Driving to Provence

The autoroutes in France are a network of toll-paying motorways that span the length and breadth of the country. There are a number of different companies that manage these motorways from one region to the next, a full list of which can be found here, along with links to their individual websites.

Motorists pay tolls for the sections of the road that they use, usually collecting a ticket from an automatic dispenser when they enter a section and settling up at one of the many toll booths or 'péages' at the other end. The amount you pay depends on the type of vehicle you are driving and how far you’ve travelled within the toll zone but you will see the prices clearly marked as you approach the booths. Tolls can be paid either in cash or by credit card.

You can also choose to acquire a toll badge, which allows you to drive through the toll booths without stopping (although you must slow down to 30 km/h!), and sends you a bill each month with the cost of the tolls you have driven through. There are allocated booths for those with a badge reducing your queueing time, ideal for busy holiday periods.

As a rough guideline, when driving from Calais to the south coast of France you can expect to pay around 125€ in tolls each way.

Crit'Air Vignettes
These car stickers have been introduced to try and help cut down air pollution in major French cities. All vehicles need to display one including cars, motorbikes, coaches and lorries - the stickers are graded from 1 to 6, with 6 being the oldest and most polluting, therefore the vehicles most likely to be banned from entering the cities on high pollution days. Find out more and how to buy your vignette on the French Government website.

One thing to bear in mind whilst driving in Provence is the old French custom of giving way to the traffic making its way onto a roundabout. For the most part this tradition has disappeared but there will still be some motorists who abide by the former law...so beware!

Indicating doesn't seem to be a popular initiative in France in general and Provence is no different, so be prepared for people to indicate last minute, or sometimes, not at all. In many French towns you should pay attention to signs placed around parking areas that may indicate a market or other event taking place the following day and make sure you park in legal parking spaces.

Pretty much all petrol stations sell both unleaded (95 and 98 “sans plomb” octane) and diesel (gazole) fuel but you are unlikely to be able to find leaded petrol. If your car runs on leaded then look for “supercarburant”, a lead replacement petrol.

Taking the scenic route is a good option if time is not of the essence or if you’d like to see a bit of the countryside en route. Although what you save in motorway tolls you will lose in time, but driving the back roads can be very rewarding in terms of all the beautiful places and viewpoints you’ll discover.

One thing to consider if you are planning a more scenic route, especially during winter, is to check whether any of the mountain passes or cols you intend to cross, are closed due to snow. A great site for the latest info on this and other traffic issues is Bison Futé, (available in French, English & Spanish) which allows you to search by the name of the col or by department and amend your journey accordingly.

When driving in a different country, it is important that you are aware of any road laws and restrictions that may differ from home.

• As with most of the continent, the French drive on the RIGHT.
• It is compulsory to wear seatbelts, both front and rear (if fitted) and children under the age of 10 are not permitted to travel in the front seat unless there are no seat belts in the rear.
• Speed limits on the roads are signed in KM/H.
• French drivers give way to the right. Sometimes this will mean that a car turning onto a road from a junction will have right of way of the car already on the road. This is less and less common but usually indicated by a red-bordered triangle with a cross in the middle at the entrance to villages.
• French traffic lights go straight from red to green with no amber stage.
• Driving licence and vehicle registration documents must be carried at all times when driving.
• 3rd party insurance is the compulsory minimum.
• Drink driving. If the level of alcohol in the bloodstream exceeds 0.05% then severe penalties including fines, imprisonment and/or loss of licence will ensue. This means that just one pint of beer can take you up to the limit. This is the same in Switzerland, whereas in the UK the limit is 0.08%. The police also use saliva drug tests to detect people under the influence of drugs whilst behind the wheel.
• Mobile phones may not be used whilst driving unless with a hands-free kit.

Speed Limits
The speed limits on the roads can vary slightly from county to county and on the motorways in France they vary again depending on the weather. In built up areas stick to 50km/h and 90km/h (reduced to 80km/h from 1July 2018) on the outskirts of town. Dual carriageways that are separated by a central reservation generally have a limit of 110km/h (France) unless indicated otherwise and motorways have a maximum speed of 130km/h. In France during wet weather these speed limits are reduced to 80km/h (49mph) outside built up areas, 100km/h (62mph) on dual carriageways and 110km/h (68mph) on the motorway. Speed limits are also reduced on stretches of motorways around built up areas and the minimum speed you can travel on the motorway is 80km/h (49mph).

Fines
If you are caught speeding by the French police, on-the-spot fines are expensive and will have to be paid there and then. If you don’t have sufficient money on you then you can expect to be escorted to the nearest cash point (complete with flashing lights in our experience!) so you can withdraw the necessary funds. The official is then obliged to issue you with a receipt as confirmation of payment. If you are caught exceeding the speed limit by more than 40km/h, you are at risk of having your licence confiscated on the spot. The use of radar detectors is also absolutely forbidden in France and failure to comply involves a fine of up to €1500 and the vehicle may be confiscated.

Triangles & High Vis
Since 1 July 2008, it became law in France that motorised vehicles must carry a warning triangle and a high-visibility security vest, intended to make stopping in cases of emergency, breakdown or accident safer for all road users. The change in the law doesn't affect motorbikes, but as of the 1 September 2008, anyone riding a bike outside of built up areas, must wear a high visibility vest at night, or during the day in the case of bad weather.

Seat Belts
If you have passengers in your car then the wearing of seat belts is compulsory for both front and back seat passengers. Children under the age of 10 are not permitted to travel in the front seat unless there are no rear seats, they are already occupied by other under 10’s or they don’t have seat belts fitted. In this case, they must be strapped into an approved child seat or restraint, appropriate for their size. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers are appropriately restrained.

