How to drive in France?

Before driving in France

Checklist:

Driver’s license (always carry it!) french word: le permis de conduire

A translation

For non European Union drivers: an international driver’s license is advised!

Proof of ID (Passport) french word: carte d’identité ou passeport

Proof of ownership and insurance: mostly, families decide to keep these documents in the car. french word: les papiers du véhicules: carte grise et assurance.

Rules of the road & regulations

Overtaking & passing

As a general rule, drive on the right, overtake on the left.

Overtaking trams in motion is normally permitted on the right only; it is permitted on the left in one way streets, if there is not enough space on the right.

Priority

At intersections, the driver of a vehicle must give way to vehicles approaching from their right, unless otherwise indicated.

Road users must give way to police and fire brigade vehicles and ambulances.

Warning of approach

The horn may only be used in order to give necessary warning to other road users.

Between sunset and sunrise, warning must be given by flashing passing lights. The horn may be used only in cases of absolute necessity.

Rules of the road & regulations

Travelling with children:

The driver of the vehicle is responsible for ensuring that all passengers under 18 are wearing a seat belt (French word: ceinture de sécurité) or appropriate restraint.

Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to travel on the front seats of vehicles without using a special child restraint.

IMPORTANT: Seatbelts must be worn at all times when driving in France, by both adults and children, and both in the back

and front seats!

Rules of the road & regulations

Speed limits:

  Motorways

Urban motorway or dual carriageway

with a central reservation

Other roads Built up areas

Normal traffic conditions

130 km/h 110 km/h 90 km/h 50 km/h

Rain or other precipitation

110 km/h 100 km/h 80 km/h 50 km/h

Visibility less than 50m 50 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h

French word for motorways: autoroutes

Miles are not used in France. 1 mile = 1.6 kilometre (km). 1 yard = 0.91 metre

(m).

Rules of the road & regulations

Traffic lights: French word: feu rouge ou feu de circulation

In France, we use the three-colour system. There is no amber light after the red light.

Flashing amber light indicates: caution, slow down, proceed but give way to vehicles coming from the right.

Flashing red light indicates: "no entry". It may also indicate a level crossing, exit used by fire engines, etc.

Yellow arrow at the same time as a red light indicates: motorists may proceed in the direction indicated by the arrow, provided they give way to vehicles travelling in the flow of traffic which they are entering and to pedestrians.

Rules of the road & regulations

French road signs:

Signs indicating a motorway (French word: autoroute) route (whether on the motorway or pointing to it) are indicated with white lettering on a blue background, as in the picture below.Signs indicating a non-motorway main route (route nationale or other) are indicated with white lettering on a green background.

To sum up:

Blue = motorwayGreen =

important and major roads

Yellow = temporary roads

White = local roads

Rules of the road & regulations

Pedestrian Crossings (Crosswalks) French word: passage piéton

In certain countries, pedestrians enjoy a privileged status when aiming to cross a road at a crosswalk. As soon as a driver spots a pedestrian near a pedestrian crossing, even while still on the sidewalk, the driver will slow down or stop to allow the pedestrian to cross safely. Not so in France! Some French people uses the “Me First” rule. But it doesn’t mean that as a driver you should not stop your car if there is a pedestrian. Any driver has to give right of way, if necessary by stopping, to pedestrians regularly engaged in the crossing of a road or clearly showing the intention to do it.

BE CAREFUL!

Rules of the road & regulations

Roundabouts: French word: rond-point

Vehicles on a roundabout usually have priority and not those entering it, who are faced with a ‘Give Way’ sign (‘ Cédez le passage’ or ‘ Vous n’avez pas la priorité’). While it used to be that drivers on the roundabout at times had to give way to vehicles entering the roundabout, this has slowly changed, and almost all roundabouts give priority to the vehicles on the roundabout.

Rules of the road & regulations

French Signs

Yield Sign French word: Cédez le passage

Yield to the right French word: French word: Priorité à droite

Priority Road

Triangular Signs: warn of upcoming dangers. The nature of the danger will be explained inside the triangle with images.

Round signs: white backgrounds and red outlines are interdictions. With black diagonal strips = the end of those interdictions.

Sanctions

There are of course sanctions if you don’t follow French laws. The main sanctions you could meet is about:

Speed limits !

If you exceed the speed limit by 20 km/h : you need to pay 68€ or 135€ (depends on the speed limits) and they remove 1 point on the driver’s

license. It increased compared to the speed limits (30km/h higher = 3 points etc…)

AND:

Mobile (cellular) phones ( portable or mobile) shouldn’t be used while driving, even with a ‘hands-free’ system. As with non-use of seatbelts, you can be fined on the spot!

The French driver's license is based on

a points system starting with 12

points. New drivers, however,

only have six points. If they don't commit a traffic violation,

they get two more points per year

and will reach 12 points within three

years.If you commit a traffic violation you may lose

points. Once you lose all points,

your license will be revoked.

If you have more questions

Do not worry, your host family will be there to answer any questions about driving in France.

You will not have to drive long distances, mostly driving will mean take the children to School!

Drive carefully!

Bonne route !