The currency of France is the Euro. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Euros upon arrival. In our culture we can put everything on credit and debit cards, however, in Europe you will find it useful to always keep a little cash on hand. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city.

First thing is first: By law a 15% service compris is included in the price wherever you eat or drink, whether explicitly stated in the menu or not. This is a service charge, not a tip, but it goes a long way towards providing servers a living wage. This does not mean that you should not leave a tip. It is considered very polite to leave a little extra for good service, but do not feel obligated to overtip!

Now, as far as the actual tip, it is generally expected but not required. Tipping, as in most of Europe, is most common in the largest tourist areas, as a direct result of American tourists carrying their own customs abroad. When so inclined to tip, the most common practice is to tell the server `C`est bon, merci` or `Gardez la monnaie,` meaning keep the change. As an example, if your bill totals 18 Euro, give them 20 and call it a day! If, by chance, your server does not return your change and you did not mention that they should keep it, ask for it back and do not leave anything. This is considered bad form on the part of the server. Another common rule of thumb is to leave 1 Euro per every 20 spent. In finer restaurants 5% of the bill is standard.

For exceptional service 10% is more than admirable, perhaps 15% but certainly no more than that!

In cafes and bars tipping is also at the customers discretion. One or two Euro per round of drinks (depending on how many drinks were ordered), a few extra coins for a coffee order, and one Euro in small bistros is more than enough. Nobody is expected to tip for self-service food (for example: readily prepared sandwiches from a café, a croissant, or pastry).

Be Courteous, and Patient: The French Attitude – Some people view the French as rude or anti-American, when in fact the French are generally polite. The `attitude` most travelers encounter is a misinterpretation of the service culture. Keep in mind that here wait staff do not live by tips, so if they are not smiling, refilling your glass at every chance, and checking on your table incessantly, it is not because they dislike you or because you are an American. It is because, unlike in the United States, your tip is more of a gesture than a means of survival. Do not be afraid to ask for help, whether it is reading the menu or asking for another glass of water. Don’t be taken aback if your server seems indifferent, be polite and you will be served, even without a smile on the face. Always thank your server, and the owner if available, if you have a good experience.

Tipping in hotels in France is rarely expected except in cases of exemplary service or if you solicit special services. The most commonly tipped employees are the Porters and Chambermaids. If a Porter helps to carry your bag(s) to your room the customary tip is 1 or 2 Euros per bag, usually no more than 5 Euros total. For Chambermaids in moderate hotels a 1 Euro tip, daily, is adequate; while in deluxe hotels 2-3 Euros daily is more suitable (tip them up front if you want them to treat you extra nice). Leave these tips on the bed or the bedside table. Hotel Concierge staff can be very helpful for first time travelers; they are a wealth of information from directions to restaurant suggestions and reservations. Only tip them if they help with booking reservations at nicer restaurants, manage to get you tickets to a sold-out show, or some other service which requires some degree of effort. Make sure to tip well in these cases, especially if spending a few days in the hotel, they will remember you! Some hotels (and upscale restaurants) will have Restroom Attendants, tip them with small change and thank them, since without them, there would be no toilet paper or soap there.

Tipping cab drivers is unusual, but appreciated, especially if they help you with your luggage or provide you with useful info about getting around. Leaving a tip for a taxi driver is completely a personal choice. Most drivers will charge a minor fee for handling luggage; this is not a tip, but an official charge. Generally tourists are expected to cover toll road fees, so ask if your route will include any tolls. For the tip itself, round up the fare, or leave about 5%. Needless to say, if your driver was rude or took you on an out of the way route to hike up the fare, do not leave a tip. If you`ve hired a private driver leave around 20 Euros per day. If they went above and beyond you can always tip more. Always remember when travelling abroad that it is good practice to agree on a final fare before the cab driver begins driving.

Tipping tour guides is very much appreciated but not expected. Common practice is in the range of 5 Euros per person for half a day, or 10 Euros per person for a full day. Although most tour operators include a `tip` in quoted prices bear in mind that the guides are often paid a low wage, so if one is particularly enthusiastic or informative do not hesitate to slip them a little extra if you wish!

