What tourists need to know before driving in France
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- čas přidán 15. 05. 2024
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Here's an overview of what it's like driving in France. Tourists shouldn't worry about renting a car because driving in France isn't as intimidating as it might seem once you know the rules of the road and what to expect. In this France travel video, I'll tell you about what tourists need to know before driving in France, including info about traffic circles, toll roads in France, French breathalyser, road signs, and more!
Note: This is by no means an all inclusive video on everything you need to know before a French road trip. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the rules of the road to be safe before getting behind the wheel.
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Salut! I'm Diane, the American behind the living abroad lifestyle blog Oui In France. My channel's focus is "Everyday French life and beyond," so let me know what you want to see! I make videos on French culture topics, food, travel, language, and give you my thoughts about what it's like as a foreigner in the Loire Valley. Thanks for being here and if you enjoy this sort of thing, please share with friends and subscribe!
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SOS sign: www.shutterstock.com/Evannovostro
Speed camera sign: www.shutterstock.com/Pierre-Olivier
Speed limit sign: www.shutterstock.com/ricochet64
Fine paper: www.shutterstock.com/Pixavril
Flashing speed camera: www.shutterstock.com/sdecoret
Vertical speed camera: www.shutterstock.com/Frederic Legrand - COMEO
Car radar device: www.shutterstock.com/Malykalexa
Woman car trouble in vest: www.shutterstock.com/Varavin88
Gilet jaunes protesters: www.shutterstock.com/Serge Goujon
Carte crise and docs: www.shutterstock.com/Pixavril
Concorde Paris: www.shutterstock.com/gumbao
Priority x sign: www.shutterstock.com/Pierre-Olivier
Priority sign: www.shutterstock.com/Pierre-Olivier
No parking sign: www.shutterstock.com/Taljat David
Yield sign: www.shutterstock.com/Kaspri
Yellow square: www.shutterstock.com/vvoe
No entry sign: www.shutterstock.com/Julien_j
Priority road square with bar: www.shutterstock.com/ojoo64
Speed limit sign: www.shutterstock.com/Julian Prizont-Cado
Woman cop speed camera: www.shutterstock.com/Frederic Legrand - COMEO
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➤➤🚘🚗Drive confidently across France with Tripiamo: The MUST-HAVE online guide teaching travelers how to drive in France like a local: www.tripiamo.com/a/2147532618/2vnymAoq
Bonjour Diane, I am from Canada (driving is pretty similar to USA), but I frequently drive in France and here are a few differences I observed that you have not mentioned: (1) secondary roads are much narrower with almost no shoulders; (2) the centerlines are white and not orange/yellow; (3) many roads and streets, especially in small villages, are not lit at all at night; (4) tolerances on speed limits are almost 0, so a limit of 50 km/h is 50 and not 55 or 59; (5) when you enter a town, although there might be no speed limit indicated, as soon as you see the town name, you have to slow down to 50 km/h; (6) in towns, curb parking can be in either direction so on your right hand side, you sometimes see cars facing you (which confused me into thinking I was going in the wrong direction in a one way at the beginning); (7) many narrow streets are not one way streets, but one direction has priority over the other one and you have to give way if you do not have priority; (8) cars often park on sidewalks when streets are very narrow; (8) in France, you'll never see someone driving in the left lane on the autoroute when there is nobody in the right lane (contrary to Canada or USA); (9) you cannot eat or drink while driving in France; and (10) as soon as pedestrians put their foot on the asphalt at the pedestrian crossing, cars in both directions immediately stop.
Thanks for those small details!
You're welcome!
I miss the tenth rule. We had that when I lived in Germany and I missed being a protected pedestrian upon returning to the States. However, my Dustin Hoffman impersonation from Midnight Cowboy, was on point! LOL 😂
Good points. Except #10. They USUALLY stop :)
Didn’t know about 9. I normally take a snack bag and a water bottle when driving from the UK to Switzerland through France
Hello, french driving instructor here. There are some things that need clarifications.
Traffic circles are « carrefour a sens giratoire » usually you have a yeld sign while entering them so you need to look left. « Rond-Points » do not have a yeld sign at the entrance, it’s « priorité à droite » you give way to the right. Meaning you have the way while entering them.
You need a High visibility vest, it doesn’t have to be yellow.
Also if you go ahead of the traffic light, you went through and will be pulled over.
Priorité à droite means give way to the right. 9:42 you need to yield to the person coming from your right.
If there was a street coming from your left, cars coming from there yield to you (you’re on their right side).
Speeds : in towns default speed limit is 50km/h
Out of towns : 80km/h
Fast lanes : 110km/h when dry, 100km/h in the rain
Autoroute : 130km/h when dry,110km/h in the rain.
About the signs :
14:04 means yield to the right on next crossroad. (You might be the one on the right). It does not say if you have priority or not.
Also 14:12 tells you you’re entering a town, therefore speed limit to 50km/h apply (unless there’s a speed sign that says different.).
