On the road
If you travel by car, the national, regional or departmental maps are of big help. We can buy them in each town, tourist office, town council or newsagent. The regional information centres supervise the road network. You can contact them to get to know the road conditions. During holidays or long weekends, there is a means of information called "Bison Futé". It gives traffic information, days and hours to avoid, advice for using the secondary roads. Bison Futé indicates the departure and return period during holidays.The traffic signs are of different colours: blue for highways, yellow for national roads, green for departmental roads, white for local ones. These signs appear on the road maps. The red signs indicate a danger. For using the highways you need to pay the toll. The payment can be made by credit card. There are rest areas that allow the drivers to make breaks. They are equipped with toilets, telephones, station-services and sometimes with a road information point, picnic and restaurant areas, or even shops selling road-useful articles. Prices here are always higher than elsewhere. All along the highways, these rest areas are indicated by boards. In case of a break-down, the highways are provided (on every 2 km) with emergency telephones linked up with the police station. Driving Licence
Depending on your country of origin, you may need an international driving licence and an official French translation of this licence. Ask the French Embassy in your country for more information.
For a stay in France longer then 1 year it is necessary, before the end of the first year of stay, to pass the French driving licence. The foreign students can use their national driving licence If they have a student card. In Paris, it is at the police headquarter (metro Cité) where you have to exchange your driving licence. In Province, you have to ask the headquarter of your department.
Road safety Every inebriated driver compromises seriously the safety of its passengers and of the other road users. Consequently, it is forbidden to drive with a level of pure alcohol in blood equal or superior to 0.5 g per litre of blood. The police forces are allowed to check your alcohol level. Putting the seat belt is obligatory in the front as well as in the back side of the vehicle and the traffic is made on the right side. Speed limitation: - 50 km/h (30 mph) in built-up areas - 90 km/h (55 mph) on the road - 110 km/h (68 mph) on the fast roads - 130 km/h (80 mph) on the highways In case of rain , you have to reduce your speed: - 50 km/h (30 mph) in built-up areas when there is no other indication - 80 km/h (50 mph) on the road - 100 km/h (60 mph) on the fast roads - 110 km/h (68 mph) on the highways Transporting a child under the age of ten in the front seat of a motor vehicle is forbidden except in some specific cases. The child seat is compulsory for all children who weigh less than 25 kg. All that you need to know regarding the road safety in France: http://www.securite-routiere.fr http://www.securiteroutiere.equipement.gouv.fr The Website MAPPY gives the opportunity to prepare an itinerary for every journey in Europe: www.mappy.fr
Source: http://ca.franceguide.com
