Driving in France

France has some of the best roads in Europe and a wonderful motorway network called the Autoroutes which are a real pleasure to use. Autoroutes and major roads sometimes refered to as (National) N roads or (route nationale) RN roads are usually well sign posted. The autoroutes are toll roads but are not as expensive as you may think and you can pay by credit card. Compared to say the UK, the roads are much less congested mainly due to the fact that France has three times the land mass.The times and dates to avoid if you can would be the begining and end of August when the French like to take their annual holiday and if possible are the ones nearest July 14th and August 15th.

If you are driving from the UK, the first thing you will notice is that they drive on the wrong side of the road in France!! The initial strangeness is soon overcome however, once you get out of the towns and cities and on to the French roads. If you have entered France at Calais or Boulogne you need to bear in mind that your journey to say, the Dordogne area, could take up to 10 hours. This needs to be considered if you are hoping to find accommodation on the way down to break up your journey. If you have flown in to Paris from the USA for example and are touring, you will obviously be hiring a car. Always try and arrange your Car Hire in the states before you leave as it can be a lot cheaper than hiring in France. Click HERE for a reliable Car Hire source.

If there are only two of you, get the smallest car available because A. the highways are excellent, but in some small villages there are narrow streets; B. parking is easier, and C. gas is expensive (in March 2005 it was €1.13 [euro] per liter, equivalent to about $5.75 a gallon). The smallest cars usually come with manual transmission only; to get an automatic, you may need to rent a slightly larger car. Of course, if you are four, you will need a larger car. We have used a Peugeot 206 diesel four-door, which worked marvelously well, both on the toll roads and on sharply rising mountain roads with hairpin bends. To rent a car, a US or UK driver's license is sufficient. Insurance is essential and prices may vary. When returning the car at an airport, the signs leading to rental agencies are marked "Location," which in French means "car hire." If you plan to spend time in Paris, the better course is to delay getting a car, which you won't use in Paris. Instead, take the free bus shuttle to the RER (pronounced "air-uh-air") station in Roissy (a few minutes away) and take the train to Paris (14 miles away) at a cost of 7.62 [pounds sterling], or about $10, per person. Keep your ticket, because once in Paris you can transfer to the Metro using the same ticket.You can pick up your car in Paris when you're ready to leave. Driving out of Paris is not especially difficult--much easier than London.

Seatbelts are compulsory for all passengers. Children must be properly protected up to the age of ten (car cots for small babies, and baby or child seats.) Crash helmets must be worn for all forms of motorbike travel.

The speed limit on autoroutes is 130 kilometers per hour (about 81 mph), but cars going 90 mph are common. There are frequent rest stops, ranging from basic ones to elaborate ones with gas stations, restaurants, shops and sometimes even beds. As you approach rest stops, white panels indicate the amenities available. Unless otherwise indicated the speed limit in urban areas is 50 kph in built up areas, 90 kph on other roads, (80 in the rain) and 130 kph on autoroutes (110 in the rain).

Carry your insurance, car log book - original not a photocopy, (or a letter from the car hire company if it is a company car), and your driving license with you at all times whilst driving. It is an offence to not to do so.For a first-time visitor to France, a tour may be the best bet. A single traveler will do well with a railpass, but for two or more persons who want to explore France more thoroughly, a car is the only way to travel.

It is an offence to drive with more than 0.5 g of alcohol per litre of blood. About two glasses of wine!!

The Bison futé system has been set up to try to prevent traffic jams. The maps which are available free from garages shows alternative routes indicated by green and yellow panels and the word bis.

The highway system in France is excellent. Of course, mountain roads have hairpin turns, e.g., on the Route Napoleon near Grasse. Motorways are indicated by blue signs; national roads are on green signs, and smaller roads have white signs. There are also "super highways," which are toll roads; their signs are also blue, but under the direction name it says "peage" (which means "pay"). The cost is about 15 cents a mile, which is worth it in terms of time and gas savings if you are in a hurry. Roundabouts (rotaries) are common in France (not on motorways), and you must yield to cars already in them. As you approach a roundabout, a sign shows all the exits, but if you are not sure which one to take, you can continue around again.One caution about directional arrows, particularly at intersections--they tend to be somewhat angled, and sometimes it's not quite clear which way they point.

All in all the French driving experience is a pleasant one and one that we can highly recommend.