10 RULES You Need to KNOW before Driving in France
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 พ.ย. 2024
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For US viewers: There is no "right turn on red" at French traffic lights, and you must always yield to pedestrians crossing the street you are turning into, even if your light is green.
However, the "right turn on red" might be possible for bicycles in some cities! So if you're riding a bike in the city, just check the traffic light. If you see a Yield sign (upside-down triangle) with a yellow bicycle inside and some arrows, it means you can pass the red light and follow the directions indicated by the arrows… provided that you let other drivers and pedestrians (who have a green light) go wherever they want to first!
Cette situation de tourner à droite au feu rouge peut se faire si et seulement si il il y a un un feu dans lequel il y a une flèche orange qui indique que vous pouvez tourner à droite 🙂
Actually there is a right tirn on red and even a pass straigt on red, but it is for bikes 😅 there are small signs for on the red light pole to indicate that to the cyclists... a smal red triangle and a yellow bike plus the arrow indicating the direction allowed...
"you must always yield to pedestrians crossing the street " is the funniest I've read today. As an American driver, I always yield to pedestrians but I rarely see the French doing the same. It's as if the French study the driving code in depth to obtain a driver's license but immediately throw them out the window once they have the license in hand.
@@Americaninparis2012 This is not exactly true. The level of compliance of this rule will depend from one region to another and one area to another. As a rule of thumb, expect the rule to be more respected in dense urban area especially around schools (school sign) and emphasized pedestrian crossing (those with light and special setup in dense or less dense area). But expect that if the road is not crowdy or in a dense area that people will wait for a zero car situation to cross the road.
As a frenchman, it's always interesting to have an outside point of view.
I would like to add to your great video, that the "entering a town" and exiting a town" (the "St Vincent de Tyrosse" rectangular sign in your case) are both also speed limit signs as well. Even if there is no sign to slow down to 50, you are de facto limited to 50 as soon as you pass this sign. When you pass the "out of town sign", you're back to the normal limitation for this type of road, wich is usually 80km/h unless told otherwise.
Thanks you for the video.
👍
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Can u explain me, why French drivers forgot turn off direct lights so often. This happens only in France and 1 km in Germany it is ok. In France it is like 15% drivers often forgot turn off blinkers
@@hanibalsk Blinkers go off automatically, da f you talking about ?
@@amgeda in France a lot of drivers forgot turn off blinkers and blinking like for 10 minutes. For instance on highway and everywhere. During 1 month driving there, I met at least 100
@@hanibalsk On the highway, as long as you're passing someone, you gotta have the left blinker on.
In general, you gotta use the right lane if possible,. That's why left-laners always keep blinker on.
Hi, I'm French and used to work for 20 years in car rental business. In order to avoid both scratches and robberies from the trunk, don't park like it's shown in this video : enter in the spot backwards, as close as possible to the wall so nobody can open the trunk. Entering the spot backwards also gives you a better angle and you'll be parked straighter and avoid touching other cars. Plus, it will make it easier to leave the spot.
You might want to re-read and correct your comment, mate, there's one very unfortunate typo 😂
@@gunlancegodaurel1361 Hahaha ! Thank you for pointing it out 😅 Correction done ;)
@@gunlancegodaurel1361now I'm curious about the typo 🤔😅🤭
As a frenchman i have to say that this video is mostly perfect and very usefull for who wants to discover France by the road.
I want to add that enter in the spot backwards is the good thing to do in every cases. Because when you park, you see what happens in the area of the parking lot and you can react by your own, and when you leave you also see what you doing. If you do the opposite, well you park as you like the first time and when you leave, you see barely nothing, and you oblige others to watch you, but tey're not your Mum. 😅
I'll ending by saying to all french drivers that it's what we learned at driving school, but no one remember it.
PS : Scuse my english, I did my best and sacrifice half of my neurons to be understood, the four neurons left are glad to wich you godspeed.
Very well said! Always park backwards. Easier to get in , easier to get out , easier to centerline your spot!
Very important piece of information missing there - implicit speed limits. Every time you come to a red-edged sign giving the name of a town you are also entering a 50 km/h speed limit zone unless there's a sign telling you otherwise. The start of each 50 km/h zone does not generally have an explicit 50 sign - you're meant to know that the town name sign indicates the start of the speed limit. (And the sign when you leave town marks the end of it.) There is sometimes (but not always) a sign a little bit later reminding you that you are in a 50 zone (Rappel).
The French are on the whole very sporting about how they place their speed cameras. When you're driving on a major road there is almost always a sequence of signs leading up to one. First you get one telling you they have frequent speed cameras, then there is a sign reminding you what the speed limit is and then you come to the speed camera. It's not 100% but it's pretty reliable.
The other quirky thing is the country roads speed limit is 80km/h if not otherwise specified. But in some areas they allow 90km/h but it should be sign posted, the risk is that you can be in a 90 zone enter a village and quickly leave to the open road which is now 80 again. It’s a mistake I’ve made (especially when in the countryside and having some of the locals drive at 90 everywhere and just slowing for the cameras). Also the speed limits change far more frequently in France compared to where I’m used to driving, to the point it seems excessive. Tighter bends, narrower sections, more urban areas, progressively slower limits into towns or off ramps etc etc. There are so many speed signs at points it felt overly micromanaged to me. Keep alert a ticket may not be due to intentional speeding but just not keeping track of constant changes.
That's the same for many countries in Europe. The town name is the speed limit sign.
Also us in UK. Are obvious not part of EU. So driving penalties can be enforced back in uk
Very useful (Slightly funny story. On honeymoon almost 25 years ago we got a rental car at CDG having flown in from USA and stayed overnight at airport hotel. As it was winter (short daylight hours) was keen to get started asap so at 8:20am coerced my wife to get up and go and have a shower. Looking out the window was surprised how quiet CDG was on a Sunday morning. Then looked at my watch again and realised I had miss read the dial face…..upside down …… so it was actually 1:50am rather than 8:20am. My wife was already in the shower ….she was not amused !)
LOL 😂
Speed camera warning devices are illegal in France. If you get stopped by the police and they check and find you have an active speed camera location warning device or in your sat nav you’ll get a fine. I drive in France a couple of times a year in France and have to disable the speed camera warning system in my sat nav before I go from England.