Street Performers: Here is one place to splurge a bit. Though you may not actively solicit entertainment from musicians, mimes, artists, and the like, it is polite to tip them if you have enjoyed their trade. These people live off the money they make bringing their talent to the streets. Take some of what you would have left your waitress in the restaurant and give it to one of these artists!

River Cruise Guides: Private river cruises along the Seine in Paris are already pricey and a tip above and beyond the cost of your ride is entirely at your discretion. Depending on the quality of the journey, the knowledge the guide exhibits, and if he educates you on certain points of interest and/or provides entertainment (singing) during your ride should factor into your decision making. An additional 5 Euros is more than sufficient, certainly no more than 10 Euros if the guide is stellar.

Other Services: In the event that you are in France for a special occasion (wedding, honeymoon, graduation gift, birthday, etc..) and employ the services of a hairdresser, make-up artist, party planner, personal shopper, tailor or spa services and the like, use your best judgment in tipping. Factor in the cost and quality of service and, as a general rule, stay in the 10% range.

Remember that it is perfectly okay to abstain, especially if you are not happy with the service provided. Unlike in the U.S., waiters are paid a living wage, and the expectations for tipping are lower in France than in America. This is also true for hotel staff, though if you encounter a problem with the service within the hotel, we highly recommend speaking with the manager.

When paying for services in cash (which we generally recommend for services other than your hotel) remember to take your receipt. This is important for two reasons; If you leave a tip on a credit card, the person providing the service may not always get it, and if there is a discrepancy it is important to have your receipt to settle it with the manager of the establishment and to prove that you paid for the service.

Driver’s License

When driving in France, you will need a recognized full driving license. You may drive with a valid U.S. driver’s license if it is accompanied by a notarized translation in French. It is strongly recommended that you carry an International Driving Permit.
Although an International Driver’s License is not required for short term visitors (up to 90 days) from countries of the EU, EEA, USA, and Canada; it is either recommended or else required for visitors from other countries. For specific details, check with the local French embassy in your country of origin.

Driving Age

The minimum age for driving a car in France is 18; thus no-one under the age of 18 can drive a car in France, even if he or she holds a valid license in another country.

Carte Grise

If stopped by the police, you may be asked for the ‘carte grise’ (grey card): it is the vehicle’s registration certificate that you are being asked to show.

Breathalyzer Kit

Alcohol level test – It is obligatory to carry one of these from 1st March 2013.

Hazard Warning Triangle

A red reflective triangle that can be placed at a suitable distance behind a car if it is immobilized on the highway or hard shoulder.

High Viz Waistcoats/Vests

All cars are required by law to carry a high-visibility waistcoat (fluorescent yellow or orange). This must be carried IN the car, not in the trunk, so that it can be slipped on immediately by any driver who needs to get out of an immobilized vehicle, notably on a motorway or main road.

Wining and Driving

The drunk-driving limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Wine is available with meals in French motorway service areas – a fact that surprises a lot of visitors. But don’t forget that the blood alcohol limit in France is very low. The best advice is the same everywhere – don’t drink and drive.

French Breathalyzer Law

It is now obligatory for all vehicles (including motorbikes) driving inFrance to carry a breathalyzer or alcohol-level test. The law came intoforce on July 1, 2012. Single-use certified breathalyzers are nowbecoming available in supermarkets, chemists and garages throughoutFrance, at a cost of about 1 €uro each. So the cost is minimal.

The new law does not oblige drivers to self-test after having a drink. But those who plan to self-test to be on the safe side should have at least two breathalyzers in the car, if not more.

Cell Phones

It is an offence to hold and use a cell phone while driving in France. Hands-free use of cell phones is not illegal. Though many drivers ignore this rule, traffic police are clamping down on drivers holding phones to their ears while driving, and drivers are liable to an on-the-spot fine of 130 Euros and 3 penalty points if they have a French driving license.