Other than that, nice video.
Be careful about the "rond-points"! Most of them have priority to the left (to people already on the ring) and they're called "carrefours giratoires" but in Paris (Place de la Concorde) those are true "rond-points", so the priority goes to the right (to people ENTERING the ring). The best option would be not to drive in Paris anyway. Public transportation perfectly do the job, it's really hard to find somewhere to park and parking is very expensive. Parisians are really angry on the road so if you're not very confident on French roads, don't drive in Paris. (Most of French refuse to drive in Paris for these reasons).
If you rent a car in France, especially if you're from the US, be aware that lots of cars here are diesel. Even tiny cars like Peugeot 208, VW Polo, can be diesel. The bigger the car is, the more likely it is to be diesel. Diane's Juke is a diesel. There's almost no petrol SUV or crossover here. If there's any badge containing a "d" on the car, it's probably diesel. Watch out for TDI, dCi, CDTI, dT, dTi, TDCi, HDi, JTD, d, CDI, etc. badges when you're at the gas station.
Worldwide the norm for roundabouts is priority to those in it already, and people entering must yield, but as you mentioned there are exceptions in some place. But roundabouts are most efficient when people in them have priority, hence that is the norm. And yes, if you're not local, just don't drive inside the Périphérique.
As the right-of-way varies, how do you know which is in effect in any particular traffic circle?
@@johnkolassa1645 If those already in the roundabout doesn't have the right of way, it is clearly signed. if there's no such clear signage, you must yield to those in it.
@@johnkolassa1645 There's usually a round blue sign with a white arrow pointing to the right on the roundabout facing each entrance. This means it's a regular traffic circle with priority to vehicles already in the circle. The rule is right-of-way to people on your right if there's no clear signage. But those are rare and people don't care and act as if it was a standard traffic circle.
@@malolavoue4717 Thanks.
Bonjour Diane, I love your channel. I'm a retired Dutch police officer. I visited France for the first time when I was 12 years old. I'm from Amsterdam and we went on vacation with 2 families, 4 adults and 4 kids in 1 VW minibus :-) that was in 1965. When I got a car and a driving licence in 1977 I started camping in France together with my wife. There were no "rond points" in those years. The last 20 years we camped with a caravan all over France, since my retirement 7-8 weeks in the summer. J'aime La France.
Driving in France is not diffrent then driving in countries in the rest of Europe including Czech Republic and Poland. The thing I missed in your driving video are the standard speed limits on the "routes national" (80 km/h since 2019) and within city limits (50 km/h). Every year I have to push myself when I enter France to be aware of the city limit signs with the name of the village on it. They are totally diffrent in The Netherlands and have no max speed on them, but imply a max speed of 50km/k.
The other thing are the "antique" chemical alcohol tests. Yes I have them too in my car in France.:-) I worked with those tests in the police till about 1980. We then got electronic testers. I took literally hundreds of those tests on people driving. We always joked about those things. When it is very hot the tube already colored with the slightest amount of alcohol. When freezing cold even a very drunk person was unable to color the crystals. They are totally useless and I don't understand why the French lawmakers introduced these things.
As for you when you did the test. There is scientific diffrence between male and female in reaction to alcohol. Women are sooner intoxicated then men. Als when you are tired your body doesn't do a good job breaking down alcohol. When you start drinking on an empty stomach the alcohol will be absorbed by the stomach instantly, making your blood alcohol instantly high. When your stomach is food filled before you start drinking the alcohol will be diluted by the food in the stomach and the alcohol will take much longer to get in to the body. Your body will brake down app 1 alcohol consumtion per hour. That happens simultaniously so your blood alcohol will stay low.
So NEVER drink on an empty stomach unless you want the get drunk very quick.
I did visit netherland country side (verry beautiful) and its really different from france! France is much more bigger with more old road than in Netherlands ,ur country have really small"village" with perfect structured road u can't get lost there😅while in france its more complicated. In netherland since its not big and in every village there is all the necessity near by u can circulate on bicycle or judt walking (i did walk from a village to another!) But its not possible in france since its big u need to live in the center of the village if u need anything otherwise u use ur car if u live near by. My fav place?a small island ,we crossed a lack i think to get to the small old fishermen village and les 11 moulins😅 verry windy tho the villages we crossed to get there were enchanting.
dick,
Drunk driving was a huge problem in France. It was necessary for years to fight against this scourge and to change mentalities. The introduction of basic breathalyzers is one of the small steps that has made it possible to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents.
Unfortunately, another scourge has appeared: cannabis........
Drive for 16 days in France in 2015 and was shocked how easy and pleasant it was. Got to see small towns and villages and the roads were awesome. We bought a Garmin GPS that had both North American and European maps and it was flawless. Really great investment. Can’t wait to go back. France has my heart.
You definitely didn't go in city centers
@@user-gb4zq9np7m we went everywhere we could except Paris. In the north that included Tours, Strasbourg, Arras, Saint Malo, Dieppe etc. big cities never require cars on vacation.
