: 55 mph or 90 km/h
• Urban motorways and dual carriageways: 68 mph or 110 km/h
• Motorways outside urban areas: 80 mph 130 km/h

In wet weather the speed limits are reduced:

• Outside built-up areas: 49 mph or 80 km/h
• Urban motorways and dual carriageways: 62 mph or 100 km/h
• Motorways outside urban areas: 68 mph or 110 km/h

If you have held your full licence for less than two years, you should stick to the 'wet weather' speed limits. Note that on motorways the MINIMUM speed for the outside lanes is 49 mph (80km/h) when the traffic is free-flowing.

Traffic Priorities

In general, traffic coming from the right has priority. Roundabouts can be especially tricky. The default on roundabouts is that traffic joining the roundabout has priority - this is the opposite of the UK. Be aware that if the junction is unmarked, then traffic coming from the right has priority. This is critical where you are on a main road, and a vehicle pulls our from a turning on the right - they have priority!

On roundabouts, if you see a sign saying "Vous n'avez pas la priorité" ("You do not have priority") or "Cédez le passage" ("Give way") then traffic already ON the roundabout has priority. These are more common in built up areas. Always take care on roundabouts and assume other vehicles may not give way, even if you do have right of way!

Pedestrian crossings may be marked only with road markings similar to UK pedestrian crossings. Be aware that when they are on T-junctions, they may or may not indicate priorities for vehicle traffic.

Helmets

Helmets are compulsory at all times on scooters, mopeds and motorcycles. Visors with a more than 50% tint are illegal in France as in the UK, so ensure you have a spare, or wear sunglasses under your visor.

Glasses and contact lenses

If you use contact lenses, you must carry a spare pair of prescription glasses as well.

Overtaking

Overtaking is only on the left (the outside lane of motorways and dual carriageways). If you are being overtaken you must NOT accelerate. This is a wise move anyway, as most French drivers do not leave much space when they pull back in after an overtake.

If you are travelling at the speed limit, you may find yourself being overtaken regularly - if you speed up to maintain your position, you may find yourself being stopped for speeding. French traffic police are not supposed to discriminate against foreign drivers, but be aware that a foreign vehicle will always be more visible than a local.

You must not overtake a stationary tram that passengers are entering or leaving.

Warning with Horn and Lights

As in the UK you should not use the horn except to warn of danger. However, also as in the UK, this is widely ignored! French drivers, especially in Paris, will use their horns with gusto if they think you are slowing them down.

With lights, the official rule is that they should only be used to warn others of your presence. In practice lights are commonly used to indicate that the vehicle is coming through. If someone flashes you at a junction, if generally indicates they are NOT going to let you through!

You may also be flashed to warn of police presence ahead, but be aware that it is an offence to do so.

GPS, Speed Cameras and Phones

You must NOT use any form of radar detector, or a GPS unit that contains the locations of speed cameras. Just having the radar detector in your vehicle, but not plugged in, may well lead to a fine, so remember to leave it at home. If your GPS unit has information on French speed camera locations, disable this function.

It is also an offence to use a hand-held mobile phone in France while driving. Similarly, any display screen fitted, such as a DVD player, must be set up in such a way so the driver cannot see it.

Alcohol

Drink driving in France is now enforced much more strictly than in the past. Over 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood will result in a fine and points. Significantly more will result in much larger fines and loss of your licence. Note that this is slightly lower than the 80mg blood alcohol allowed in the UK, so the safest option is not to drink at all when you are driving.

Be aware that you may still have alcohol in your blood if you have been drinking the evening before. As of Spring 2012, there is also going to be a requirement to carry a simple breathalyser kit in the car at all times.

Police and Fines

Police in France can and will issue on the spot fines for a range of offences including:

• Not carrying licence, vehicle documents or insurance documents
• Lights not working or dazzling other road users
• Speeding and other motoring offences
• Not carrying hi-vis reflective jackets, a warning triangle or first aid kit
• Children not in appropriate seats
• Driving in a bus lane
• Using a hand held mobile phone while driving
• Driving too close to the car in front

As well as the regular police (Gendarmes) there are the Gendarmerie Nationale who are responsible for road patrols. If you are stopped on a motorway or outside of town its likely to be the Gendarmerie Nationale. From the accounts of those unlucky enough to have been stopped by them, you are very unlikely to talk your way out of a fine, even if your French is good enough.