Radar Warning Devices

These have been banned in France since late 2011. Drivers using radar detectors (speed camera detectors) are liable for a fine of 1,500 Euros and 6 points off their license. This applies to specific radar warning devices, such as the Coyote, which must have their software updated to remain legal.

With regard to TomToms and other GPS systems, which have speed camera locations programmed in to their software, the situation is confusing. These are not officially ‘radar detectors’, but manufacturers are obliged to make new software available, and most have done so. Tomtoms and other GPS systems are technically in breach of the law if they still have radars listed in their Points of Interest software; and even if it is not clear how roadside police can stop and check for offending software, rather than hardware, drivers are warned to err on the side of precaution and download the latest map software for France. This is advisable anyway, since older software is not up to date with regard to new routes, new speed restrictions, and other changes. For both existing radar warning devices and GPS devices, current radar information is being replaced with warnings to announce ‘danger zones’, many of which will be areas with speed cameras.

Seatbelts

Seatbelts must be worn at all times when driving in France, by both adults and children, and both in the back and front seats. Rear passengers can only travel without seatbelts in the back of older cars in which they are not fitted.

Children under 10 years of age must travel in the back, using an appropriate child seat or booster seat. Babies are allowed to travel in the front passenger seat, but only when placed in an approved rear-facing baby seat and the airbag is turned off.

Lights

Dipped headlights must be used in poor daytime visibility. Motorcycles over 125cc must use dipped headlights during the day at all times.

Horns

You should only use your horn in an emergency.

Other Rules

If you want the car in front to give way, flash your headlights.
In built-up areas, if there’s no yellow diamond sign, you must give way to any cars coming out of a side turning on the right.
The last car in a queue of slow-moving traffic must use their hazard lights as a warning.
Take care when overtaking, allow more space between you and the car in front so you can see further down the road ahead.
Take care in built-up areas where the old rule giving priority to traffic coming from the right (Priorité a droite) still applies unless a yellow diamond indicates you have priority. On roundabouts you generally give priority to traffic already on the roundabout, in other words, coming from your left as you enter the roundabout.

Much of the parking in larger cities is parking you have to pay for. Look for machines in the middle of parking lots. They are quite sophisticated, often taking coins, bills, and sometimes credit cards. Parking is generally free during lunch – from 12-2pm. Otherwise, you will often need to pay in a pay lot from 9-12 and 2-7 in the evening. Check the signs.

Horodateus:
At intervals along the street are small machines called ‘horodateurs’. You decide how much time you need, and read what it costs. Then you feed in coins, and when the display gets up to the balance you want, you push a green button. The machine prints a ticket with a date and time of expiration on it, and you place it on the dash board in front of the steering wheel.

A clue that you need to feed the horodateur can often be found written on the pavement: the word ‘PAYANT’ stenciled on the ground.

The horodateurs for parking in the city of Paris do not take coins. They were being pillaged too much, so now they only take special chip parking cards (sold in a tabac) and Moneo electronic minor payment cards. NONE of them take coins, which is a big problem for tourists; because the parking cards on sale often have a much greater value than a visitor is planning on using (even the people from the suburbs of Paris feel they are being ransomed for this). Best to never to park on the street in Paris and only use the underground lots.

Buying gas in France is much like in the States; the pumps are just about the same, except the money is in Euros and you buy by the liter. At the pump you can buy: unleaded (sans plomb) in either 95 or 98 octane, super unleaded (super) or diesel (gazole). Some stations will also sell what is called ‘fuel’ in French, normally at a separate pump. Do not buy it! It is diesel that is only sold to farmers. You can be fined, if it is found in your tank. This diesel is colored red, unlike regular diesel.

Gas can be purchased using either cash or a credit card when an attendant is present. Most gas stations, except for those on the Autoroute, do not have an attendant 24 hours a day. There are automated pumps that allow purchase with credit cards. Many of these do not accept credit cards without integrated chip and PIN number. If you think you may need to fill up in an emergency while driving in France, check your card out at a supermarket self-service pump well before you run out. If it doesn’t work, nip round and join the queue for the pay-at-the counter pumps. Make sure that you don`t have to fill up in an emergency using an untested card at an unmanned filling station at night or on Sundays.

