Driving in France - a checklist

About-France.com - the connoisseur's guide to France

Driving in France is perfectly easy, and does not need any specific preparation. Nevertheless, there are a number of things that need to be seen to before starting your journey - particularly if you are coming from the United Kingdom or the Irish Republic, or another country where cars drive on the left.

Checklist :

Here is a quick checklist of the points to see to before you leave. For details see below.

• Driving licence
• Proof of vehicle ownership or hire
• Vehicle insurance
• Headlamp beam deflector
• Spare set of bulbs
• Breathalyzer kit
• Hazard warning triangle (breakdown triangle)
• Spare set of car keys
• High-visibility waistcoats
• Vehicle condition
• Maps or Satnav
• If driving in central Paris, an emissions quality sticker

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• ► Driving licence. When driving in France, you will need a recognised full  and valid driving licence. An international licence (an IDP) is not required for short term visitors (up to 90 days) from countries of the EU, EEA, the UK (post Brexit) , USA, Canada; however 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.
  NB: The  minimum age for driving in France is 18, so drivers under the age of 18 cannot drive in France, even if they have a full driving licence issued in their own country.
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  Personal ID. Anyone visiting France must have a valid personal ID card. For visitors from countries like the UK which do not issue ID cards, a valid passport is required. Travellers not holding a European Union or North American passport may need to obrain a tourist visa. For further details consult this official French foreign ministry website in English. 
• For longer stays, standard EU driving licences remain valid, but holders of driver's licenses from non-EU countries will probably need to obtain a French licence. Again, check with the French embassy in your country before starting off on your trip.
• ► Proof of ownership, This is the car's registration certificate (for cars registered in the UK, the V5C certificate). If stopped by the police, you may well be asked for the "Carte grise" (grey card) : it is the vehicle's registration certificate that you are being asked to show.
• ► Proof of insurance. The standard international and European insurance document is the "Green Card", and drivers from  Europe (including the UK) should make sure that they have a Green Card from their insurer before entering France. UK insurers may provide this free, or may charge extra. Within the EU, standard vehicle insurance is valid throughout the Union, but only  provides basic insurance for your vehicle (third party cover) unless otherwise stated, whether or not a green card is provided. As regards the extent of you vehicle insurance cover, you should check with your insurance company before setting off for France or beyond. Many insurance policies that are comprehensive policies in the UK only provide third party cover when the vehicle is taken abroad.
•     Many UK motorists like to take out extra holiday insurance, such as that available from the AA, to cover the costs of emergency repairs and/or repatriation of the vehicle and passengers in the event of a major mishap. Click to visit the AA website.
• ► Headlamp beam deflector.  Depending on your car, you will either need deflector patches or have to adjust the beam manually. In the UK, headlamps dip to the left, which is a big problem when driving at night on the continent, as that means they dip into the path of oncoming traffic. Beam deflectors (often just a bit of opaque tape to stick on a part of the headlamp) correct this.
• ► Spare set of bulbs.  Though it is highly unlikely that you will be stopped and asked to show your spare set of bulbs, and though it is not practical to carry spare sealed-beam units that require a garage visit for fitting, French rules of the road require cars to carry a spare set of bulbs. Many French drivers do not carry them.....
• ► Breathalyzer kit. or alcohol level test. In theory, it is obligatory to carry one of these - but there is no penalty for not having one.
• ► Hazard warning triangle.  All vehicles must carry a red reflective breakdown warning triangle that can be placed at a suitable distance behind a car if it is immobilised on the highway or hard shoulder
• ► Spare set of car keys.  Not obligatory, but highly recommended. After all, it would be unimaginable hassle to lose your keys, then have no way of getting into your car... or once in it, of starting it.
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  ► High viz waistcoats.  All cars are required by law to carry a high-visibility waistcoat or jacket (fluorescent yellow or orange). Hi-viz jackets must be carried IN the car, not in the boot (not in the trunk), so that they can be slipped on immediately by any driver or passenger who needs to get out of an immobilised vehicle, notably on a motorway or main road.
• ► Vehicle condition .  Don't set out on a long journey to France or beyond, to Italy or Spain or wherever, without having first had your car serviced or checked. In particular, check tyre pressure and condition.
• ► Maps or Satnav .  One or the other of these is always advisable, even if you are planning a simple journey on motorways or main roads. Detailed local maps can help you in the event of the unforeseen. They can also help drivers of larger vehicles - coaches, HGVs, caravans or motorhomes - avoid unsuitable roads before they actually reach them.  Satnavs are quite good at forgetting to mention bits of vital information, such as low bridges or narrow bridges on minor roads.
• ► Emissions quality sticker .  These are required for vehicles driving into many French cities during weekdays, or in some other  cities on poor air quality days (mostly in winter). Stickers can be ordered directly from the official French government agency  for less than 5 € including postage within Europe..

► Much more key information  on driving in France
Visit the main About-France.com  Driving in France page, for much more useful information on taking a car to France, including information on:

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