@@user-gb4zq9np7m we also visited Colmar, Basel Switzerland, Namur Belgium and Luxembourg city.
La France c'est : les limitations de vitesses qui changent tous les kilomètres à tel point que parfois on arrive à ce demander quelle est la vitesse autorisée, les radars automatiques implantés dans des endroits oû surtout ça peut rapporter un max en contravention, les routes en mauvais état. Bref rouler en France est loin d'être une sinécure.
@@ppfa-ef5lv pas notre experience du tout. Nous sommes Canadian etc nos routes sont tellement pire. Pour les limites de vitesses, il faut juste faire attention.
These rules are typical for most of Europe, not only France. As a Swiss driver, I can drive in France without learning anything particular
Maybe to put (right and left) turn signal in roundabouts ;)
@@corenting7343 We also have roundabouts in most European countries. We also have to use a turn signal when leaving the roundabout.
@@patrickburnand1404 entering it too (if you go right or left) I used to be a driver in Savoie and the vast majority of the Swiss drivers didn't put their turn signals.
Not to say that is bad but that it's a particularity.
@@corenting7343 Well in Switzerland it's not obligatory to use a turn signal when turning left. The activation of the right signal is obligatoty when leaving the roundabout. That's a small legal variations. Then not all drivers abide by the rules, no matter in which country.
@@corenting7343 to be fair it's not Switzerland only. Here in Vendée, people are not really signaling champions on roundabouts, or wherever lol.
Intersections with traffic lights have been steadily replaced by roundabouts over the past decades. When I was a child there was only 1 of them in my hometown. Now there are at least 10 of them.
By the way, for non French people, ice cubes in wine screams 'not French' :)
Yes😅😅no ice cube please🙅
@@fredspan5598 The best with Rosé is to put the bottle in the fridge, so no ice cubes are needed.
les glaçons dans le rosé ça passe. Mais pas dans le vin blanc, ça c'est sûr.
@@jeanmartin963 and putting ice in red wine is forbidden and punished by guillotine in France ;-)
I laughed when I saw the ice cubes because I wanted to know where to get them, 😜
Personnally I take gas before or after the autoroute whenever possible, because it's less expensive !
Yes, Carrefours or LeClerc are go to places for fuel.
As a French person, I think your video is the best I have seen on that topic. I would add : be careful that in bigger cities, many drivers will have a more agressive driving style. On the other hand, in some usually jammed intersections, every driver who have right of way will let one car from the other street cut in front of them to merge and ease traffic.
Yes, and it's actually mandatory but many drivers choose to forget that
I’ve heard France is home to half of the worlds total number of roundabouts
When the US finally learn the greatness of the roundabouts, they will install it everywhere and claim they invented it.
Wait, is that true? I'm French, I never realized it wasn't a thing in other countries...
@@sollyrose It is not common in the US, but we have them.
I'm pretty sure Holland has more
@@HENGHENG-dr7oo no google it. Also the Netherlands is so small compared to France they have way less roads
When driving on the Auto Route, NEVER stay in the left (high speed) lane. We Americans tend to cruise in the left lane of the highway. I tried passing three cars, but apparently stayed in the passing lane a little too long. I had a cranky driver behind me. Also, I love the automated "people at work" signs.
Yes, good addition. Always stay right except to pass.
It's forbidden to pass a car on the right on autoroutes. The "cranky" driver couln't pass your car.
@@norbertfontaine8524 It's also forbidden to stay on the left for no reason, you can get stopped and fined for this (or even caught by a helicopter and get the fine later).
Very important point,left lanes are for passing,this is a major ajustment for american drivers.
Americans are NOT supposed to cruise on the left either. Left is for passing only.
Regarding rental cars and visiting more countries, make sure the rental contract specifies every country it allows you to visit, in order to ensure the rental car insurance is valid in those countries.
We, a Canadian couple, just returned from a couple of weeks in France (and a bit beyond) and we are so very grateful for this video. I had my husband watch it too, since he was the primary driver of our rental car. We both mentioned you and this video a few times while we were in traffic. Thanks so much - your information was invaluable!
The rule of "priorité à droite" or "right of way" makes perfect sense when you know that it comes from international maritime law, governing the main method of transporting goods before trains and automobiles. A ship or sailboat is not easy to stop and start, so coordination of passing rights is critical. If you see the red port (or left) side light of a vessel ahead at a distance, even at night and moving rather slowly, you know that you need to let it proceed across your path, whether by stopping, slowing or bending course so that you will pass behind it. The green light of the starboard (right side) indicates that the vessel is coming from your left, and it is you who has the right-of-way. On land this became red for stop light, green for go. Right? :)
I hate it when some smarty pants explains something and they actually make sense , even worse is when they explain it well. Curse you and your logical mind!😁
Makes no sense to me to apply a maritime law to the road. Vehicles have breaks.
It's used in most of Europe.