In France, you pump and then you pay; you do not have to pay first. When you finish pumping, all you have to do is go inside and tell the attendant your pump number and he/she will understand.

Supermarkets in France sell gas and diesel, and are much cheaper than at gas stations. Auchan, Round Point, Super U, InterMarché, E.Leclerc and ATAC are the names of supermarkets that sell gas and diesel. Look for signs reading ‘Centre Commercial’ they should lead you to a supermarket.

Don’t fill up on the autoroute!Wait until a major intersection near a town or city, and come off theautoroute. You will almost certainly find a hypermarket/superstorewithin a kilometer or so of the exit, offering cut price fuel. You canexpect at least a 5% savings.

If possible, rent a car that runs on diesel, as it is cheaper than unleaded. Also the mileage is better. Diesel fuel in France (often called gasoil, pronounced gaz-warle) used to be about a third cheaper than unleaded, but that is no longer the case; today, diesel retails for about 20 centimes a liter less than unleaded, but it also goes further. Very few service stations now stock the old leaded petrol, known as ‘super’.

AUTOROUTES:

The French have a very good system of highways called the Autoroute. The Autoroute is a network of over 7,000 kilometers/4,200 miles of roads. Like most transportation in France, it works on the hub system with Paris as the center. For just about all of the Autoroute, you have to pay a toll; the tolls for the Autoroute tend to be more expensive than in the US. In spite of the cost, it is generally worthwhile taking the autoroutes unless you have time to go at a more leisurely pace.

Autoroutes, are designated with numbers preceded by the letter A (for Autoroute), entrances are marked as such with the word ‘Péage’.

Tolls:

Tolls are either a flat rate paid as you enter the Autoroute or based on how far your drive. When you pay based on distance, you take a ticket at the station where you enter the Autoroute (just press the button). When you exit, you give the ticket to the attendant at the exit station, and your toll will be determined. You can pay with either cash or credit card. Don`t lose your ticket as you will pay the maximum toll. In a few places, there are fixed toll points on the autoroute, notably in urban areas or toll bridges.

Signs on French toll gates
Red cross – closed
Green arrow – open, all methods of payment
Blue CB rectangle or credit card pictogram – debit or credit cards only
Orange (Télépéage) – slow down only, no stopping – only for vehicles fitted with toll charging sensors.

Liber-t
Liber-t is a transponder that allows for automatic payment of tolls on the Autoroute system. With the Liber-t transponder, you don’t have to take a ticket when you enter the Autoroute. Your bank account will automatically be deducted each time Liber-t is used. When entering an Autoroute with a Liber-t you will use the lane marked with the orange ‘t’. This is the same type of lane you use on exiting.

Liber-t can also permit you to drive on the Autoroute road at a reduced rate of from between 10% to 30% depending on the length of your journey. The Liber-t transponder costs a few euros a month plus a security deposit and mounts on your windshield.

Subscribing to Liber-t entails, filling out a form, supplying your banking details and paying the security deposit. Liber-t can be bought in person at selected toll booths or online. A French banking account is necessary to take out a subscription to Liber-t.

Autoroute tolls
The cost of autoroute travel for a car is about 1 €uro for 10 miles. Here are the toll costs for a selection of other common journeys that use toll motorways over long distances:
Sample Tolls (These are for guidance only as can go up at anytime.)
Paris – Nice via Beaune 73.50 €
Paris – Bordeaux via A10: 53.00 €
Paris – Bordeaux via A10 to Poitiers then N10 via Angoulême: 33.70 €
Paris – Calais, via A 16: 19.80 €
Calais-Marseilles, via Reims: 82.40 €
Calais-Bordeaux, via Rouen & Chartres 41,80 €
Calais-Bordeaux, via Rouen & Le Mans 65,20 €
Calais-Nice, via Reims, Dijon & A39: 102.00 €
Bruxelles / Brussels – Marseilles, via Valenciennes and Reims: 74.00 €
Strasbourg – le Perthus (Spanish border): 67.40 €
Freiburg im Breisgau / Mulhouse – Perpignan: 67.40 €
Freiburg / Mulhouse – Montpellier, via Lyon: 52.50 €