@@charliegould5865 How does that work with Apple Maps? Does Apple automatically disable that feature?
You make a lot of mistakes ! 😮😮😮😮😮 for example only American use ancient system, all others in the world use meter one.
@@gillesguillaumin6603 Liberia and Myanmar use the American system of measurement too. Also while the UK is mostly metric you will still see speed limit signs in miles per hour and sometimes weights in pounds.
Take care "France is using the metric system " like 99% of the planet Madame😂😂😂
4.1% of the world's population are US American, so that's down to 95,9% already.
@@andreasu.3546 metric system is officially usd in ALL countries in the world, except the USA, Liberia (guess why) and Myanmar (Burma). In the UK, where the imperial system still used in the States comes from, now the metric system is official, even if there are still some mixed use of both (the speed limits and distances are still shown in miles, for istance, not in km).
Said that, I think it's not a question of 99% or 95% that makes any difference. It's just the USA measures system which looks bizzarre to the rest of the world (except Liberia and Burma and partially the UK).
France invented the metric system
😀😀😀😀
Remember USA #1 is the attitude. That is why people go to Vagas where you can visit the La Tour Eiffel without having foreign issues with currency, language and measurements... and have access to Trump (CNN/FOX) coverage....
It's worth mentioning that most of the traffic signs are following the international standard, so they are the same all over Europe, not just in France, and to some extent other parts of the world. It's the US (and some other north- and south-American) countries that have their own system. There are just small variations, like the exact colors. (Some use a white background and some yellow, for instance.)
In France, signs with yellow backgrounds are temporary (usually because of construction work).
People seem to make a big thing out of the signs but the signage is not that different from North America. When I moved to the US, I did not have much trouble adapting to the road signage. It was not that different, with some notable exceptions: For example, in Boston the red and yellow lights being lit at the same time mean absolutely no passing. They usually come on all lights in the crossing, and it usually has to do with pedestrians crossing. My first driving experience in Boston was when normally stopped at a red light in Charles Street. I was expecting the light to turn green. Instead of turning green, the light turned red-yellow. Three cars before me went and I followed. A policeman was hiding at the intersection and stopped me right away, as I was driving slower. I got a nasty ticket and the cop was not that nice either. I asked him what the sign meant. He responded "don't you have those where you come from?". Well, I learned the hard way. Other signs can also be confusing: for example in Boston, Pedestrians Xssing! One major difference in France from the rest of Europe are highway signs, which are often white on blue background. In many countries they will be like in the US, while on green background. Those white on green signs exist in France as well, but indicate alternate itineraries or other specific roads.
@@patrickbotti2357 You are on the easy side. Learning to drive in Europe is much more demanding than in the US and Canada. Mainly because they don't have ID cards. The driver's license is their de facto ID card. So they need the driving exam to be as low skilled as possible so that everybody can easily have a license. This results in lots of automatic transmissions and lots of signs that are just a huge rectangle with the information explicitly worded. When they come to Europe where all signs are pictograms and symbols with very few actual words they are at a complete loss.
Also the mass of information you can get on a single mast with 4 or 5 signs overwhelms them compared to their usual "one big text sign every now and then".
@@whytortureiswrong and in Germany, it sounds like a secondary road. It feels wrong because I assosiate yellow with temporary, which is also the case for UK
Some countries have yellow road signs to see them when it's snowing
A big thing as well on highways : remain to your right, except for overtaking. In the US, there's no rule you can be overtaken from your right because right hand side line drives faster than others.
In France, that's a complete red flag you will get a fine, and that will be extremly dangerous, as no one will expect you to do this. Drive right and only right !
I split my time between France and the USA. Americans are TERRIBLE freeway drivers, with no lane discipline at all. Lane discipline isn't just for France, but all of Europe. In Germany, poking along in the left lane is downright dangerous, because an overtaking car may be going 200 miles per hour!
@@bobnelsonfr to my knowledge you risk a fine, if German Police observe that dangerous behaviour ...
@@OmmerSyssel
In France too. Gendarmerie helicopters are sometime (and specially during high trafic periods like hollydays) patrolling the highways to spot drivers that are staying on the left lane or do not respect security distances. There are regular TV news sequences showing such operations to remind people that is seriously watched.
I can drive across Europe on a road trip and, with the exception of Italy, have no problems at all. Even Italy though, they are predictably unpredictable. They just like to keep their options open. Driving on the Autoroutes/Autobahn are easy. Other drivers know how to drive/overtake/indicate (except the Swiss, they just barge in and tailgate). As soon as I'm back in the UK it is a nightmare. Lane hogging, no indicating, tailgating. The 140 miles from Dover to home is more dangerous than the 3000km across Europe.
In France, the rule is very simple, there is no situation a vehicule can be faster on the right lane than the vehicule on its left. You always have to be slower than the vehicule on your left. This way, if you really want to distance it, you'll have to switch places by slowing down first and go behind it. Once the other vehicule take the right lane, it's your turn to pass it.
Very good video. I allow myself to give three more advices to my US friends:
1) Never pass on the right, but always on the left. This is the law
2) on the Highway, always keep right. Don't stay on the center lane (contrary to what you see on 06:22 ) because it is a serious hazard and disrespect to the cars behind you
3) Keep your distance with cars ahead
Thank you and welcome 😀
Regarding Point 2: Absolutely. Actually, the gendarmerie can use cameras located at high points (eg. overpass bridges; I have heard, but don't completely believe the helicopter stories) over long straight roads to detect cars that stay in the middle lane. You can be ticketed for that.
@@j-yjyh8521 The helicopter is not a myth. It is often used on the main highways
@@mehdi_fr711helicopters or little Cessnas. They spot reckless driving and distance between cars
Point2: Except on busy highways, where is actually impossible to drive on the right lane (unless you wanna drive 85-90 kmph). There are many trucks there and it is actually a lot more dangerous to always brake and accelerate between other cars. Way safer to stay on the middle lane (and partially left if middle gets slower) if your speed is 130 kmph.
@@ContraVsGigi that's against the law to stay on the middle lane when you can go to the right lane. End of story.
Antoine, the Yellow Dimond is a Priority Road with YOU having the right of way and those merging or intersecting traffic must yield to you... and one with a line through it is it ending--- but everything else was spot on!