It is still an outdated, stupid and dangerous rule that is not at all instictive. It leads to many deaths each year in France and should be abolished forthwith. They call it priorité a la cimitière around here in Isère.
@@stevo728822 it's just how to choose who have priority in case of lack of indication.
I think it make more sense than the straight-lane is priority, because there could be more than 1 straight-lane, and it force you to slow-down if you are coming a bit too fast, which could easily prevent an accident.
Thank you for this great video. On a road trip last year, I realized that the town name signs weren’t just for information, there were the formal notification of a drop in the speed limit. In the Loire and Le Finistiere, I found myself watching for those town signs as they came up often.
Good video. 2 remarks: North Americans don't know what lane to take when entering a traffic circle. For the first or second exit, always stay on the right. For others, stay more to the left. For a (almost) complete turn, stay as left as possible.
On multi lane roads, stay on the right lane. Left lane is for passing. You can get a ticket when the police spots you staying left too long.
I would add this, if you have a doubt about your exit in a roundabout, you can hold the right lane. It's not recommended but absolutely legal.
If you change lanes in a roundabout, don't forget to check your blind spots and to use your indicators, because just like everywhere, you don't have the right of way when changing lanes (even if you took the roundabout like you should).
And ffs, if you're about to miss your exit, *please do a second turn,* DO NOT slow down too much on a roundabout, it's unexpected and dangerous. You wouldn't be considered wrong if you were to have a accident like that, but still, it's preventable.
Diane doing the hard work.
I love driving in France and have driven all over including Paris, Normandy, Champagne, Provence, Toulouse, Montpellier, Marseille, and Côte d’Azur. The signage (last minute) and location of stop lights (low) were both challenging but eventually I got used to them. Oh and French parking garages were so narrow!
Roundabouts in cities(Nimes -lol) at peak hours can be difficult 😁. Plus automatic tickets from speeding sensors is a bummer.
Ok boomer
Can I bring my corvette there from america or no?
@@kyrierose170 I don't see why not. Does it have 3 stop lights on the back of the car?
@@kyrierose170 Very long (6-8 weeks, at least), expensive (cost of shipping, specific taxes, registration, proof of conformity to EU norms, specific taxes depending on the green-rate of the car, etc), aaaand depending on the car, modifications might be needed (for instance headlight dipping must be switched). Depending on the length of your stay, you might also need to register the car in France, with french plates.
It's always fun to come back to watch the videos again. As for me, two things were more tricky in France. Pedestrians and narrow streets in Cities (I grew up in a small California town) and motor cycles on freeways zooming between autos.
Best video ever!! Great editing, great camerawork, excellent voice over and level of detail. I feel a bit more prepared to drive on my trip to Provence!
What a great & informative video. Thank you!
What a great vlog, Diane! So informative, very interesting, & what great town & countryside views. Thanks so much for making this. Q
Thank you for this video. I will review this video, before our next trip there!
Quel boulot ! Script, tournage, montage ! Impressionnant
That was a great video! Lov'd it. Merci!
Although in the beginning you already stated that it is not "all inclusive", I find that the video is quite informative and covers many of the important things
Very helpful video! I hope that someday I am able to use your tips!
There are also some other important rules. For example:
When there are multiple lanes and you want to overtake a vehicle, you have to overtake it on the left.
You are not allowed to stay on the left lane(s) if you don't overtake anyone.
Never overtake a vehicle or make a left if you have a solid line (white or yellow).
At a traffic light, if you have an amber light you have to stop, unless you don't have enough distance to do so or if someone is tailgating you.
Never block an intersection or a railroad crossing. It means that even if you have a green light, you are not allowed to proceed as long as the intersection is obstructed. If there is a traffic jam and there is a railroad crossing (and no train coming), always stay before it unless you are 100% sure you have enough room behind the vehicle in front of you.
Tailgating is forbidden.
Holding an object in your hand (phone, etc) is forbidden.
Mirror/shoulder checking and using your signals are mandatory every time you want to change lane or make a left/right.
Some impatient or dumb drivers might honk at you even though you obey the rules of the road. Ignore them.
..... and the list is so looooong. 🤣
Nice video!
Survival rule #1 in traffic circles, anywhere in southern France : always remember that the message "Cedez le passage" on yield road signs, means in fact : "Forcez le passage" ! So look out... better late than crushed
Those traffic circles are quite handy.....luv your shirt. 🌹
Thank you, this is great information!! Well done!
Love driving in France. Had many trips on motorcycles there too. Very necessary to be alert, don't dawdle in the overtaking lane.
Thanks for the tips. Our truck is crossing the Atlantic now and we will be exploring Europe for a couple years.
I’m sure we are in for a world of learning experiences.