Drivers wanting to avoid French motorway tolls should remember that it is not necessarily the best solution to avoid all tolls, particularly in fairly populated areas. Using other roads, with their traffic lights, speed restrictions and roundabouts will mean longer journey times and more stress.

Free motorways and routes avoiding tolls:

There are a few free motorways in France, and some long-distance dual carriageways that are up to motorway standard. Most urban and peri-urban autoroutes in France are also free; and even when they are not, it makes more sense to pay the toll and avoid miles of traffic lights and congestion.

Rest stops on the Autoroute (‘aires de détente’):

Rest stops are about every 20 kilometers/12 miles, and have anything from gas stations and restaurants to picnic areas with open space for children to play in. They tend to be well kept with clean bathrooms. Before you enter an Aire, the sign announcing it will list the services it provides along with a distance to the next Aire providing those same services.

Every 2 kilometers/1.25 miles there is an emergency phone, marked S.O.S that you can use if you break down or have an accident. Don`t call if you run out of gas as you will get a ticket.

If you can, avoid buying gas on the Autoroute as it is much more expensive than if bought at a gas station in a city or town. The cheapest place to by gas in France generally is at supermarkets.

Remember:

Don’t cruise in the left lane! The big, ultramodern, smooth as silk, beautifully maintained high-speed toll road comes as a shock to many Americans: you can’t dawdle in the left lane. The right and center lanes are for traffic and trucks; the left lane is for passing ONLY. If you’re not keeping up in the left lane, expect drivers to come right up on your bumper and flash their lights. Don’t take it personally, that’s just how it’s done. Move over. You will observe drivers passing traffic at over 150 KPH, then pulling back into the right or center lane to make way for somebody who’s going even faster. And on the A8 for instance there probably will be.

HIGHWAYS:

These in France are still popularly known as ‘routes nationales’. However, in the framework of ‘regionalization’, responsibility for most roads has been devolved to local authorities, and the concept of ‘routes nationales’ has largely disappeared. The only ‘N’ roads that now survive are ones that in the absence of an autoroute, form part of the strategic national road network, such as the N21 from Limoges to Tarbes, or the N13 from Cherbourg as far as Caen.

Another reflection on driving in France: in the US, a highway generally stays a highway all along its length. But in France, it’s common for decent highways to suddenly turn into a narrow road that goes right through the center of a village, only to become a highway again on the other side.

ROND-POINT (ROUNDABOUTS):

A thousand times more efficient than stop signs, the Rond-Point (traffic circle or roundabout) is easy to navigate and gives you a second chance to read the signs. Upon entering the circle, check for traffic from the left, enter the circle and go toward the center until it’s time to exit, then signal, check the inner lane for traffic, and make your turn.

You can go around as many times as it takes, as long as you do so, on the inner lane. That may sound silly, but remember that the rond-point is an intersection, and as such will have lots of signs indicating which exit to take. In a foreign country, the signs are hard to read. They are in a foreign language, and use unfamiliar conventions. It can be hard to make a snap decision as to whether an exit is correct, and if you take the wrong exit, it may take a while to reverse direction if you need to go back to re-read the signs.

Furthermore, once you are in the rond-point, you have the right of way. Nobody will (or at least should) barge in on you. The rond-point is an exception to the general French rule of priorité à droite (priority to the right). Occasionally, some elderly Frenchman will forget this and barge right on in, remembering the old way of doing it (which killed lots of people), but that rarely happens these days. At every entrance, there’s a ‘yield’ symbol, a downward pointing triangle, and just in case you don’t get it, there’s a rectangular sign below it that says Cédez le passage (‘yield the passage’), or sometimes, Vous n`avez pas la priorité (‘you don`t have priority’):
The disadvantage of the rond-point is that it jams up under heavy traffic, but that is seldom a problem in France, at least in the countryside.