@@LesFrenchiesTravel From your Wiki : Priority road (priority at all following intersections up to an end-of-priority-road, yield or stop sign). In some countries, the meaning was changed to the next intersection only. The priorite a droite is a given when there are no-signs
Driving in France is straightforward, as lo g as you scrupulously obey the speed limits (and they're signed everywhere) and never ever drink and drive. France is the best country I've driven in for road signage. Directions and distances are clearly marked and very clear and accurate. If you're unsure at a busy intersection, always look for the sign TOUTES DIRECTIONS. It will eventually get you on track. Bonne route!
speed limits are not always indicated by signs
for example, when you enter a town, the sign with the town name implies that the speed limit is 50 km/h
there are a few tricks here :
* name sign alone : speed limit is 50
* name sign with a speed limit sign below, at the exact same place : speed limit is set to the limit sign in ALL the town
* name sign with a speed limit sign a few meters after : speed limit is 50 in all the town EXCEPT on the road you're driving on
when you leave a town, the sign with town name crossed implies that the speed limit is 80 km/h, unless specified otherwise
What do I do when at an intersection my only options are "toutes directions" and "autres directions"?
@@616Registhat’s an impossible scenario
@@florian2927 Hardly impossible. I've seen such cases with my own eyes, typically on roundabouts where one exit is labelled "toutes directions" and another "autres directions"... And once, somewhere in the North, I saw once a sign that had both "toutes directions" and "autres directions" pointing in the same direction (which is certainly very logical but weird nevertheless).
@@616Regis never seen that.
Good video but it forgot to mention that driving in France is actually really easy and nice even if you are not familiar with it. Well maintained roads and clear street signs. For tourists and visitors looking for tourist attractions: always just follow the "centre" sign and you'll easily get to where the most interesting places of each city or village can be found. You'll always find options to park your car.
True but dont stop at a crosswalk😅😅 if you do they honk at you haha
@@Frezri69 No. There are a few stupid drivers that disrespect crosswalks. But the vast majority are respectful. And most often the actual annoyance is a couple pedestrians that are just standing and discussing in front of a crosswalk with no intention to cross, forcing drivers to slow down uselessly. In that situation a few drivers might tell them to make their intentions clear and either cross the road or move away from the crosswalk.
A six-point penalty for not giving way to pedestrians on crossings.@@christianbarnay2499
@@Frezri69
Only parisians do that, and it piss off the majority of French people. :)
One time, I did even get out of my car, look at the back of it, and asked "inocently" to the driver that honcked me if there were a problem with my lights or something.
4:08 If I am not mistaken, it doesn't mean you can park on the side of the road ; it means there is a parking at 250 meters of distance.
You are right!
Having driven in many countries, I'd say there's one thing you don't find on other motorways: the French like design. Once you spot it it's hard to unsee: bridges are painted or adorned instead of the straight-up functional designs you pass in the Benelux and Germany, the rest stop buildings tend to look interesting - even if the country you're passing through would not already be nice to look at (although I'd say that Switzerland definitely has the edge when it comes to motorway scenery), those little touches make it even more fun once you start noticing them.
The yellow and white sign means that you are on a priority road and so you don’t need to stop at any crossing.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel according to the link you just sent me, this yellow and white sign that you mentioned in your video means : « Priority road (priority at all following intersections up to an end-of-priority-road, yield or stop sign) »
In this situation, people coming from your right don’t have the priority.
@@AdrienTesseyreCorrect from someone who lives in France.
@@LesFrenchiesTravelNo, I'm afraid you've got it the wrong way around in the video.
The yellow diamond means that you have priority over roads on the right, commonly seen when you are on a main through-road in a town. When the diamond has the line crossed through, this means that you no longer have priority and must yield to the right according to the layout of the junction and road markings on the side roads.
I have experienced car driving in France a very very long time ago when I was young and carefree 😊 All what you said are so true.
Now we walk in city centers and take the train between cities.
😂😂😂
5:20 This sign means exactly the opposite. You are on a priority road with the right of way, the others have to wait.
This.
I am European, and in my (neighbour) country it is the same: I can go.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel There is also a very similar sign, but with a black diagonal line across it. That is used when your road stops being a priority road.
One more important sign detail, is that the signs for entering a place/town (you show these early in the video), also implies that the speed limit by default drop to 50 km/h - without any additional explicit speed limit signage. Same goes in reverse for the "exiting city limits" sign.
Also, the right of way is a standard rule applicable everywhere that is only changed through certain signs.
Apparently, they edited this part out.
Thank you so much for making this video! It really helped me to understand French driving to successfully navigate the Loire valley. The detail of the video and how well it was structured and articulated made it super helpful. The one thing I would add to this is the sign with the diamond white box with the diamond yellow box on the inside and its counter part with the black line going through it. I did see that a lot on the roads, and to those who don't know, it means right of way for the main road vs. side road. If you get one with a black line through the sign, that means you don't have right of way on the road you are on, even though it may be a main road.
Small mistake on 5:21. The road sign “AB6 route prioritaire” is indicating that you’re on the main road and that you have on all intersections the priority. Placed immediately under the name of the city it indicate that in all the city the road is keeping the priority. On the traffic light it remember you that if the lights are off you have the priority.
@@LesFrenchiesTravelit exists a sign indicating the priority to the right, it's a black x inside a red triangle (like the exclamation mark sign) but these sign aren't mandatory to every intersections.
@@MigoyanThis traffic sign means that you are approaching a dangerous crossing. It does not say anything about who has priority.
4:07 I believe there is a mistake with the P sign. Does it really allow to park at the side of the road? Or does it indicate where a parking space is, maybe with an additional sign with the distance to the parking? Shown here 4:08
@@maxbarko8717 You are correct. The "250 m" on the white additional sign below indicates that the parking is roughly 250 meters ahead. (In Switzerland, they don't believe in estimates, and would have something like "237 m" providing the exact measure :)
@@Orbit353 😀 but it would be 237 mli (meterli) 😂
For Americans the other confusing thing is the location of stop lights. In France as in most places in Europe stoplights on smaller streets are often placed where a stop sign would be. If you're not looking in the right place it's really easy to blow through an intersection not realizing that you have a red light. Also there is often a separate angled light for the first car in line as they often can't then see the main light.
