| Observe
speed limits. |
|
| Built-up
areas 50kph (31mph): |
town
or village name starts the limit;
bar through name is the derestriction sign. |
Ordinary
roads 90kph (56mph):
|
if
wet 80kph (50mph). |
Toll-free
autoroutes and dual carriageways 110kph (68mph);
|
if
wet l00kph (62mph). |
Other
autoroutes l30kph (81mph);
|
if
wet 110kph (68mph). |
Fines
for speeding are DRACONIAN. From
on-the-spot fines of €135
to as high as €1,500
(the higher fines include attending a court). |
On
autoroutes in foggy conditions, when visibility is less than 50m,
the speed limit is 50kph (31mph). |
DO
NOT drink and drive.
The alcohol limit is lower in France than Britain:
Fines can be as high as €4,500.
|
50mg
per 100ml of blood:
In reality a minuscule amount of alcohol;
just don’t drink and drive. |
|
10 VITAL RULES
TO REMEMBER
Ignoring
these could lead to hefty on-the-spot fines – or worse.
|
|
1
|
No-one
is allowed to drive on a provisional licence. |
|
2
|
Minimum
age to drive in France is 18, not 17. |
|
3
|
Seatbelts
must be worn by the driver and front and back-seat passengers. |
|
4
|
Under-tens
may not travel in the front unless the child is in a specially-approved
fitted seat facing backwards. |
|
5
|
Stop
signs mean stop. Creeping slowly in first gear will not do.
You must come to a complete halt. |
|
6
|
No
stopping on open roads unless the car is driven off the road. |
|
7
|
Overtaking
where there is a solid single centre line is heavily penalised. |
|
8
|
A
red warning triangle to be carried in case of breakdown. |
|
9
|
Full
or dipped headlights, as in the UK, in poor visibility and at
night. Sidelights only when the car is stationary. It is strongly
advisable to have a complete spare-bulb kit (buy before you
go) as it is illegal to drive with faulty lights.
If a driver flashes his headlights in France, he is generally
indicating that he has priority and you should give way, contrary
to standard practise in the UK. |
|
10
|
Beams
must be adjusted for right-hand drive. Yellow-tinted beams are
NOT compulsory for tourist vehicles. |
|
You
must also take with you: a current passport(s); driving licence;
a current vehicle insurance certificate; vehicle registration
documents (the original); if a rented car, the rental agreement
and rental insurance details; a GB plate or sticker; a first-aid
kit and a fire extinguisher.
|
|
Take
either Michelin’s various large-scale maps
(in the ‘Local’, ‘Regional’ or ‘Départementales’
series) or one of their spiral-bound atlases. |
| Buy
fuel at supermarkets for big savings. |