Road Numbering in France

‘A’ roads, such as A71, are motorways, or Autoroutes (white lettering on a blue background).
‘N’ roads are strategic trunk routes – the National network. (White lettering on a green background).
‘D’ roads are roads whose upkeep is paid for by the local Department, or county. They can be anything from busy local routes or former National routes now downgraded, to the quietest of country back roads. (White lettering on a green background).

Green direction signs point to ‘free roads’, as opposed to the blue signs that say ‘peage’, which amounts to ‘pay up for the toll roads’.

Note that France also displays European route numbers where appropriate; these are marked with a white number on a green background, and are in addition to the French road number. For example the A 6 motorway from Paris to Lyon is also marked as E15 (E15 being a European route running from Inverness to Algeciras).

When driving in France, it is always best to follow destinations rather than road numbers. Following the regionalization of responsibility for many roads, the result is a classic state of confusion; as the roads change names as they go through different provinces. This is all very confusing for foreign visitors driving in France, but not so much for the French, since with the exception of motorways, they follow a destination, rather than a road number. Destinations via main trunk routes are indicated by the names of towns in white letters on a bright green background.

Bis

Sometimes you may see direction signs starting with the word Bis, in italics. These are less crowded main roads. Thus a sign saying ‘bis Lyon’ is an alternative route avoiding the main roads, and generally with less truck traffic. Bis, in French, means second (as in the prefix bi).

The ‘Bison futé’ (cunning bison) is the motorist who does not follow the crowd, but seeks out less crowded easier roads, the ‘routes bis’, thus the ‘bis-on’. If you see a bison futé sign, it will be directing you either to alternative routes themselves or to an information point. On summer Saturdays, being a cunning bison is often well worth it, unless you love driving in heavy traffic or sitting in traffic jams. Driving on the backroads of France requires a good map – or a Satnav that allows you to wander off the beaten track; but in many places, it can still make driving a pleasure, rather than a chore.

White posts – Red posts

Most of the curves on country roads are marked with these reflective white posts. If you come upon two with red stripes, that marks the entrance to a side road. This is very helpful for finding your ways, especially at night.

Some curves are marked with arrows: one arrow, slight bend; 4 or 5 arrows, SLOW DOWN!

At the crossroads you’ll see these all the time: a crossroad is coming up, and you have the right of way (the wide stripe is in your direction).

Toutes Directions (all directions)

It points the way out of the town, and will lead you to other signs (often at a rond-point) indicating roads to various destinations. It won’t take you back into town, for instance. Follow it when you’re leaving town.

Priorité à droite and Priority Routes

The usual rule in France is called Priorité à droite, or ‘priority to the right’. At an intersection, if there are no other indications, the right of way must be given to the car coming from the right. This means that if you are driving along a road, and a car is turning onto your road from a road entering from the right, you must yield to the entering vehicle, even though you’re already on the road, and he is just turning on to it. Obviously, this doesn’t make sense if you are on a main road, and the intersecting road is a smaller or secondary road. That’s why main roads are designated as ‘Priority Routes’, and are marked. The same sign with a diagonal line through it negates whatever the sign would indicate without the line.

Your priority ends when you enter a town (a rectangular sign with a red border and the town name in the center). By default, that is the end of your Priority Route status, unless this is contradicted by an adjacent yellow diamond ‘Priority Route’ sign.
Circular speed limit signs are often seen with the word ‘Rappel’ under them: ‘Rappel’ in this context means ‘reminder’. It indicates that the speed limit is (as stated), both before and after the sign (that is, this sign is just reminding you of the speed limit, and is not indicating any change in the speed limit).

A sign on the right pointing left generally means that you go straight ahead. The same sign on the right pointing right means ‘turn right’ at the first opportunity. Think about this for a minute. It requires a different mindset to understand.

