Performance Car Reviews, News and Parts for the Car Enthusiast

Never forget to take with you necessary papers when you decide to take a drive on the roads of France. This is because the French police may intercept your path any time. It is the responsibility of the police to conduct periodical checks in this matter to ensure that everything is going on legally regarding driving.

If police in France ask you to show the documents for conformation while driving on the roads of France, you may produce these documents : driving license, papers related to the proprietorship of the car you are driving, an official ID card and of course insurance documents. The police are strict due to the crime of car theft is on the rise in France.

The identity card must be a national identity card or a passport. Most foreign driving licenses are recognized in France for up to one year of your arrival in the country. Card ownership papers are called cart gris in French which means grey car, while insurance documents are known as cart vert, or green card.

Make sure you get both of these of the previous holder if you’re buying a pre-owned car in France. Anyone caught driving in France without these papers is subject to an on the spot fine at the discretion of the police officer involved.

Always keep photocopies of your car related papers and never leave your insurance and ownership proofs in the car. Car crime in France is widespread and you don’t want to be a victim without the proper papers to produce to the police.

Always keep it in mind that you are driving in a foreign country and things are a bit different in France. It is unlawful to turn right at a red light in France where as in the US it is okay. Otherwise driving should be a pleasant experience in France.

While driving in France be especially conscious of the fact that all drivers coming from the right have prime concern. This is regardless of the sizes of the two roads and even applies on T junctions. French drivers are accustomed to this so will often pull out of smaller paths onto busy main roads hoping you to slow down. The exception to this rule in France is when you are on traffic circles. In such cases priority goes to the person already on the circle.

The standard limit while driving through built up areas in France is 50km p/h. When you are on the open roads of France you should slow down to 50km p/h when you see a white sign with red borders displaying the name of a place in black, this indicates that you’re entering a built up area. You can resume higher speed driving when you see the same sign with a red crosswise line through it which means you’re leaving the built up area.

The driving limit on auto routes, which are the biggest motorways in France, is 130 km p/h. Otherwise the driving limit is 110km p/h on dual carriageways while it’s 90km p/h on smaller district highways.Unluckily speed limits in France are seldom posted on the roads so you have to be aware of these by yourself.

The Paris subway ticket is probably the cheapest and best form of transport in metropolitan Paris . If you are thinking of travelling to the countryside then check this page on driving rules in France.