Driving in France
France has nearly 25,000mi/40,000km of national highways, of which nearly 6000mi/9600km are four-lane superhighways, known as 'autoroutes'. Many of these superhighways are toll roads, called 'autoroutes a peage'. The French government also maintains a good network of secondary national highways, denoted on maps by an 'N' before the route number.
| Min Age | Car: 18 |
| Drive | Right |
| Lights | Headlights must be used in tunnels all year round. |
| Speeds | Open Road 110km/h; Town: 50km/h (30km/h around schools); Motorway: 130km/h |
| Drink Drive | Don't! |
| High Visibility Vest | Required - Must be put on before getting out of the car in the event of a breakdown or accident. |
| First Aid Kit | Recommended |
| Fire Extinguisher | Compulsory - accesible from driver's seat |
| Warning Triangle | Compulsory - be placed 30m behind the vehicle on ordinary roads ( 100m on motorways). Should be visible at 50 metres. |
| Motorways | |
| Motorcycle Crash Helmet | Compulsory for rider and passenger |
| Seat Belts | Compulsory for all occupants if fitted |
| Children | Children must be 10 years or over to sit in the front. Under 10 years they must be seated in the rear and seatbelted or in an approved child seat. Very young chilren in an approved rear-facing safety seat can be in front. |
| Other Notes | It is compulsory to carry a driving licence, car registration papers (Carte Grise) and insurance documents. (These must be the original documents; keep copies separately.) |
