Have you followed our driving holiday on social media? We recently drove to Portugal through France and Spain so as promised I wanted to share more about our journey with you. Hopefully I can share some tips to help you decide if driving in France would be a great holiday for you.
Different speed limits in the rain
Many roads have lower speed limits in the rain. This is often displayed clearly on boards but this is something to be aware of and read up about before you go.
Toll roads
There are a lot of toll roads, predominantly motorways, in France. These roads often take cards but the easiest way to use them is with a Telepeage badge. We ordered from Emovis and with a small deposit and setting up a direct debit to allow them to take tolls from your bank card you simply drive through the t lane on the roads, your badge beeps and you know it has registered you!
Roads can be as cheap as a few Euros and up to maybe 30 Euros depending on the distance you stay on the roads and the vehicle you drive. This seems expensive BUT these roads are not too busy, well kept, and have lots of good signage for services so in my opinion they are worth it.
Services on motorways and busy roads
There are lots of service stops on motorways and busy roads but it pays to check the symbols for each as many are just picnic areas and don’t have petrol, toilets or food.
Giving way on roundabouts
If you haven’t driven on the right before then roundabouts can be a little challenging initially as you must look to your left to check it is safe. Remember you are giving way to the left!
Motorways and slip roads
In the UK a large number of slip roads lead up to a roundabout however in France in my experience many roads split and just go off in another direction without the need for a roundabout. Roads can also split from either side of the road so pay attention to road signs!
Check what kit you need
In France you must carry things like a red warning triangle and high-vis jackets for everyone in the vehicle in case of a breakdown. These must be carried in the car not in the boot. You also need to have a UK sticker on your car if it isn’t on your numberplate and headlight beam deflectors.
Check your Sat Nav Settings
In France you must not have speed camera detection enabled on your Sat Nav system or any other gadget. It is illegal in France to do this. There is a big fine if caught doing this so it isn’t worth it to be honest.
You must be 18 to drive in France
Visitors to France must be 18 or over to drive in the country so if you, or one of your children is 17 with a license unfortunately they can not yet drive in France.
Crit-Air sticker
Some cities in France you need to have a Crit-Air sticker to drive in, this is a little like the low emission zones in the UK. I simply ordered one online with my registration number before we went to ensure I couldn’t accidentally go into the wrong area and face a huge fine! It cost a couple of Euros and really just gives a bit of peace of mind.
Take the right documents
To be sure that you have everything you could need if you are pulled over you should always carry the following when driving in France.
- Your driving licence (full and in date!)
- Your Passport
- Motor insurance certificate
- V5 registration document or if you have a leased car a document stating you have permission to take it out of the UK.
Would you like to drive in France? Have you driven there before and got any other tips? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