French Autoroutes – 130 km/hr (just over 80 mph) or 110 km/hr (68 mph) in rain
Dual carriageways (divided highways) – 110 km/hr (68 mph)
Main roads is 90 km/hr (55 mph) (outside built-up areas)
Urban areas is 50 km/hr (31 mph) – unless otherwise indicated

A note on converting kilometers to miles:

Muliply the kilometers by 6 and move the decimal point 1 place to the left:
8 kilometers = 4.8 miles
12 kilometers = 7.2 miles
Speed limit 70 = 42 miles per hour

Urban Areas

There is not necessarily a specific speed-restriction sign at theentrance to a urban (built up) area, particularly at the entrance tosmall villages. The name-board at the entrance to a village or town(dark blue letters on an off-white background) automatically indicatesa built-up area with a speed limit of 50 km/h (31 mph), unlessotherwise indicated. Police speed cameras are often set up in villageswhere traffic too often forgets to slow down.

Generally, there is a small tolerance for drivers who exceed the speed limit – but be advised that it is best to observe speed limits which are there for a reason. Until recently, speed cameras tended to be stationary and visible; nowadays, the gendarmerie are using more and more mobile radars, in unmarked cars. Be warned! Otherwise you may face an on-the-spot fine or if you are caught driving more than 50 km/hr over the limit – an instant ban and an impounding of your vehicle.

Speed Cameras in France

There are now well over two thousand stationary speed cameras on France’s roads and motorways.

Unfortunately, the official French radar speed camera map was removed from the Internet in May 2011, following a government decision to stop warning drivers of upcoming speed cameras. A lot of the warnings haven’t really gone – just changed: but others have really gone, and have not been replaced, so take care!

More than half of the warning signs have now gone, and many have been replaced by automatic speed detectors, which flash up the speed of each approaching car on a luminous panel. It’s best to understand what these are about: if you see a luminous panel flashing up, say 101 then 99, then 97 as you approach it while decelerating, that is your speed. So keep down or drop down to below the speed limit, as there is most probably (though not always) a speed camera coming up. Some speed detectors just flash up your speed in white lights, others in green or red lights depending on whether you are within or above the speed limit. Some show a smiley below the speed – grumpy if you’re above the limit, smiling if you`re within the limit.

In March, 2013, France introduced new invisible mobile speed cameras. Twenty of these are now operating on board unmarked police cars, mostly on the main north-south motorways. Since recording speed from a moving vehicle is not quite a perfect art, there is a slight tolerance; but vehicles clocked at over 140 Km/h (87 mph) in a 130 (80) stretch of motorway are liable to get pulled over. A hundred of the new cars should be in operation by 2014.

New radars are being set up all the time, so any unofficial maps that may be available on the Internet are unlikely to be complete, and in any case cannot include the mobile radar cars or the movable stationary speed cameras, of which there are currently about 1000. So the best rule – not to say the most sensible one – is ‘Do not drive over the speed limit’.

Avoiding Peak Periods

If you can avoid traveling on Saturdays between July 10th and August 30th, this is very advisable. On these days, many French autoroutes – and in particular all the main arteries to the south – are liable to reach saturation. The worst bottlenecks are in the Rhone valley south of Lyons, along the south coast, and around Bordeaux.

In January and February, Alpine motorways can get hyper-snarled up with traffic.

However, outside these periods, Saturday and Sunday are the best days for driving in France, on motorways and arterial roads. Indeed, on these days, HGV’s (trucks) are banned, meaning that unless you get stuck behind caravans or camper vans, combine harvesters or other various slowdowns, driving is relatively hassle-free.

Radio

Listen to the French 24-hour autoroute FM radio station on frequency 107.7 when driving on motorways (it covers the whole of the network). Traffic bulletins are given in English and vary between every half hour or less depending on the gravity of a situation or heavy flow of traffic.

Accidents

If you are involved in any accident involving two or more vehicles while driving in France, you will be asked to fill in a ‘constat amiable’ (an amiable declaration) by the driver of a French car involved. This is standard practice.