Your right about the traffic lights, one thing though that I really like is the set placed low down on the post, it’s such a good idea, as they don’t have a set across the junction as in 🇬🇧. If I’m to close to the lights in my motorhome I can’t see the main set but can the set on the post.
When I moved to the US, many moons ago, I was totally confused by the red lights on the other side of the road. It took me a few weeks to get used to it. It did not seem logical to me. After so many years, I got used to it!
@@patrickbotti2357it made no sense to me, too. In Australia, the traffic lights are repeated, they are located at the stop line and across the junction, so I'm used to using one set of lights as the marker for where I need to stop. I very nearly ran a few red lights when I visited Vancouver. I may be biased, but to me, the best way is the way we do it down under.
How about USAmericans finally realised they are often behind others modern and logic, standards, instead of emotionally whining about how surprised you are?
@@OmmerSyssel I'm not saying one is better than the other, just that you need to reprogram your brain and most importantly pay attention, driving with your brain on autopilot isn't going to work. Fail to do that and you could end up in a collision and no one wants that. I've driven in Europe since the 1980s so I know how things work but the first time, yes, I got caught unawares a few times so I thought it was best to forewarn my fellow Americans not to do something stupid.
A couple more things to mention, especially in urban environments:
- The motorbikes, scooters etc will zoom through between the cars so keep an eye on your mirrors and tend to hug the side of your lane.
- Despite the law, lots of bicycles will not stop at the red lights, so keep an eye out when your light turns green as one might jump in front of you.
And also for the roundabouts, please use your blinkers. If you're going to exit use the right one (even if you're just going straight), if not use the left one. That will save you lots of trouble as letting know the other drivers where you're going.
And then, keep doing it once you're back at home (esp. in the US! )
Excellent point. They can split lanes in a traffic jam and below 50 kph, although they don't obey the latter. Also watch for cyclists on your right mirror, especially if you are turning right and they are going straight.
👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾👌🏾👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾👌🏾👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾👌🏾👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾👌🏾👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾👌🏾👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾👌🏾👍🏾👍🏾 I am French living abroad for more than a decade and I was happy to watch that video to have a refresh and learn about the point of view of Americans on that topic! Good video!
Wow! This was such a good video. Super helpful since we’re planning a road trip around France. We are big WAZE users here in Florida, especially with the constant road construction and traffic. Thank you for making this. Sets our mind at ease a bit about driving there!❤🚗
If I lived in Florida, I wouldn't dream of going to France, especially Paris. (that is assuming that you can actually get there, with the annual airport and air traffic control strikes). Try the Netherlands or Denmark instead- much nicer.
I don't know if you've already done your roadtrip, but speed cameras can't be reported on Waze (it's the law). So French users have found a way around this by reporting them as "police" (which is legal), but it's not the police, it's a speed camera. So don't be surprised, and don't hesitate to report them yourself if they're not.
@@MervynPartin
Bullshit. Especially for Denmark. And yes, I've been both.
And if you love foot, you would be really disapointed in Denmark or so...
Bienvenue en France 👍🏻🇨🇵
addition to my previous comment. Just heard today yet another reason for not going to France- Apparently there is a major outbreak of bed-bugs, denied by the government, of course, but reported on CBS, Sky News and others. Eurostar are disinfecting their trains. Suggest checking the situation before travelling. Personally, I'm sticking to Florida for my vacations.
another biggie but obscure is the small yellow reflective triangle - you have priority (or not if a strike through it) on a big road entering a cross roads area. A rondele with an X is end of priority even on a big road. Watch for stop lines on the pavement and yield signs , probably best to roll a stop as traffic could pop out of the associated alleyway and demand priority without much time for you to think it through. Really a good idea to read and study the signage before you go.
Speed limits in France (if I'm correct):
Countryside highways: 130 km/h (80 mph), 110 km/h (68 mph) when it rains
Highways in urban areas and "Routes pour automobile" (they're basically freeways/express ways, most of the time they're national routes): 110 km/h (68 mph), 100 km/h (62 mph) if it rains.
Country roads: 90 km/h (56 mph) or 80 km/h (50 mph) depending on what local authorities have decided.
Urban roads: 50 km/h (31 mph), unless another speed limit is signalized.
Specific speed limit for trucks: up to 90 km/h
Specific speed limit for busses: up to 100 km/h
Road visibility obstructed such as fog: 50 km/h no matter if highway or not
I hope I'm correct, I don't even have a driving licence yet 😂
country roads are all 80 now, some lil town also have a 30 speed limit instead of 50 but it will be clearly indicated
@@mokapeach1791 A bunch of départements reverted the speed limit to 90. I can quote Var in 2020 for example.
I am Irish, but I have been driving in France for most of my life. Your observations are spot on. You have a new subscriber.
The fact that the signs in France are in metric should not be confusing as the car's odometer and speedometer will also be in metric.
At 5:21, there a big mistake : this panel announces that you have priority over other vehicles. Priority to the right is announced by an upside-down triangle or by nothing at all.
In addition, a signal like this on a traffic light is only to be taken into account if the light is out of order.
This is a big one in Germany taken super seriously here - if you slow down near it you can easily be rear-ended
The priority to the right should have added that at those intersections, you need to stop and let the vehicle to the right on the cross street enter the roadway.
The video is very accurate , and as a french i would like to add this : Dont buy your snacks in the motorways shops they are very expensive , prepare in advance your bottle of water and sandwiches .
Also 1 mile is equal to 1609 meters or 1.6 Km
One thing I found is that self serve gas pumps require a PIN number for credit card purchases. If there is no attendant (ie after hours), you won’t be able to buy gas.
This is because French cards are not credit cards but bank cards with delayed payment. They all need a PIN. However, I have been able to use my US credit cards in that situation, but not everywhere. In some cases, US banks will give a generic PIN for their credit cards for that purpose.
This video is a treasure for me as a person who always gets nervous driving in a foreign country.