Just one rule its forbidden ton replace your wheel on the autoroute, and it's forbidden to put your triangle on it to, you have something like 30s of living on a road like that so just jump over the fence and wait
Bjr, 2 mois plus tard ça donne QUOI 🤔
To add something about the "péages" on the "autoroutes", there are different signs on top of each space where you can pay : the green arrow means you can use all type of payment (usually a real person there) but others can mean you can only pay cash and/or card. The orange "t" means you can only cross if you are subscribed and have the thing in your car thar allows the gate to open automatically.
as of 2021, almost zero people manning the booths, but sans contact is almost universal now and way better, as it works with apple pay etc.
the sanef tag is really handy if you drive to go skiing a couple of times a year from the UK or if you are by yourself in the car as theres no faffing about on the passenger side picking up a ticket and tehn paying at the next one. You just coast though at the lane speed limit and the barrier opens up for you. Also a good way to spread the cost of the trip as it takes nearly 2 months for the bill to come through
Sorry but you’re wrong: orange « t » (stands for telepeage) means you can use your badge. Only the sign « t » with a « 30 » means the badge is mandatory. Have a nice trip!
Thank you so much for posting this excellent information. I have never seen anything like this before and it will be helpful. Salut.
Such a great video Diane. I am not planning in driving in France, but found this very interesting. Keep up the good work!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you!
SOS phone in France, on “autoroute” are always orange... orange is the colour of the DDE Direction Départementale de l’Équipement”.
Furthermore, the yellow jacket must be in the driver’s door.
DDE doesn't exist anymore, and it was public service. Autoroute are private, so the color of phone is not linked. There is no mandatory place for gilets jaunes, it must be "within hand reach", it can be glove box or backpocket of seats. I insist also on the point that some "rond points", like place de l'Étoile in Paris don't have yield sign when entering, so you have to do "priorité à droite"
@@thomaspgc5094 Where did you saw an autoroute phone in another color than orange ? I would love to know. Maybe you saw some rose..... LOL And, oh, DDE still exist, the acronym just changed in DDT when fusioning with another rural service , but this public service stayed the same doing the same things.
@@IRACEMABABU where did I say I saw other color than orange?
Hi @Oui in France, as a french driver myself I've enjoyed watching your explanations for foreigners, they hit the nail right. an other topic worth of sharing to your viewers might be how to drive in Paris, as many people arrive in France in this city first, then rent a car. The driving etiquette for Paris is even strange for a guy like me who had to adapt a lot from the strict observation of the code de la route. It was like driving in another country, left lanes on the périphérique stuck while the two medium were moving at different paces, and the motorcycles' lane in between the lanes.
It is ok while getting used to driving in such conditions . Even in central Paris, at the crossroads it might feel a bit weird and irrational at least to some foreign drivers, and it is a legit lecture. Sometimes you get stuck where you don't want to be because of the inner traffic motion. Cars over parking on an actual driving lane is unfortunately a common thing. And in a city like Paris, if you hesitate you won't go first, and make your way without stressing, think about the round about at the Place de l'Étoile, with arc de Triomphe in the middle. The least you are afraid, use your side signal and go decidely to your exit, the better off you'll be.
And each city and region has a style of driving, try and drive in Marseille, it is a wonderful city, but french from other cities have to adapt to this local way of driving. And it is something more impulsive, strange and delightful. Check it up for foreign drivers to learn from your experience in driving in such areas. Anyhow, glad I've found your content. Bonne route. A.
Yes! Having grown up in Canada and living in Paris for about six weeks now, I find driving in the city somewhat horrifying. I had over a decade in Poland to get me ready, but Poland has generally been calming down, and the only city where it can still be a bit of a jungle is Warsaw (where I didn't live, and generally took a train there). Now, Paris is a whole other dimension. The sheer amount of traffic, pedestrians and trotinettes/scooters/bikes/those one wheel things/pterodactyls/whatever else that isn't a car that is on the road and not really treating the traffic lights as anything more than a helpful suggestion is amazing. Also, so many strange intersections, where it is set up like an intersection but functions like a rond-point, so that when I want to take a left turn across the tram tracks (for example, I encountered this in the 13th), you first cross people turning left from oncoming traffic, then turn left yourself. Except since it looks like a normal intersection, it's very confusing for someone used to driving in Poland and Germany. I also remember missing my Périphérique on-ramp three times in a row, because it was such a spaghetti-like mess to get on, and involved a left turn just after getting through three lanes of perpendicular traffic, except there were already so many cars there, you ended up blocking traffic. Trying to scoot off to the side sent me on another loop around. I finally got it, but it was harrowing! Also, out around Vélizy (I think) there is a bit of a spaghetti lane setup where you find yourself driving on the left like in the UK for a few hundred metres or so.
I try not to drive in Paris, but as someone who just moved here, it's sometimes necessary. I can't take that fridge I just bought on Le Bon Coin on the metro! I keep my car outside the city now and take public transit over to it when I need to do a car-related mission. I guess it won't matter after July, as it's a Crit'Air class 3. :)
Great video. I learned stuff even after living here 3 years.
Thanks Dianne…I’ve been driving here in France for five months now and I learned some things in your video. Yes…the countryside is breathtaking!
