Driving in France can be a bit of an experience! Rural France is generally a pleasure to drive in as the roads are quiet even during peak holiday periods; just use your common sense and drive defensively. The French can be a bit reckless on motorways but usually move over when they’ve overtaken - unlike their English counterparts!! If they indicate behind whilst you’re overtaking, it means they want to pass and not follow you! Speed limits are:
Toll highways (Autoroutes) – 130 km/h – 110 km/h in poor weather
Non-toll highways – 110 km/h
Other main roads – 90 km/h
Roads in towns – 50 km/h.
A great radio station to stay tuned to during your journey is Radio Traffic 107.7 where traffic information is broadcast in English each hour. Click here to listen now and visit the website.
An excellent journey planner is provided on the official French autoroute website; available in English it will let you know the best route, what your tolls will be and even calculate your fuel cost for you. Click here for the link.
An easy way to pay the tolls is to sign up for a Telepéage electronic device which is read as you pass through the toll. This requires a credit card for online purchase, a deposit of 30 euro and a fee of just 2 euro per month which is only charged for months used (plus of course the toll itself). The benefits are rapid passage through the tolls and no leaning across the car to pay at left-sided toll booths. Visit www.sanef.com where you will find a box to join and pay by credit card, although it is in French.
Bon route!
