Page 557 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

from Frankfurt is about seven hours and from Rules of the Road
Rome 14 hours. When driving to Paris motorists Drivers must be over 18, have had a valid licence
should take time to check their destination for at least one year and must carry the car’s
address. The city is surrounded by the Boulevard registration and insurance documents and their
Périphérique outer ring road, and all motorways licence at all times.
leading to the capital link to this. Each former Always drive on the right. Unless otherwise
city gate, called a porte, now corresponds to a signposted, vehicles coming from the right have
Périphérique entrance/exit. Consult a map of right of way. Cars on a roundabout usually have
central Paris to find the closest porte. right of way, although the Arc de Triomphe is a
To take your own foreign-registered car into hair-raising exception as cars give way to traffic
and around France, you will need to carry the on the right. Seatbelts are compul sory, and it is
vehicle’s registration and insurance documents, prohibited to sound your horn in the city.
a full and valid driving licence, and valid pass port Helmets and protective gloves are man datory
or national ID at all times. EU driving licences are for motorcyclists and scooter riders. In the city
valid. If visiting from outside the EU, or if your centre, it is against the law to use the bus lanes
licence is not in French, you may need to apply at any time of day. Using a mobile phone while
for an International Driving Permit (IDP). driving can result in an immediate loss of licence.
France strictly enforces a blood alcohol content
Driving in France limit of 0.05 per cent. By law, drivers must carry
Road markings can be confusing. Roads crossing a breathalyser device (€1 at petrol stations).
frontiers are numbered as European Routes, the French police can demand on-the-spot payment
longest of which is the E40 connecting Calais of traffic fines up to €750, and drugs tests can
to Kazakhstan. These routes may also have be applied even for minor infractions.
national markings: A for Autoroute or N for
Nationale (National Highway). Small country Bicycles and Scooters
roads are marked D for Département. Autoroutes
have blue signs and are also marked Péage, with Citywide bike app schemes include Avignon’s
significant tolls. Toll-free National Highways are Vélopop, Nice’s Vélobleu, Marseille’s Le Vélo and
marked in green. Lyon’s Vélo’V. Allo Vélo is a Paris cycle rental
All diesel and petrol cars produced before firm with e-bikes. Scooters are a fun way to
1997 are banned from Paris 8am–8pm on week- negoti ate city traffic or soak up atmosphere at
days. By 2020, only cars built after 2011 will be minimal cost. Try Paris by Scooter, Riviera
allowed to circulate. Paris has promised a ban on Scooter or the Loire Valley’s Ride in Tours. The
all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, with the rental will usually come with helmets, a lock and
entire country following by 2040. France has insur ance. By law all children under 12 must
more electric cars than almost any European wear helmets, even if passengers.
country, with about 10,000 charging stations. Allo Vélo
Ten French cities now require all vehicles ∑ allovelo.com
to display a Crit’Air pollution index sticker. Le Vélo
Emergency pollution alerts may be issued at ∑ en.levelo-mpm.fr
any time, closing dis tricts to certain types of Paris by Scooter
vehicles. The latest conditions are posted on ∑ parisbyscooter.com
Urban Access Regulations in Europe. Ride in Tours
In most cities, you can park in areas with a ∑ ride-in-tours.com
large “P” or payant sign on the pavement or Riviera Scooter
road. In Paris, drivers can pay at the meter with ∑ rivierascooter.com
La Paris Carte (available from kiosks), a credit or Vélobleu
debit card or via the PaybyPhone app (p559). ∑ velobleu.org
Crit’Air Vélopop
∑ certificat-air.gouv.fr ∑ velopop.fr
Urban Access Regulations in Europe Vélo’V
∑ urbanaccessregulations.eu ∑ velov-grandlyon.com
Car Rental Hitchhiking
To rent a car you must be 21 or over and have
held a valid driver’s licence for at least a year. You Hitchhiking is forbidden on autoroutes and not
will also need a credit card for the rental deposit. recommended anywhere in France. Ride sharing
Rental cars with automatic transmission are rare, with Bla Bla Car is a safer, more popular alter na-
and must be booked in advance. Hire cars gene- tive. Fees are about a third of bus fares.
rally cannot be taken on ferries. Returning a car Bla Bla Car
to a different location will incur surcharges. ∑ blabla.fr

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