Glad it was helpful!
Many years ago my wife and I drove through Fance to Switzerland and Italy in a convertible Alfa-Romeo, one of only 75 right hand drive cars in Europe and 150 World Wide, the rest of the 1500 were left hand drive. The car caught a lot of attention!
Excellent primer. Could / should be used by tourist agencies. Saving to a playlist for future reference & trip planning.
Great idea!
If you plan on travelling to Europe, when this unpleasantness is over, Diane's primer is most helpful in most western European countries - except the UK. Especially the signs are just the same because of the EU. :)
Thanks for taking the time to make this video!
My pleasure!
Thanks for your video. While we did drive in France, the Normandy region in 2019, I have to admit that not all signs were immediately understood. The "priority to the right" warning is very much appreciated. We are planning a road-trip in France later in 2022, so viewing this video is very timely for me.👍
Glad it was helpful. Have a great trip later this year!
Having lived in France for 12 years, some time ago now, and having made countless visits since, I think you did a good job! Do watch out for the automatic camera speed traps. I've been nailed!
We got the speed camera ticket at 5am in the morning headed to the airport in Corsica. 144 euros. oh, my wallet!
Hey, just a detail, there is an important though badly known difference between a "rond-point" and a "carrefour giratoire". Most are "rond-points", on which you always have to yield to get on, but some of the bigger ones like the Place de La Concorde or place de l'Etoile in Paris are just round but otherwise standard crossings, with the usual priority rule on the right on depending on the light.
really appreciate this!
I've driven very little in France. We have a place in Lille. Making a left in still confusing and counter-intuitive, cars drive between each other instead of avoiding each other completely. It's my husband's hometown so he does most of the driving. Still, I appreciate all the little tips! Love your channel
I literally study in the city you're filming in, it's Angers, a very beautiful city on the Maine river next to the Loire river
We drove from Paris to Honfleur, Normandy with no issues..🍷😍🇫🇷
This is brilliant! Thanks so much! 😀
Super helpful information. Thank you for making this video.
Hi, i live in Ireland and we drive on the left so its completely different driving in France/Europe.....you do have to be very careful when coming to a roundabout and as the girl said in the video know the road signs and you really do need to know them well ,i have driven in France many times and will be living there very soon.
I used to drive in Mexico, but mostly just around our small city. The way the roads were set up were sometimes very different, if I didn't live there and knew how they went, I'd have done things wrong and possibly caused an accident. One example was a red light for an onramp, but you're not supposed to stop at it, no one does. If I did, it could cause an accident. Another example is one way roads that aren't marked as one way. Also there often aren't lane lines, you just have to know.
This video is full of really practical info. Excellent, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you SO much for making this video! 🙏🏼❤️ I’m renting a car in Paris to go to Normandy beach and this has been incredibly helpful!!!
You're so welcome!
Well, that is a nice video, you've said pretty much all the "need to know" before driving in France. I'm a Frenchman that enjoys seeing his own country through the eyes of foreigners : turns out, most of the time, we're not as bad as the reputation would say :D !
I have 2 comments though.
About "rond-points" : I understand they can be pretty disruptive for foreigners, especially North-Americans drivers, but it's getting quite frequent across Europe now. I admit that France over-killed it, as building contractors had massive incentives from government in the 90's to build'em. I'm surprised that you mentioned Place de la Concorde in Paris, the most dangerous for me, would undoubtedly be the infamous Place de l'Etoile : a round-about, 12 avenues getting in and out, slippery cobblestone when wet, no traffic lights or stop signs as it is priority to the right. That one scares the hell out of every non-Parisian people that i get in my car ! :D
My second comment would be about the breathalyzer, I think you blew a little too hard in it : at the driving school, we are taught that the legal limit (0.5g/L) is about 2 glasses of wine, standard bar servings (12cL or 4 fl. oz. @ 12.5% alcohol) or a pint of beer...
Anyway I agree with you, if one indulge drinking or partying too much, better get someone else to drive, or get a taxi. This is now strictly enforced, and if positive, it would lead most of the time to a driving license suspension from 3 to 6 month (yes, even a U.S licence, a friend from TX had the bad experience) Also, if the breathalyzer is positive, most of the time a narcotics swab screening is done on site, and if that one is positive, well get a lawyer because you're in a pretty pickle !! Thumb up and subscribed :)
Great video Diane. Well structured and extremely informative. I didn't know that Americans said traffic circles, but I did know that they aren't common in the states so it's normal that the word roundabout wouldn't have traveled.
Underground car parks are very narrow. I drive very rarely here and so they make me nervous when I do!
Vlog style videos take a lot of effort. Well done and thanks for putting it together.
+1 for the drone shots!
Thanks for watching, Alex, and glad you caught the drone shots. ;-)
Yup, we call the roundabouts traffic circles and at least where I grew up they weren't super common at all but now I know them like the back of my hand.