Visitors driving in France will be expected to pay the fine immediately by cash or Euro cheque - police cannot take cards or payments in sterling. If you do not have enough cash on you, the police may allow you to be escorted to a cash point. If you cannot pay the fine, the vehicle may well be impounded until you do.

If you do get stopped by the police, remember to remain polite. If you are abusive you can and will be arrested on the spot, and may find yourself facing more than a on-the-spot fine.

• Drive on the right! It's easy to forget to drive on the right when changing roads, exiting motorways, going on to roundabouts or starting for the first time in the morning. Put a sticker on your dashboard, teach the kids to chant 'drive on the right' every time you get in the car or even wear one driving glove to remind yourself.
• Go round roundabouts ANTI-Clockwise.
• French drivers tend to drive fast - well over the posted speed limits. You may well find yourself being overtaken regularly if you stick to them. You will also notice that they do not slow down much for towns and villages, and you may end up being tailgated through towns.
• Remember to reverse the directions you look, especially on roundabouts. Your instinct when turning left will be to only look to the right, but you have to cross both lanes, so remember to look both directions. This is particularly tricky when crossing dual carriageways and joining roundabouts. Reversing the directions you check will also help when you are a pedestrian - remember to look right before stepping off the kerb.
• Right of way can be tricky, with French drivers ignoring the posted priorities adding to your confusion. If unsure, assume the other vehicles are going to carry on, especially if they are trucks! You may get a driver behind you sounding their horn or gesticulating, but make sure you are confident it is safe before moving. Diamond-shaped yellow signs with a white border on some national roads indicate that you have priority. The same sign with a thick diagonal black line through it means that you no longer have priority.
• Always come to a complete stop before the solid stop lines on junctions. Police patrols will notice if you stop over the line or do not come to a complete halt.
• Do not sit in the outside lane of a motorway or dual carriageway if the inside (right) lane is clear. It could mean a fine, and may well lead to locals passing dangerously on the inside.
• Unless otherwise posted, town speed limits apply from the town name sign to the town exit sign (the town name with a line through it)
• If you have a bike on a carrier on the back, ensure the number plate and lights are not obstructed. If necessary, you may need to use a roof carrier or a plug in light board.
• 'Rappel' beneath a speed limit signs just means 'Remember' that the speed limit is still in force.
• Motorway toll roads are expensive, but are by far the fastest and easiest way to get across the country at speed. Take a ticket from the gate you enter, and pay at the gate you exit. Cash is the often the easiest choice for toll payment, but most take credit and debit cards. Some lanes are restricted to vehicles carrying automatic payment devices - as a visitor, ensure you use the ones marked for Euros or cards. Toll roads use time stamps from your entry and exit to calculate your average speed - be aware that excessive speeds may mean a fine in the post.
• Signs are generally the same as their UK equivalents. There are some variations, and a French Phrase book or dictionary can be helpful, especially for parking information.
• Petrol (95 and 98 Ron) and diesel is widely available. Note that some petrol stations are totally automated (and many are at night), and require payment by credit or debit card. Not all UK cards issued by UK banks will work, so check with them before travelling. If you cannot use your card, either travel on and try to find a manned petrol station, or offer cash to another (local) motorist in exchange for them making payment on their card.
• Lead replacement petrol is increasingly rare in France. The best option may be to take along supplies of fuel additive.
• Some petrol stations now sell a petrol-ethanol mix (labelled SP95-E10 or Sans Plomb 95 Octane, Ethanol 10%). This is not compatible with all cars, and you should check with your manufacturer before using it.
• Motorcyclists in the UK normally acknowledge each other with a nod - in France it is more common to wave your left foot.
• Spares and parts for some vehicles may be hard to locate in France, especially for imported or more unusual cars. It is worth checking the basic wear items like brakes and windscreen wipers, and carry a spare bulb kit and fuses suitable for your vehicle.
• If you are towing and use a mirror extender, check yours can be used on the left to maximise visibility when driving on the right.
• During French holidays (August and throughout the year) traffic in the main holiday areas can be very heavy. Conversely, it will be quieter in the main cities (especially Paris) at these times.
• If you have UK breakdown assistance, it may well provide limited European cover. If it does not (or you do not have breakdown cover) consider getting this for the duration of your holiday. Recovering your vehicle from France could be expensive, and repairing it locally may be difficult to arrange.

Useful Links

• European travel equipment: Autobulbs European driving accessories and spare bulbs
• FranceGuide.com: Official Tourist website for France (in English)
• Wikipedia.org/France: Wikipedia entry on France