Driving in France

Visiting drivers must be aged 18 or over and hold a full, valid driving licence to legally drive in France. Riders of mopeds or motorcycles up to 125cc must be aged 16 or over.

You must keep your driving license with you when driving.


You must display a UK Sticker and apply headlamp deflectors.

In France you must drive on the RIGHT hand side of the road – take particular care at roundabouts and on roads close to the port.

​A handy tip is to put a sticking plaster on the 5 o’clock position of your steering wheel and keep the plaster “close to the gutter”.

Travelling in Groups in Normandy

We have been informed that, as in previous years, the French Authorities have placed a limit of 15 vehicles travelling together to the same destination.

If you have to travel in groups of 15 or over, please split into groups of under 15 and leave 10 minutes between groups. 

Headlamp Deflectors

Headlamp Beam Deflectors are a "Must Do" legal requirement for all UK cars, vans and lorries driving not just in France, but any mainland European country. This is to make sure that your headlights don´t shine in the eyes of oncoming traffic. These have to be fitted to your car even if you only drive during the daylight hours.

Clean Air Zones

In January 2017, the French government introduced 'clean air' windscreen stickers as a legal requirement in some of its larger cities. These identify a vehicle’s emissions levels and, in some cases, restrict access in order to improve air quality. Restrictions may be permanent, specified hours or temporary in response to outbreaks of poor quality air.

According to the RAC,  British drivers heading to France are advised that driving without a sticker, called a Crit'Air vignette – which costs just €4.61 (including postage) per vehicle – makes them culpable for an on-the-spot fine of up to €135. For more information click here

There is useful guidance in this article from The Guardian Newspaper

CAZ ZONES

Not all vehicles are eligible for the vignettes and this directly effects historic vehicles. Cars registered before January 1997 and motorbikes and scooters registered before June 2000 are ineligible, and cannot be driven at all where restrictions apply.  Restrictions are also in place for trucks and buses registered before 2001.

The Normandy Region does not operate any Crit'Air schemes so it will not directly effect trips there, but if you intend driving in cities such as Paris, we advise members to investigate and acquire the stickers if required.

France Seat Belt Law

If seat belts are fitted to your car, they must be worn by both drivers and passengers. The driver has a responsibility to ensure that all passengers under the age of 18 are suitably restrained in the car.

The fine for failing to wear a seat belt is set at €135, reduced to €90 if paid within 15 days. ​

Use of Mobile Phones

You cannot use a mobile phone, even hands free. The fine is €135. Only passengers can speak on a mobile phone while driving in France. You can use them as a Satnav.

Use of Headphones

​As of March 2017, it is illegal to drive a car in France using headphones or earphones. Be sure to take off your headphones once you cross the Channel, otherwise you could be fined on the spot.

Drink-driving law in France

The maximum legal level of alcohol in the blood for drivers of private vehicles is 0.05% blood alcohol content. That's lower than the 0.08% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but the same as Scotland.
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For bus and coach drivers, as well as newly qualified drivers with less than three years' experience, the limit is 0.02%.

The police have the power to carry out random breath tests. A test is compulsory after an accident that has caused injury or when a driver has committed a serious motoring offence.
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A driver involved in an accident, or who has committed a traffic offence such as speeding or not wearing a seat belt, must take a drugs test.

The police use saliva or urine tests to detect drivers under the influence of drugs. If the test is positive, a blood test follows.

Traffic Lights

The international three-colour traffic light system is used France. However, there is no amber light after the red light.

A flashing amber light indicates caution, slow down or proceed but give way to vehicles coming from the right.

A flashing red light indicates no entry. It may also indicate a level crossing or exit used by emergency vehicles.
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If a red light is accompanied by a yellow arrow, you may proceed in the direction indicated by the arrow, provided you give way to vehicles travelling in that direction, as well as to pedestrians.

Speed camera detectors in France

French law prohibits drivers from using devices capable of detecting speed cameras and warning drivers of their location. In France, you could have to pay a massive fine of €1,500 if caught.

French speed limits

France uses the metric system for all road signs, meaning speed limits and other road signs including distance are indicated using kilometres and metres.

Speed limits are lowered in rain and other adverse weather conditions, while special speed restrictions apply to certain classes of vehicle, including coaches and cars with trailers, so check before travel.
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There is a minimum speed limit of 80 km/h on motorways for vehicles travelling in the outside lane.

• Holders of EU driving licences exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 km/h will have their licences confiscated on the spot by the police.
  
• French law prohibits drivers from devices capable of detecting speed cameras and warning drivers of their location.
  
• Penalties can include fines of up to €1,500 and confiscation of the device and vehicle.
  
• This has recently been extended to include GPS-based systems capable of displaying fixed speed camera locations as points of interest.
  