Excellent tips all! I would add one more: Not just in Paris, also in all larger cities and towns, use public transport and walk in the historic centres. Also, long-distance, use the high speed train system, tgv! And rent your car for more local getting around the country side at the arrival/departure station. (Check in advance what it available)
As an example, the tgv to the station serving my local area in Burgundy, covers 400km (
Brilliant again. I didn't realise Waze had the radar function. Next time in France, hopefully soon, that will be the App we use. Last time there in 2017 did around 4000Km in 6 weeks in a car, which used to sip diesel. Loved it! A couple of things, the sign Rappel is one that we had to look up. Showing that you are approaching the speed zone, so prepare to be at that speed. Pretty useful, plus knowing French for left and right is useful aussi! Paid parking is truly an issue, but on a trip to Rocque La Gageac, we went to pay, and a local said not to worry, the parking inspector was on holidays! God we love France!
Better apps to avoid speeding tickets are Coyote or CamSam, they give the actual position of the speedcamera instead of a certain length of xx kilometers where there might be a camera.
The margin for speed radar is not a fix amount of km/h. It’s rather about 5%. So 31,5 for 30km/h, 73,5 for 70km/h, 105 for 100 km/h etc.
It's 5 km/h below 100 and 5% above.
I've viewed many of your videos. All have been helpful, but this one tops the list. I'm planning to rent a car. Having never driven outside of North America, this video and the comments have been soooo helpful. Je vous remercie.
On our recent trip to Paris and France, my son and I didn’t drive, it’s just not worth all the challenges and headaches that come with it. Additionally, public transit is fantastic and a hassle free cost option.
Drive in Italy, especially Sicily, and driving in France will seem like child’s play.
@@waltersickinger1499 Agreed. Italians are very agressive in traffic in my experience.
Bonjour… C’est bon, tres informative et utile. Merci beaucoup, soyez prudent. Profitez de vous les gars!
Speed limits: The limit in most towns and cities is 50kph and this is indicated by a red border around the sign telling you the name of the town. When you leave the town there should be another sign and the town name crossed out with a diagonal bar telling you that you can now revert to the national 80kph limit. For parking, many towns will have a few free short term parking spaces lined in blue instead of white. You can buy a parking disk for your windscreen with a rotary clock dial to show the time you parked, either at service stations for a few euros or even free at some tourist offices. The parking ticket machines shown in the video may also let you print a ticket giving you a period of free parking. Don't assume that because there is free parking, you don't need a ticket. You need to put the registration of your vehicle into the machine so make a note of it before approaching it, you'll lose your place in the queue by having to go back and look for it. If you use a dashcam and are involved in an accident you are required to inform the other drivers and give them and police footage if they request it.
yes except the national limit is now 80 or 90 kph depending on the department you are in . so pay attention to the signs.
C'est 90 dans la plupart des départements de la diagonale du vide, et chez moi c'est pas marqué, il faut le savoir que c'est limité à 90
@@kieronmarshall2658 i guess i stick to 80 then, seems to complicated to remember for each of your 96 departments.
The advice about pre-existing damages is excellent. Auto Europe did that to me, charged me 500 euros for a fingernail sized scrape that was already there. Luckily I had taken photos of the car before we got in. The time stamp saved us.
You may want to be careful with the waze navigation app for the radars, having an app that signal radars is illegal. Some people do use them, but be aware that if you are caught you are in trouble
That’s why Waze and other such gps apps don’t signal the exact location of the radar, rather the entire speed enforcement zone, and are thus perfectly legal.
En France tout le monde utilise Waze et c’est parfaitement légal ici car il y a une subtilité, Waze n’indique pas le radar mais une zone de contrôle ( ça revient au même mais sans indiquer que c’est un radar pour ne pas enfreindre la loi)
Rules for driving in France:
1. You drive as if you're very late to an important meeting, and you're very very angry about it.
On a scooter, multiply rule 1. by 3.
I wish to add that the speed limit is often "understood" in rural areas. It decreases automatically as you enter a town and increases as you leave. These may NOT necessarily be posted but are enforced! My rental car's GPS beeped at me whenever I crossed one of these lines.
Yeah, I had a rental Peugeot, and it would beep and show the radar speed limit on the dash. From 110 km/h to 90, to 80, 60, 50 or 30km/h
When you enter a village the road sign saying the village name is also a default 50kmh speed limit, even though it doesn't actually say 50. You just have to know
speed limit is ALWAYS signaled one way or another, but some speed limits are implied by town signs for example, or highway sign
8:50 It is not "speed traps" since there is a sign telling you there is a radar. And no, the best way to avoid a ticket is not to install an application but to respect speed limits. BTW, if you have an accident and you were wrong doing (speed, alcool, drug, etc.) your assurance will probably refused to pay.
I’ll stick to exactly the speed limit 😂 Thank you so much for all this SUPER helpful information that is well laid out
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and some places have implicit speed limits, they're not always displayed...
village / city name into a white sign with red line = 50km/h
village / city name into a black sign = 70km / h
School zone = 30 km/h
When you go out of a village / city, or when you see a "end of speed limit" sign (white round sign with a crossed speed), implicit speed limit is 80 km/h
@@vlg1728wow that’s so helpful, thank you
This makes me miss France so much 😢 Can’t wait to return, hopefully permanently one day!
Nice video but some important points are missing. On the highway you MUST drive on the rightmost lane no matter how many lanes there are if it’s free. ALL other lanes are passing lanes. This is true on ALL types of roads and you do get fined for that (90€ I think).
Secondly, traffic lights are only valid for you if they are on ur right. That’s more important for cyclists as they can have a separated cycle path.
If you see a small priority sign under a traffic light it only counts when the lights are off or flashing yellow.
Fantastic! Thank you! Road rules in different countries is sooo confusing! Great to have such simple explanations. Ta.
Darn I wish this video is available a month earlier! We had a rental car for a week from CDG to the Normandy and Loire Valley. Despite being careful to observe the speed limit we still got a ticket in the mail! Apparently I was doing 50km on a 30km road! Indeed they are pretty efficient in this respect. I’ll be using Waze for sure. Great video and channel though!
@@LesFrenchiesTravel FFS!
I *know* that people in the US don't walk, but people in Europe DO.
Those lower speeds are in cities, town & villages, because you know people *live* there. Fecking look up the chance of surviving a crash with a car if you're outside a car at each of those speeds!
Now, i will acknowledge that the way those speeds are signed in the Netherlands is much more instinctive than in France, but is it really that difficult to use your head & think "ow, wait, there are people here, i'll slow down a bit."