On roads in built up areas you generally give way to traffic coming from the right – “priorité a droite” and when approaching roundabouts, if you see a sign saying “Vous n’avez pas la priorité” or “Cedez le passage”, traffic on the roundabout has priority.

It is forbidden to use your horn in residential areas unless in immediate danger.

An important difference when driving you car abroad is that you are expected to have all your vehicle registration documents ready for inspection on demand. If you don’t, you could face a fine or even confiscation of your vehicle. In order to avoid a sticky situations with the law, always have the following documentation in your car with you:

• Full valid driving licence (not provisional) with the paper counterpart if you have a photo card licence.
• Original vehicle registration document - your log book.
• Motor insurance certificate
• Your passport

Motor Insurance
At least a month before taking your vehicle overseas, you should contact your car insurance company to ensure that you are adequately covered and are in possession of the necessary documentation. Many insurance companies will only insure a vehicle overseas for a maximum of 90 days at a time, so if you are planning on an extended stay, you may have to make additional cover arrangements. It is no longer essential to carry a Green Card when driving within the EU, however, it is instantly recognisable proof of (at least) 3rd party insurance cover – the minimum cover requirement – and is obtainable from your insurance company.

You should also ask your insurance company to provide you with a “constat amiable” - this is the form you must complete in the event of an accident involving another vehicle. It is a duplicate document upon which both drivers agree the events that led up to the incident, sign and then keep a copy each. You can also download the app e-constat auto which allows you to do this online.

Breakdown Cover
Whilst checking out your insurance policy you should also ensure that you have European Breakdown Cover in case of an accident or mechanical failure. This can be part of your motor insurance or a separate company such as the RAC or AA.

Before embarking on a journey of several hundred kilometres, you want to be sure that your vehicle is mechanically up to the job. Breakdowns and repairs in France are costly affairs so reduce your chances of conking out on the autoroute by servicing your car well in advance of your trip.

There are a few simple checks you can do yourself to prepare your vehicle for the trip.

Battery: A battery rarely last longer than 5 years and a long journey with lights, heaters or AC and windscreen wipers going, puts a lot of additional strain on it. Consider replacing it before you go if it is approaching the end of it’s life.

Fluids: Check the oil and water levels and ensure they are topped up correctly. Pay particular attention to the anti-freeze and windscreen wash – use a proper additive at the right concentration so that it doesn’t freeze up on you.

Lights: Check that all lights are working, clean and correctly aimed. For driving on the continent you must fit headlight converters to adjust your beams so that you don’t dazzle on-coming vehicles when driving on the right. Converter kits are widely available but don’t leave it until the last minute as certain makes of vehicle may require a dealer to make the adjustment.

Windscreen wipers: Check front and rear wiper blades for wear or splitting and replace if necessary.

Number Plates: Your number plates should be clean and legible as it is possible to be fined if they cannot be read. Make sure to have a UK sticker displayed on the rear of your vehicle.

The breakdown procedure on French autoroutes is set out by the French motorway companies and can be found on their website. The call-out and tow fees are, however, set by the French government, and can be found here.

If you do breakdown on a French motorway, follow these six simple steps:

• Pull into the hard shoulder and turn on your emergency warning lights.
• Put on you high vis safety vest.
• Exit the vehicle from the right hand side (the side away from passing traffic).
• Make sure you and your passengers are behind the safety barrier and walk to the nearest emergency phone. (DO NOT cross the motorway to get to a phone on the opposite side).
• Use the phone to alert the emergency services, this call is free and will make them aware of your exact location.
• Return to your vehicle and await rescue. All occupants should remain behind the safety barrier.

Their main concern is to get your vehicle off the motorway so your breakdown cover will not be any use in this situation. If your vehicle can be fixed on the spot then they will do that, but alternatively they may need to tow you to remove your vehicle from the motorway. Once you and your car have been removed from the autoroute then it is time to call your insurer and they can arrange for a local garage to come to you and to start the process of getting you back on the road!

If you are unlucky enough to end up in an accident whilst driving in France, then there are certain procedures that you must follow. If it is a minor accident where nobody is injured:

• Move to a safe place and alert oncoming traffic by placing your red warning triangle 30 metres down the road.
• If two cars are involved, complete a “constat amiable” detailing the events that lead up to the incident. It’s important to fill this out as soon as possible so that events are noted accurately (there are written and diagrammatic sections of the report to complete).
• Try to establish who was responsible for the accident and if there were any impartial witnesses, note down their contact details on the form too.
• Take pictures of the aftermath using a camera or your phone.
• Both parties should then sign the form and take a copy each. If a driver refuses to sign the form then take a note of their registration number. You then have 5 days to send it to your insurance company for the claim to be settled.
• If the drivers cannot agree on liability for the accident then the insurance companies will look at the evidence and assign responsibility as they see fit. It may mean that each driver finds that he/she is 50% liable

It is possible for drivers to agree to pay independently for the damage caused in order to protect their “no claims bonus”. Even if this is the case then it is still best to complete a constat at the scene so you have it as a back up.

If you are involved in a serious accident resulting in casualties, then contact the emergency services by ringing 18 or 112 as soon as you can, having moved yourself (and your vehicle if possible) to a secure spot. Still complete the constat, or have a passenger/witness do it if you are injured, and gather the contact, registration and insurance details of all parties involved. If you are hospitalised, then the authorities will deal with the paperwork on your behalf; if not, then you should still obtain a medical certificate stating your injuries and enclose this with your claim form.