Driving in France

landpirate

landpirate

campervan untilising nomadic traveller
So it looks like I could be headed to France in the next couple of weeks. Will be driving from the UK. I am taking my ex boyfriend to his parents where he is going to stay until he's 'cleaned' his act up. I'm not imagining this to be a fun journey. 12 hours in a car + however long on a ferry with someone in the early stages of detox is probably going to be horrific. So I just wanted to know if anyone has any tips or things I should know about when driving in France?

I've been to France a few times as a child but I have never actually driven on the other side of the road. I've googled a fair bit about the driving laws over there but People's own experiences are always better.

If it turns out I can offer a ride I will make a post on here. It is likely I will be on my own on the return journey so plenty of space.

Any info will be useful. I'm headed to the Bordeaux area.
 
Toll roads up the ass. Roundabouts everywhere in the city (but you are probably used to that). Yellow headlights (jaundiced cars?). I didn't experience this, but I hear if you drive like shit in town, you may get a friendly bumper tap for driving like an idiot.

Bring your own toilet paper.

...such a sweet girlfriend.
 
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Yeah, as he said above, a shit load of roundabouts, and lots of motorcycles too! I'll be in France in a month or so.. looking forward to it

I hope you have a safe journey
 
Heres a good link. - http://www.rac.co.uk/travel/driving-abroad/countries/france
Covers pretty much everything.



Watch out for this too.

While driving in France you are required by law to carry the following items. Hefty on-the-spot fines can be issued for failing to carry specific items:
  • Reflective jackets (must be kept inside the vehicle, within reach)
  • Warning triangle (compulsory in every vehicle with 4 wheels or more)
  • Headlamp beam deflectors (Depending on your car, you will either need deflector stickers or have to adjust the beam manually)
  • Breathalysers/alcohol test (As of January 2013 the French government announced that the introduction of an €11 fine has been postponed indefinitely)
 
the toll roads are a pain in the ass, but if you search, maybe even on google maps, you can find toll free routes, taking secondary highways. might take a little bit longer, but saves a shitload of cash
 
mmmmmmmichael said:
...such a sweet girlfriend.
Click to expand...

actually ex girlfriend, and I'm really only doing it so he becomes somebody else's problem, not so sweet...

thanks for the info though everyone I really appreciate it.

I knew toll roads were going to be a pain, google maps though can give you routes that avoid them, so hopefully we'll be able to save a few £££ that way. Roundabouts are everywhere over here, so I am used to that. going the other way round them might take some getting used to, but I guess I'll soon find out.

Hadn't even remembered about the whole weird headlight thing. I remember my dad when I was a kid sticking things on the front to make them shine a different way. I've also managed to borrow a european road safety kit thing with the warning triangle and other bits in.

thank you everyone, I'll keep you posted if I have rides to offer. ;)
 
i know i'm replying to an old thread and the OP's mission to France has already happened however i thought i should mention a very important point when driving over there which may be useful to others in the future - there is an old system / law termed Prioritie a droite ie priority to traffic from the right... it is difficult to describe the utter insanity of this law but basically you can be hurtling down a 60km/hour N road and see a teeny tiny country lane joining your carriageway from the right and any vehicle coming from that right has priority and can pull out in front of you at 5km/hour completely legally ! this is the cause of many accidents for foreign drivers in France... these days there are new priority laws - a yellow lozenge on your route gives that route priority - however many older French people who have been used to Prioritie a droite all their lives may well pull out anyways ! its also said to still be the way they drive in Brittany....
 
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