Quite frankly, every speeding ticket is an affront to the skills of the driver, it should mean that if you have too much of them you will lose your driver's licence or in the case of those that advocate(through stupid apps like this) dead pedestrians & other slow traffic because they wish to continue to speed, they should be forced to play frogged on a motorway.
Watch Not Just Bikes.
Especially the videos about Houston & driving.
I lived in Paris for 2 years and loved driving there, the Parisians are good drivers and make the traffic flow
Lots of useful information, thanks. Note that petrol prices on the motorway can be much higher, so it pays to shop around. Also, I believe that using sat nav devices that warn of speed traps is illegal in France with fines of up to €1,500 if you are caught.
The devices that are illegal are radar waves detectors. Sat nav devices usually just show speed check zones, which is legal. Also, signalling "live" police controls is legal. Therefore, Waze users signal radars to other drivers by using the police logo on the app. It's rascal-ish but the police can't do anything about it ;-)
Every one use this device here...don´t worry😅
Good to know, thanks!@@canalresilienceaction6188
@@canalresilienceaction6188I use Google maps in the UK which warns of speed cameras, but it doesn’t show them in France.
"We don't know who you are, what we do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills we have acquired over a very long careers. Skills that make us a nightmare for people like you. If you'll pay straight away that'll be the end of it. We will not look for you, we will not pursue you, but if you don't, we will look for you, we will find you one way or another and we will fine you." - The French Gendarmerie.
And thank you for your particular set of very entertaining and educational videos 😍
Great video -- you really covered the bases. Recently I got nailed by a radar tower near Toulouse. They tracked me down through the rental agency and mailed a ticket. By the time I received it I had only a few days before the fine would increase for late payment. The lengthy instructions were in French only. I am bilingual so that posed no problem, but it would be a hassle for someone who doesn't understand bureaucratic French. On the plus side, it was super-easy to pay the fine online.
We had the same experience. In our case, the rental agency sent us the fine way past the deadline for payment. I argued the case and only paid the original amount. No problem at all.
I love their highway road stops. There was a restaurant next to one and the meal was very memorable.
umm what you say about the yellow diamond at ~ 5:25 does not seem right to me. Priority road usually means you have the priority along the whole road until the crossing out lines through the yellow diamond sign. Is this understanding specific to France? Do you have a link to the official road rules? It seems to negate the purpose of the sign. If you may have to give way to the right, why have a sign unless it's specific to each separate intersection!?
@@LesFrenchiesTravel If you saw the yellow diamond with the black line through it, then came across a side road on the right, in that case you would definitely have to give way to that car entering your road. But no harm in being extra safe!
These 3 signs combined with the yellow diamond would be the exception to not needing to give way to the right as you would be deemed to be crossing the path of the priority road
1. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Zusatzzeichen_1002-22_-_Verlauf_der_Vorfahrtsstra%C3%9Fe_an_Einm%C3%BCndungen_%28von_unten_nach_rechts%2C_Fall_1%29%2C_StVO_1992.svg/240px-Zusatzzeichen_1002-22_-_Verlauf_der_Vorfahrtsstra%C3%9Fe_an_Einm%C3%BCndungen_%28von_unten_nach_rechts%2C_Fall_1%29%2C_StVO_1992.svg.png 2. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Zusatzzeichen_1002-23_-_Verlauf_der_Vorfahrtsstra%C3%9Fe_an_Einm%C3%BCndungen_%28von_unten_nach_rechts%2C_Fall_2%29%2C_StVO_1992.svg/240px-Zusatzzeichen_1002-23_-_Verlauf_der_Vorfahrtsstra%C3%9Fe_an_Einm%C3%BCndungen_%28von_unten_nach_rechts%2C_Fall_2%29%2C_StVO_1992.svg.png 3. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Zusatzzeichen_1002-20_-_Verlauf_der_Vorfahrtsstra%C3%9Fe_an_Kreuzungen_%28von_unten_nach_rechts%29%2C_StVO_1992.svg/240px-Zusatzzeichen_1002-20_-_Verlauf_der_Vorfahrtsstra%C3%9Fe_an_Kreuzungen_%28von_unten_nach_rechts%29%2C_StVO_1992.svg.png
We rented a car when we went and I feel like you can see so much more when you do!! It is so worth it and we actually had no hiccups with our rental experience! We used Europcar and drove through Provence, the Camargue, the Gorge of Verdon, and took the car back in Nice!! We did end up driving onto a ferry at one point😮but it was all good - we did not end up across the sea😅!
Yay! Planning a trip around south of France next summer (Marseille, Arles, Orange, etc.) and we're going to drive. I expect parking in Marseille is just a pain as Paris and driving in the small towns looks like it'll be an adventure.
Driving in Marseille is quite different from Paris. It's generally easier; not as crazy as Paris. And it only has a small old part, with enough parking garages. But unlike Paris, Marseille does have big differences in altitude and the roads can be steep and also very bumpy. Unless you have some specific things you want to do in Marseille, I'd opt for Aix-en-Provence instead. But if you do go to Marseille, driving from marseille to the Calanque de Morgiou over the very narrow hilly road is a challenge but also beautiful.
@@drfisheye Definitely leaving FROM Marseille (flying in there, spend a night, get car, drive to Arles, &c)
@@andyinsdca great!
You do realize that the crime rates are high in Marseille. So be careful.
Driving in Marseille is pretty different than Paris. Drivers are more relaxed, but pretty messy. Traffic rules are often regarded there as, you know, mere indications 😅
In 2019 was the 100th anniversary of Citroen building cars. I shipped my 1954 Citroen Traction Avant 11B to Amsterdam and met up with friends from Bruges and we drove to La Ferte Vidame for the event. It was awesome, driving on the two-lane roads that the Traction was built for. We avoided motorways and driving through Paris. No trouble with the law either. My friends insisted that we had to stop on the side of the road and eat lunch and drink Calvados. I would never do that here in Canada! After the event I drove the car back to Amsterdam and had it shipped home. What a great time! Normally when I'm in Europe I travel by train but this was a one-time thing. Glad I did it.
