Explained: Driving on France's busy summer roads

Summer is the busiest period of the year on French roads, with millions of motorists travelling between holiday destinations and returning home.

Traffic builds throughout July and August, particularly on routes to and from the Atlantic coast, the Mediterranean, the Alps and the south-west. Major congestion is common during holiday changeover weekends, when police also step up roadside checks.

Drivers are therefore being urged to ensure they comply with French road rules or risk substantial fines, penalty points or, in the most serious cases, criminal penalties.

"Safety regulations, including restrictions on navigation apps in France, mean that standard British driving practice can quickly result in four-figure unwanted fines," said Alexander Haraldsson, a travel expert and chief executive of Lotus Car Rental.

Mr Haraldsson points to regulations banning navigation app settings that pinpoint the location of speed cameras, noting that French traffic police are authorised to inspect mobile devices during roadside checks. Drivers found breaking the rules can face fines of up to €1,500.

Before setting out, motorists should also check the latest traffic forecasts from Bison Futé and any wildfire-related road closures or restrictions that may affect their route.

Road safety and vehicle rules

Alcohol limits are stricter than in the UK or US. The limit is 50mg per 100ml of blood, while in the UK (excluding Scotland) and the US it is 80mg/100ml.

Drivers with 50-80mg/100ml may be fined up to €135 and prevented from continuing their journey until their alcohol levels reduce. Above this, heavy fines, suspension for up to three years, and a prison sentence of up to three years are possible.

If a drunk driver kills a person in an accident, they will be charged with the new offence of homicide routier.

In terms of footwear, there are no direct rules against driving in flip-flops or barefoot if it does not affect your ability to manoeuvre the vehicle as usual.

However, police generally see driving in flip-flops or similar open footwear as a risk and can issue fines.

Make sure you know your rights if the police do pull you over. Officers can ask for documents and to see inside your vehicle.

If you are travelling with pets, they must be secured in a pet carrier. Dogs can also be kept in place using a dog seatbelt or in the boot of the car, provided there is a dog guard or net.

You are allowed to carry items on top of your vehicle with a roof rack (barres de toit). The width of the load cannot exceed 2.55 metres and items should not overhang.

There is no official height limit, but police can stop drivers they believe are putting themselves or others in danger.

There are no specific weight limits, but vehicles must not exceed their maximum authorised mass (found in registration documents).

Certain items must be in your vehicle at all times, including your driving licence (or approved digital alternative) and vehicle registration document, a yellow safety jacket for the driver, and warning triangles to be placed in case of a breakdown or accident.

Spare tyres are not a legal requirement, but are recommended. 

Rules of the road

Priority is to the right (priorité à droite), even on main roads and junctions, if there are no marked signs to the contrary.

Drivers should remain in the right-hand lane as much as possible, only using the centre and left-hand lanes for overtaking. Those who remain in the middle lane too long can be fined €35. There is an exception for periods of heavy traffic.

Undertaking is generally prohibited, and a driver can receive a €135 fine.

Drivers who are too slow – posing a risk – may also incur a fine. This is at the discretion of police officers, but it is illegal to drive at less than 80km/h in the furthest-left lane of a carriageway, unless there is traffic or poor weather.

The speed limit on motorways (autoroutes) reduces from 130km/h to 110km/h in the rain. On motorways where the speed limit is already 110km/h, this falls to 100km/h. On national and departmental roads (90km/h), it drops to 80km/h.

Drivers may be informed of the new speed limits by electronic billboards, but they should judge for themselves if weather conditions are bad.

You must also use the correct lights during foggy conditions.

There are no specific rules for driving in hot weather, but stay hydrated and take frequent breaks.

When parked, turn the engine off, thereby cutting power to the air conditioning, unless it is an independent battery-controlled system, even if someone is still inside the vehicle. Fines for leaving the engine running can reach up to €135.

Breakdown cover (garantie assistance dépannage) is not mandatory.

If you break down on a motorway, call the motorway operator for assistance via orange roadside phones.

You can also contact some operators using a mobile (+33 (0)9 708 08 709 for breakdowns on Sanef and SAPN routes) or operators' apps (SOS Autoroute for APRR, AREA and Sanef networks, and Ulys by Vinci).

A standard call-out costs €151, with a 50% surcharge for call-outs between 18:00 and 08:00, at weekends, and on public holidays.

Call 112 if your breakdown is an emergency.

ZFEs and tolls

Low-emission zones (ZFEs) are to remain in urban areas after a parliamentary vote to end them was struck down in May.

ZFEs require vehicles – even with foreign plates – entering certain urban areas to display a Crit'Air sticker, which allocates a pollution rating from 0 to 5.

You can order it at certificat-air.gouv.fr for €3.77.

Drivers should also check for any temporary pollution measures or wildfire-related road closures.

On motorways, you can calculate toll costs ahead of time at autoroutes.fr under the Tarifs des autoroutes section.

Several eastern motorways became ticket-free in May, with tolls calculated automatically via new high-tech gantries.

You must pay within 72 hours, or via télépéage toll badges, or you risk being fined – including, in some cases, for cars registered abroad or rental cars.

Technology rules

Using a phone at the wheel is banned if the car is moving, or stopped in traffic and the engine is still running.

Hands-free devices are allowed if the sound is played out loud, such as through the phone's or car's speaker. Using headphones or other in-ear devices is illegal.

Speed cameras are widespread and, since last December, any drivers caught speeding 'excessively' now face criminal proceedings, not just fines.

Driving more than 50km/h over the limit is now classed as a délit and drivers will receive a criminal record.

Offenders face a maximum fine of €3,750 and a potential three-month prison sentence.

Navigation apps such as Waze are acceptable to warn drivers of danger zones, but software or devices that actively detect or identify speed camera locations are illegal under French law.

Driving apps, such as Waze, that can warn drivers to slow down in an area are legal, but be careful when using the app while driving. Let the app run and do not touch your phone once you have started the engine.

Under Article R413-15 of the French Highway Code, it is strictly illegal to use software or a device that actively detects the location of speed cameras. Before driving in France, open your navigation app settings and completely disable "speed camera alerts."