Top Tips for Driving in France

Taking your car with you to France, or are hiring one when you get there, gives you an amazing opportunity to explore this beautiful country at your leisure and means that you can easily hop between destinations.

However, driving in another country can be a bit daunting, especially when you need to drive on the right hand side of the road, so we have put together some top tips for driving in France which we hope will put you at ease!

Check your speed limit

When you are driving in France the speed limit signs will be in kilometres per hour and you are legally obliged to drive different speeds on the motorways depending on whether it is wet or dry. In the dry you can drive 130kph whereas when it is wet you can only drive up to 110kph.

In built up areas the speed limit is typically 50kph but in residential areas it can be 30kph, also keep in mind that you are not allowed to have speed camera alerts switched on if your sat nav has this feature.

Have all that you need

There are a number of items that you must have in your car when you are driving in France. These are:

·         One high visibility vest per passenger which must be worn should the car break down

·         A warning triangle to put behind your vehicle should you break down

·         Spare bulbs in case one of your lights fails

·         Headlight beam adjusters to avoid dazzling drivers on the opposite side of the road

·         A breathalyser kit which meets NF standards

Child passengers

If you are travelling with children under the age of 10 they are not allowed to sit in the front passenger seat unless they are wearing a child restraint. This must be enforced unless there are no back seats in your vehicle, no seat belts in the back, or if the back seats are occupied by other children under the age of 10.

We hope that these top tips for driving in France help you to have a safe and amazing holiday

Common questions