One of the best videos yet 😊😊
Can you clarify something about the yellow diamond sign? I've driven a lot in Germany but very little in France. My understanding is that the yellow diamond sign means you have priority at the intersections. I just went to look this up again, and according to everything I can see for Germany, that is correct, but when looking it up for France or for Europe in general, I'm seeing it listed both ways. Is this different in France?
Yellow diamond meand you have the right away an all crossings that are coming un tile you see the sign of the yellow diamond crossed that signify you the end of the priority.
Thanks Frenchies, this is a fantastic video, and the cheat Sheet is brilliant. You two are awesome.
How to avoid speeding tickets : Don't be speeding. That's it. There's nothing else to say. You don't need an app telling you "Hey, you're entering a control zone". Don't fall to peer pressure, just follow the speed limit. You'll see, it's not that hard.
Yeah right. Nice try. I say get a European radar detector and an app working together.
Wow! As a California driver used to 65 mph on most freeways this will be challenging. Especially having a long drive from the airport. This was helpful,, thank you!
Gee, they go after speeders but not after pick pockets. The only way to travel in Paris is nude.
I'll spend two weeks in France and this information has been very useful to me. Thanks guys.
😊❤️👍
…confusions arise because the French uses the metric system...😂…...the whole world uses metric system !!!
This video is directed at Americans lol
Excellent video on driving in France & Europe. I was travelling through central Europe & Scandinavia for 3 months last year and figured out it was easier and cheaper to use Uber & Public transport.
Great video! I have used Budget and Hertz, they were both very accommodating. We need automated speed traps in the US, there are just too many selfish and inconsiderate morons here and not enough troopers
Great video! One thing that I didn’t know as an American - on highways leaving Paris, motorcycles can drive in between car lanes, particularly between the first and second lane to the right. So when you’re switching lanes make sure to not only look for cars but motorcycles coming up fast between the lanes!
Also there were some stop lines on the ground without an actual stop sign, so I didn’t know I had priority to turn right when the person going straight had to stop for me! Didn’t realize the stop “sign” was just a solid white line on the road. I agree with “don’t drive in Paris haha!! But the rest of France, yes. Thanks for the tips!!
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Yep, even if you can't see the corresponding sign, the road markings also convey the meaning and you are supposed to obey them. For a stop sign, it is a large, continuous white band across your lane, a yield sign is a large, square-dotted band across your lane.
The lines that separate the different lanes tell you whether or not you can cross them (to change lanes or to overtake), if the line is continuous, you aren't allowed to cross it, if it is dashed, you can cross it if you need. If there are two lines, one continuous, one dashed, side by side in the middle of the road, check the one that is closer to you, that's the rule you need to follow, the other one is for the drivers in the opposite direction. In that case, it typically changes sides regularly, so if you want to overtake someone, but are on the continuous line side of the road, be patient, your turn will come eventually.
First rule - there are no rules!😂
Bonjour Antoine and Colleen. As always, you make my Saturday morning. 😅 keep up the good , helpful information and entertaining work. Merci😀
@4:06 the [P] sign does not mean "it's ok to park on the side of the road"! It says there is a parking area in 250m. If there is a dedicated parking area nearby, it is very likely because it is forbidden to park on the side of the road. In your example, whilst the white lines do not explicitly prohibit parking, the police would argue you that it is dangerous because it's a fast road and there is not much space to park outside the road; you may get a ticket.
Really appreciate the video. Our plan next Spring is to start off renting a car and traveling through Normandy for three days. Then, returning the car and spending 4 days in Paris.
Small things to add:
Yielding to pedestrian is mandatory if there's no light. And if there's a crosswalk and stop sign stop at the crosswalk to let pedestrian go and THEN advance to the stop line
If there's a 30 sign on the same pole as city sign, it's a 30km/h city. Some streets might be exceptions with 50km/h sign but as soon as you go out of these street, it's back to 30km/h.
If there's no sign on the city sign, it's a 50km/h city. If you enter a 30 km/h street it only applies on that street. But if there's "Zone 30" it means all streets are 30km/h until you find a crossed out "zone 30" sign.
And last, you might get a ticket when you're not 4 but 5 km/h over the speed limit
As a french, point #2 made me spit my coffee from laughter : so eff-ing TRUE !
You also need yellow jackets for every occupant, two disposable breathalysers, pollution stickers are required for several French cities, and if you are coming from the UK with a right-hand drive car, headlamp converters. Your journey times between the autoroute toll booths are used to calculate your average speed, so you can get caught even without radar. The sign marking the entrance to every French village or town is automatically the start of a 50km/hr zone, but there may be a lower speed limit than that in some places.
The breathalyser requirement has now been scrapped, you no longer need them.
Went on vacation last year to the Basque Country in France and Spain. Driving in Hendaye and Biarritz in August was like driving in NYC. You have to be decisive on your driving, no second guess or you will go nowhere
Very Helpfull. Many thanks. Our first visit to France (coming from Oz) in October. I have saved and subscribed for further vids. Thanks again mate.
About rental cars: if you book in advance with credit or debit card, you will need the card that was used for the booking when retrieving the car.
You got the sign at 05:20 completely backwards. That is the "right of way" sign, indicating you do not need to yield to traffic from your right. In this instance it means that if the traffic light is out (unserviceable), you have the right of way.
The general rule in Europe (except UK) is that you need to yield for traffic from the right unless a sign specifically says you have the right of way.
Excellent video, thank you guys. We've been driving in France on holidays for several years but the priorité à droite caught us out in a small town last year... surprised us and we surprised the French driver!
Do not worry. The priorités à droite are mainly in the countryside, suburban lots or industrial areas, and for us who live in cities it's somtime surprising when we arrived at such intersection.
(There may be a good number in Paris, but as said in the video, I do not drive in Paris and use public transports or just walk so I do not really know.)
Great tips! I wasn't aware that you didn't need an international driver's permit in France. I got one through my local AAA office ($20US) and I did need it in Spain. Maybe it's just "advised" that you have one in France. Doesn't hurt to be safer than sorry. I had no problems renting a car in Spain or France last year.
Great video! useful advice for a future trip to France. I agree, for Paris, I'll use the title of a TV show that ran on Discovery Canada over here: Don't' Drive Here. For our two trips to Paris (2007 and last month), we never thought of driving there. We're used to the metric system here in Canada, so it'll be easy. Good to know about the speed tolerance in France. here in Québec on highways, the Sureté du Québec tolerates up to 117 km/h on an autoroute at a speed limit of 100 km/h before they pull you over and give you a ticket.