• The speed limit on many A and B roads in France have been reduced to 80km/h (50mph) – in a bid to save up to 400 lives a year. This came into effect from July 1 2018.
  

	Motorways	Priority roads and dual carriageways	Other roads	Built up areas
Normal traffic conditions	130 km/h	110 km/h	80 km/h	50 km/h
Rain or other precipitation	110 km/h	100 km/h	70 km/h	50 km/h
Visibility less than 50m	50 km/h	50 km/h	50 km/h	50 km/h

 

If you have a trailer the speed limits are different - see advice on our trailer page

Penalties and fines in France

French speeding fines
The standard fine for breaking the speed limit in France is €135, with points added to your licence depending on how much the limit is exceeded by.
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Holders of EU driving licences exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 km/h will have their licences confiscated on the spot by the police.
 
On-the-spot fines
Visiting motorists should be warned that some French police authorities are authorised to impose and collect fines on the spot up to €750 from drivers who violate traffic regulations.

If the offence committed is not likely to entail the suspension of the driving licence or a prison sentence, the motorist can pay a reduced fine within the next three days. If you want to contest the fine, you must apply for a court hearing within 30 days.

If the offence committed is serious and likely to entail a heavy fine and the suspension of the driving licence or a prison sentence, a motorist who is not resident in France and has no employment there must deposit a guarantee.

The police may hold his or her vehicle until payment is made. This payment can be in euros, by cheque drawn on a French bank or by travellers' cheques.

Minimum and maximum fines in France
Standard fines are classified into four categories according to the gravity of the offence, ranging from €11 to €750. They can be reduced if payment is made within 15 days (in the case of postal payments, three days if paid in person) or increased if payment is not made within 45 days.

Confiscation of vehicles
In some cases, instead of (or in addition to) a fine or prison sentence, the vehicle can be confiscated. The main offences this can be applied to are:

• Exceeding the speed limit by over 50 km/h
• Repeated offence of driving under the influence of alcohol (0.40 mg per litre of breath)
• Hit and run
• Refusal to stop when requested
• Driving without a licence
• Driving a vehicle with a category of licence that of a category which does not cover that vehicle
• Driving without insurance

Any of the above cases can result in the vehicle becoming the property of the French government.

The EU Cross-Border Enforcement Directive
An EU cross-border directive came into effect in the UK in May 2017. This is aimed at tracking down people who commit traffic offences in cars that are registered in an EU member state different to where the offence was committed.
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This means if you commit a driving offence abroad, the crime will effectively follow you back home to the UK where you can still be prosecuted.

Parking in France

Parking regulations
Stopping and parking are permitted on the right-hand side only of roads with two lanes of traffic; in one-way streets, stopping and parking are allowed on both sides if the street is wide enough.

Restrictions and limitations are indicated by road signs or by yellow lines on the kerb. A continuous yellow line indicates that stopping and parking are prohibited. A broken yellow line indicates that parking is prohibited.

Paid parking
Road signs indicate the areas where parking is restricted and must be paid for, either at parking meters or automatic machines that issue tickets indicating the length of parking time paid for.

Some machines take debit/credit cards ‘stationnement à la carte’.

Enforcement of parking regulations
Vehicles that are parked illegally may be towed away and impounded, even if registered abroad. The owner is liable for the cost of impounding and for every 24 hours the vehicle is kept.

In Paris and some other large towns, illegally parked vehicles are immobilised by wheel clamps. The driver must go to the local police station and pay a fine for dangerous parking or for causing an obstruction, as well as a fine to have the vehicle released.

Disabled parking access
There are spaces reserved for the disabled. In Paris, free parking is allowed where a fee is normally payable.

In principle, the disabled badge gives the holder permission to park his/her vehicle in a designated space. It does not mean that he/she can park free of charge in a fee-paying zone.

Generally, a disabled motorist may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time.

The responsibility for parking concessions usually rests with the local authorities, but the police are required to show consideration for parking by the disabled, provided they do not cause obstruction.

In an emergency

Important: 
​Because French motorways are privately managed, you’re not allowed to request your own assistance company to attend to you if you break down.
If you do break down, you should use the orange emergency telephones that are situated every 2km along main roads and motorways to call the police or the official breakdown service operating in that area.

Alternatively, if no orange telephone is available, you should call the emergency services by dialling 112.

You will be towed to a safe designated area where you can then be met by your chosen breakdown provider. Charges for assistance on a motorway are fixed by the government and are reviewed and revised each year.

The cost for recovery is:

• €124.83 for vehicles 1.8 tonnes or under or €187.25 between the hours of 18:00 and 08:00, weekends and bank holidays
• €154.36 for vehicles 3.5t or under or €231.54 between the hours of 18:00 and 08:00, weekends and bank holidays
• For vehicles over 3.5t, the cost is at the towing service’s discretion