If possible, call your insurance company at once on your cell phone. They may put you in touch with a local French representative.

If you are involved in an accident involving any sort of injury – even if it is not your fault – you MUST remain until the police have come.

Breakdown

If your car is immobilized on or partly on the road due to a breakdown or an accident, you must set up your red warning triangle at a suitable distance behind the vehicle, to alert approaching traffic to the hazard. All cars driving in France must carry a red warning triangle, available from any motoring store, and also a yellow fluorescent jacket.

Entering a Town

Quite often in France, roads go straight through the center of town. This can even happen on four-lane roads – they suddenly get smaller, the speed limit drops, and you find yourself going straight through a town. Pay attention.

In other cases, a road may go through a town, but bypass the center. If you’re actually going to the center of that town, you need to watch carefully for another type of sign: the sign telling you you’ve entered a village. This is a rectangular sign containing a slightly smaller red rectangular border with the name of the town inside it.

When you enter a town, you are entering a zone with a default 50 Km/hr (31 mph) speed limit (unless otherwise posted). Second, by default you are entering a zone where the ‘priority to the right’ rule applies, unless this is contradicted by an adjacent yellow diamond ‘Priority Route’ sign. Major roads passing through small villages generally have priority, while smaller roads in smaller towns are still priority from the right (but it`s the signage that informs you, not any such general rule).

Route numbers: these are useful, and they’re on the map, but on the signs, they seem to be almost afterthoughts. They appear as small rectangular signs attached to larger signs. You need to pay close attention to notice them, so you might not want to count on spotting them quickly for making snap decisions at forks.

Finding your way through a town is (usually) easy! Most of the old French roads lead through towns, not around them. The best way through town? Just follow Toutes Directions. This is the main route and usually the fastest way if you’re just passing through. If you come to an intersection with several destinations posted and don’t see yours, then follow Autres Directions. You’ll find this pattern throughout France. And of course, to stop and look around, head for Centre Ville.

If you plan to rent a car in Europe, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with the operation of the manual transmission. The vast majority of rental cars have manual transmissions. There are only a limited number of automatics available.
The very concept of ‘car’ is radically different between North America and Europe. Whereas in the US and Canada size really matters, Europeans look for fuel economy and have cramped parking conditions in mind. Here are some hints on choosing the right car when renting.

Transmission – Not Automatically Automatic

The very first thing to bear in mind is the transmission. Whereas most rental cars in North America will be equipped with automatic transmission, manual transmission is the norm in Europe. In addition the gearshift will be to the left of the driver. If you are not familiar with a manual transmission be sure to select an automatic. And remember that the ‘exotic’ automatic transmissions may sell out fast, so book early.

Interior Space

Most rental cars are standard European or Japanese vehicles, built for cramped road conditions and comparatively short journeys. Especially the lower categories (Sub-Compact and Compact) are typical ‘city cars’ for the occasional user. Even ‘mid-size’ in Europe would be rated Compact in the US. So expect tighter conditions and choose a larger vehicle if traveling long distances.

Seats and Legroom

Cars are smaller and Europeans are used to them, so this leads to different car ratings. In the US, a car rated for two adults and two children, would be rated for five adults in Ireland. If you are in any way larger than the average European (5 ft 7 in, 165 pounds) go for a larger vehicle.

The Trunk

Luggage space in European and Japanese cars can be tight. Sub-Compact and Compact vehicles will more than likely be of the hatchback type with no actual trunk and a somewhat cramped storage area in the back. Getting four adults and their luggage into a Sub-Compact is nearly impossible. If you are planning to take your full baggage allowance go for a Mid-Size at least. Do not plan on leaving your luggage in view while touring, this will attract undesirable attention.

Extras – You Don’t Need Them

When looking up European rental cars you might notice that air conditioning or cruise control are not necessarily included in the specifications. You will not really miss them. While air conditioning can occasionally be nice during the short Irish summer, cruise control would be of no practical use at all.