Too bad we didn't get to bump into you while we were in Paris, would have been great, we had such a great time. What I miss most is going each morning to L'Artisan des Gourmands on rue de la Convention and getting croissants for breakfast. They were pretty good and the staff super friendly. Wanted to go to Carton on July 1 before going to the AMTUIR museum in Chelles but I forgot they were closed on Saturdays, so I went to Maison Bayat nearby, which was pretty good too. Salut la compagnie!
Same thing in the US. On a 55 mph road, the tolerance before being stopped is usually 10-15 mph above the speed limit, depending on the location and the situation. Although, we hear from time to time stories of small towns and counties where overzealous police will stop you for going 2-3 mph over the speed limit.
Rented my first car in Nantes - and was terrified leaving the city. After a day I was much more comfortable, and by day 3 or 4 felt confident and comfortable. Roundabouts in France are a bit frequent, but work well - but I found it helpful to watch how locals navigate and use indicators in roundabouts. Had to get comfortable with different following distances, and losing some timidity was required. The hardest thing were some of the signs - but above all - where stop lights were located in some cities in tight intersections. Often they could clearly be seen through the front passenger window. Once I got used to it, I found it much better (and the other drivers mostly more considerate) than in the US. And the driving the D roads through Brittany were a shear pleasure.
Superfun to drive in Paris! Do it! 5.37 is wrong, main road no yield! Until new sign crossover black line.
I love watching these videos especially places I recognise. I often take the narrow bridge at Boran sur Oise on my way to Chantilly.
As a Frenchman who has been living in the US for a very long time, I really appreciate your video. You are right in everything. I would like to add a few things, if I may. 1. As you point out, spaces in parking lots are narrow. it is always preferable to back into a parking space (rear) than to enter front first. It will be easier to get in and out of your parking spot. 2. Underground parking lots often have low ceilings. If renting a hatchback, be careful when lifting the gate. 3. Most of the information indicated in your video also applies to other European countries. For example, the no-parking sign is common to all countries. 4. You are correct to emphasize the speeding consequences in France. In the US, we usually have a 10mph tolerance ("usually")! Not in France. My wife got a speeding ticket a few years ago for being 4-5 kms above the speed limit (1 mile - 1.6 kms). It is easy to go over the speed limit, and being in kmhs, we don't always notice. It is assumed that the speedometers in cars are accurate! 5. There are many "movable speed traps" as in the US. Those are in undisclosed areas and have no preventive signs. They are the nastier ones. You are driving at night and get a flash... Yes, your car has been "flashed" by an automatic or manually operated radar. The French always catch up with you. My wife heard of her ticket a couple of months later. The rental agency had forwarded our US address to the French authorities, and they wrote to us directly. Since we were two months late in paying the ticket, we were charged twice the amount. Not to panic. I contested the amount of the ticket with an explanation on the late response and there was no consequences. You can pay by credit card. If you have a French banking account you can also pay by check. 6. It is not advisable to be on the wrong lane when approaching a toll. French drivers are not known to be patient. If you find yourself in the wrong lane, you might not be able to back out of it, and will have to call for help via the intercom.... In the meantime, you will have cars piling up behind you, along with beeping and yelling. Think "New York driving"! 7. Your advise on renting a small car is on the money as well... Very smart advise. I have noticed recently that more often than not, you will be offered a car with automatic transmission. 8. Using the horn is forbidden in cities, except in case of emergencies... This of course does not stop people in Paris, or Marseille or any other city to use them in excess. 9. Night driving with low beams is mandatory in cities. In general, you will find that most of the rules that apply in the US, apply also in Europe. ONE IMPORTANT THING which I need to remember every time I go back to France: There is no "Right Turn allowed" in France and Europe. Also, the lights are usually on your side of the road, not on the other side. That is confusing for many people..... Thank you again for your great video.
I’m French and I approved this message!😅
What an 'Inspired' video. Love it guys. Would like to think my experience of forgetting my licence and missing out in a car from CDG to Senlis may have provided at least some inspiration! Keep them coming, this video is brilliant and very comprehensive.
Thank you very much for this important video. I live at the border to France. So very interesting. Had my little experience as well, too fast 😮.
I appreciate your "grandeur" saying you misinterpreted the yellow diamant.
Very good advise, having lived in France for over 30 years, one tip, fuel is always cheeper at supermarkets, Autoroute stations are the most expensive.
I´m scandinavian. Best sign is " toutes directions" which means "all directions" which helps you find the way out of the towns.
It was interesting to watch this video as a french to know what your point of view is.
Thank you. I’ve enjoyed driving in France in the past due to nice roads, etc. strongly recommend using or renting GPS though!
This video came two days before our location, Blois to Larochelle and it was vert helpful thank you! We are at Bordeaux now 😊
The sign with a white P on a blue square doesn't mean you can park on the side, it means there is a Parking lot situated at the given distance (in meters). Sometimes the parking lot will be on the side alright, but not always.
Another great video. I've been looking up driving info and signs, so this was just what I was looking for. Thank you! And thanks for the cheat sheet.
Almost all of those tips apply to all of Europe. The rental company tips even apply to almost the entire world (except U.S. maybe).
Excellent information. It's not all that complex when learning the basic variants...i.e. km/miles and signs. Other than Paris..traveling France is a wonderful experience! Hi from Wisconsin 🍺 ☺️ 😊😊
Love your recommendation of Waze. I use it all the time here in America and it has saved me loads of headaches. I'm used to both Imperial (US) and SI (metric) units so this will be a great adventure to drive in France this fall.
This is greatly appreciated, as I have a driving trip to France coming up.
Great video! I tried to find this kind of information before May when I was there driving - no luck. I knew a few things, but not everything - just learned as I went. Only got one speeding ticket. On the river opposite Amboise in the Loire - the camera was behind a bush! The lady at my hotel said they never drive on that side of the river because they constantly move the cameras to catch people. Good luck everyone! Oh, an additional thing, if you set your cars' GPS to "avoid toll roads" - it will also skip past all those convenient gas stations and rest stops. Choose wisely! Merci!