The following is some useful information for driving in France.

In most cases, traffic rules and regulations are similar to those in Ireland and the UK. With the main exception being that traffic on the continent drives on the right and not the left-hand side.

The minimum driving age in France is 18. If any motorist drives in France within two years of passing any driving test, French regulations limit their top speed to 110km/h on motorways, 100km/h on urban motorways and 80km/h outside built areas.

France has over 8,000km of motorways of which most are toll roads – autoroutes des péages. Regarding toll payments tickets are issued at the start of each motorway network. Payments are calculated on the distance traveled and are paid when leaving the motorway, or motorway network. Payments at the tollgates – péages can be made by all major credit cards. For short journeys it’s worth keeping plenty of change for making the payments if you don’t want to use your credit card. Payments vary according to the type of vehicle you are driving.

If you are on a limited budget France has an excellent network of trunk roads. They are also known to the locals as routes nationales. There are no toll payments on these roads.

1) Motorways: 80mph (130 kph).
2) On urban stretches 68mph (110kph) and 49mph (80kph) on the Paris ring Road.
3) Dual carriageways: 68mph (110kph).
4) Outside built-up areas 55mph (90kph).
5) Built-up areas 31mph (50kph).

In wet weather, lower limits apply -
6) 49mph (80kph) outside built-up areas,
7) 62mph (100kph) on dual carriageways
   and 68mph (110kph) on motorways.

These lower limits apply at all times to drivers who have held a license for less than 2 years.

All traffic drives on the right hand side and overtakes on the left-hand side.

On the spot fines can be incurred for not wearing a seatbelt – compulsory front and back.

On the spot fines for drink driving and driving on a provisional license.
A strict alcohol limit of 50 milligrams or 0.05 per cent is enforced.

Parking and resting zones are situated every 10 to 20 km on motorways and 24 hour petrol stations every 40-km. Parking is forbidden in the centre of many major cities. Most towns have a "Zone Bleu" parking area requiring a blue disk windscreen sticker, which can be bought from the local tobacconist or garage.

8) Breakdowns

9) Petrol & Service Stations

There is a service station located along the autoroutes between every30 – 50 km. They offer a combination of food, fuel and leisure facilities to a standard far beyond anything in Ireland. There are two types of service stations or aire. One is a full-scale fuel catering and shopping facility. The other type offers a picnic area with WC facilities.

Petrol sold at the service stations tends to be as expensive as in Ireland and the UK. Off autoroutes petrol is some 12% cheaper meaning that when you are travelling from Ireland, enter France with a near empty tank and fill up at a hypermarché (hypermarket) before you start your autoroute journey in earnest. Savings on diesel can be even greater.

10) Electronic Display Panels

Appearing about 2 kms before an exit, these panels give you information about the local road and traffic conditions, such as traffic hold-ups or roadworks.

10) Some frequent words and phrases