I know the word roundabout 😉
Roundabout is a British word,my friends!😎🇫🇷❤️🇺🇸
Thank you thank you!! Merci! This video is MOST helpful for our trip coming up. This will really help me prepare. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Many thanks for your videos. My wife and I are considering retiring in Italy (and are currently vacationing in Italy). While there are certainly differences between the two countries, the similarities are often striking, and the advice you give often applies to Italy as well.
One useful thing that many traffic lights have are the smaller repeater lights at eye level when in your car, so no need to look up. (As long as you don't stop past the light itself.)
stop past the light itself - a clear risk of being deemed to have passed a red light...
good for me when I'm on my bike, too.
Rented a car in the south of France and had no issues. On our first fill up of fuel I keep looking for “diesel” which I found out was “gas oil” and almost ran out of fuel.
Please clarify - how was the fuel labeled?
@@marym3663 the pumps were “gasoil”, which is diesel here in America. Just another name for the same product. I would make sure you ask the rental agent to confirm this.
Keep in mind almost all cars are manual transmissions in Europe. We drove all around Provence and had no problems. Most of the towns were small. We had a GPS which had a European chip for maps. There is a lot of toll roads so have a bunch of euros in small bills or coins.
Happy to see the Chateau d'Angers! Good job on the video!
This is a great video! Merci Diane! I'm lucky enough that I live on the border of Ontario and Quebec Canada where the "no right on red" is a rule, so I'm used to that. "Priority to the right" is not a rule here. I will definitely keep that top of mind the next time I'm in France, Spring 2022!
I live in neighboring Belgium, and drive frequently in France and the road rules are basically the same. One that took me a little getting used to were the two signs found on narrower 2-way roads that indicate which car has the priority (right of way)... you could see a blue rectangular sign with two arrows, and that means you have the right of way, or a round white sign outlined in red which means you have to yield to any cars coming towards you. The Priority to the Right is the hardest one to get used to for an American driver.
We got the same signs in Belgium don't we?
De voorrangsborden
@@RadoHudran Yes, I saw the same signs in both Belgium and France. I believe they are the same everywhere in the EU. Now that I am home in the USA, I don't have to worry about that idiotic priorité à droite (priority to the right) rule anymore!! It makes more sense that those driving on the larger streets always have the right of way at all times if there are no stop signs. Edited to say... USA has very different driving rules than in Europe.
I did not drive in Europe - I was a passenger, but everything you said is good info. The tiny parking spaces! The worst was at our B&B in Bloise - it was on a hill, with a tiny space with only inches to spare - with a manual transmission! Luckily, hubby did an expert job of getting into that space! The only hint I would give is to have a paper map as well as GPS, and have a general idea of where you are going. Sometimes the GPS wants to send you in all kinds of weird directions and worse, is when it suddenly goes silent when there is a decision to be made. This, of course, doesn’t only happen in France, but it’s more stressful when you don’t know the area at all.
Blois actually
Thank you, very much! This was really informative.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This video is fantastic! You went through a lot of detail and made it easy to comprehend. Thanks.
I didn't know you had a youtubechannell. I had read several of your stories in Pinterest, and I just loved them.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this video. This makes me feel more confident if I spend a year in France traveling. I was wondering if I needed to rent a car or if the train was the best way to get around France. I now see that it is probably the best way to see the country by renting a car. I am guessing that most car rental companies offer insurance, but will also check with my auto insurance as well.
Hi Marilyn, either one can be great depending on what you have planned. Definitely more freedom with the car and you can get to off the beaten path places with ease.
Very good video. I learned the hard way about speed cameras in Avignon. I did not think I was speeding but I saw the light flash. You are correct that the French government will find you. I first received a letter from the rental agency that I was being charged 20 euros for giving the government my name and address. I then received the fine from the government and I was given the choice to pay 75 euros immediately or 300 euros later after one month. I paid the 75 then and hope my driving record is clear. Interested to see more of your videos. We were scheduled to return to France this September but that is not going to happen due to the virus. Hope to get back again after the virus is controlled.
I have driven i France Belgium Luxembourg Germany italy with no problem. I have driven in several left hand drive vehicles in many parts of the carribean.
It makes me so happy to see you drive on the streets of Angers, where I've been living for several years now! You can see my usual pharmacy on the right at 2:23 - about two minutes away from my home on foot =)
Also, you're right to empathize the importance of priority to the right, as even most of us natives get tripped up over it sometimes!
Another thing I love about French highway driving is lane discipline. When I go back to CA to drive, the lack of it is insane.
very important point, especially for Americans, who are oblivious about passing lanes.
as well as in other EU countries: left lane is for overtaking. Do not occupy if not overtaking! Same is for center lane, should there be 3 lanes per direction.
Same in most of the other 49 states.
Merci, Diane! Indeed, the priorirté à droite was the most difficult thing about driving in France. I was the designated navigator & he drove (bless him!) but he held onto the American mindset of those on a main road or going straight have priority & cursed out a few cars on tiny roads pulling out in front of him. I had to gently remind him that they actually had the right of way...and kept my own eyes open for them as we drove so I could point them out if needed.
you like to do road rage tourism in france you like to curse people
Thank you. Great narration. Excellent topics. Clear examples.
You're very welcome!
Really informative and well thought out video. Thank you for this!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Priorité à droite (priorité to the right) is even more sacred in Belgium or in Luxembourg as drivers in Belgium and in Luxembourg will not even look at who might be on their left....
One thing that I needed to know when getting driving directions in France was "tout droit" means "straight ahead", not "take all the right turns."
I had a little trouble finding the place I was looking for.
turn right is "tournez à droite !"
Yes, droit means straight which is wierd now that i think about it. Because it's so similar to droite.
What a useful video. Thank you
Great video, I learned a lot. Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Or just use public transit, it is beyond great in France and goes literally everywhere! I traveled around rural Dordogne using trains and busses without issue. 👁😍🇨🇵
Buses are readily available between one rural area to another?
That's so strange to see Angers in youtube, mdr !
Je me disais la même chose !
I liked this before even watching it because I need this so bad! 😄The priorité à droite is definitely a killer for me so thanks for your explanation.
Looove your t-shirt btw! Also, I like the blue glasses!
Thanks very much! Old t-shirt. New glasses. ;-)
@@OuiInFrance Now you just need something borrowed! 😆
I totally enjoy your videos. Had planned a trip to Europe in 2020, but, well, we know what befell the world. So, it is in my future, but in the meantime am enjoying your “lessons” on life in France. Am planning to ship my vehicle over since I will be visiting family and friends., and I have a small RV . These driving tips are awesome. Thanks for sharing.
very useful cause France does have quite the reputation for driving
Either does america, we suck
I come from Australia. These laws are much more familiar to me than the US versions. About the only difference is driving on the right instead of the left. The priority road signs are also new to me. Even the size of cars is quite typical. And when I grew up both roads and cars were a lot narrower than they are today. Older garages were tight then and impossible today.
Sadly, I think drivers have got a lot wider too! I’d agree, I’m a Brit, but have lived in Oz, had to take my Ozzie test, why I can remember how many bales of wool you can stack a truck with , I have no idea. I moved to Spain, had a Spanish car. After getting use to not changing gear with the widow winder, it was great, driving in France used to be great but recent speed changes means a tortoise is in danger of getting a ticket!
Great video & well presented - thank you!
So helpful! Wish we watched this before traveling to France several years ago. Once we left Paris, the driving was easier, and we enjoyed all the traffic circles. Using GPS, we didn't have much trouble finding which exit to take. But I remember those tiny parking garages!!
Glad it was helpful!
I rented a car in France three years ago, and of course it had a manual transmission. I grew up driving with manual transmissions, but had driven strictly automatic transmissions since 1977. It was a lot more challenging than I thought it would be. Very easy to miss gears and/or stall the car. Fortunately, the particular car I was driving restarted itself automatically otherwise I would have many more irritated drivers behind me waiting for me to get going again.
If you ask for an automatic transmission when rented, you will get it...
Irritated drivers 😂😂
Hey, as a French guy, it is funny to see how you describe thinks that seem obvious for us. Ah, you forgoy to mention that, in Paris, prioirité à droite is mandatory in the roundabouts ( no yoeld signals). Salut.
Back in 2001 I had the pleasure of visiting France with a tour group and enjoyed it very much. We went to Nice and Cannes.
Well done. Thank you for doing this video.
Never put an traffic triangle in the highway
pas de voiture jamais dans l’UE est transmissions standard ici en Amérique du Nord toutes les voitures snd SUV, les camions sont atomatique transmission standard transmission est sorti à la fin des années 1970
So helpful. Thank you.
7:55 the placement of the traffic lights is good - it makes the drivers show respect to the crossing line and the zebra-crossing too.
Oh, c'est à Angers ! 😍
I remember seeing other cars who are coming toward you on the autoroute "flash" their headlights to indicate that their was a police car ahead. Is this a common occurrence?
Mimi Whitney-Hafft it’s quite common, totally illegal. If caught... well you don’t want to know the wrath of the local authorities, trust me.
It certainly does happen yes, but I feel like people flash their lights a little more where I'm from in the USA. I'd see that nearly monthly or more depending on how much I was out and about. Here, maybe every couple of months. I find that speed traps are way more common than cops hiding in the bushes with a handheld device like in one of the photos.
It is quite common when police is hiding, but most speed trap are automated. And it is totally legal to flash headlights to warn of a "danger".
To the point that some GPS legally warn you of "danger" when you are in a speed trap section...
@@gengis737 Warnings by GPS are illegal in France. (Brit)
@@malcolmnicholls2893 I drive in Western Europe frequently. Warning of speed trap is illegal, but warning of "dangerous" road section is legal. Even when "dangerous" section include a speed trap.
Really informative video, thank you so much.
You're very welcome!