Is there a way to check official information on French low-emission zones?

Reader Question: I live in rural south-west France but sometimes drive near Toulouse and Bordeaux. I am not sure if I am driving in a low-emission zone, and if I must do anything about it? Is there any data online that can help me? 

Drivers in France continue to face confusion over the low-emission zones (Zones à Faibles Émissions or ZFEs).

Despite MPs voting in May 2025 to bring an end to ZFE zones across the country the law is not yet in place, and is expected to face several legal challenges before being enforced (if it is enforced at all).

Drivers therefore still have to comply with ZFE rules where they exist until further clarification on the matter is given. 

ZFEs are closely linked to the system of ‘Crit’Air’ stickers which show a vehicle’s pollution levels. 

The higher a vehicle’s ‘score’ the more polluting it is, with the most-polluting vehicles progressively being banned from urban areas.

All vehicles driving through any ZFE in France must display a Crit’Air sticker on its windshield (or front of a motorcycle). 

This includes drivers of non-French vehicles such as tourists, also those only passing through and not stopping in a ZFE.

While the same Crit’Air sticker functions in all ZFEs across France – you can drive from Nice to Paris via Lyon without changing the sticker – rules can vary between zones. 

A vehicle allowed in Nice may for example be banned in Lyon, or only allowed to enter Toulouse during certain hours.

Drivers who do not show a Crit’Air sticker in a ZFE face a €68 fine as well as further penalties if they are driving a vehicle that is classed as too polluting - for example, a Crit’Air 5 car in a ZFE where only Crit’Air 4 vehicles and below are authorised.

Where can information be found? 

The 2019 mobility law required all urban areas with a population of 150,000 or more to eventually implement a ZFE. 

By 2025, 25 such zones existed - several were yet to come into force by the time of the May 2025 law. 

No new zones are currently set to be introduced in 2026 due to the uncertain future of ZFE rules.

Rules on the vehicles that are prohibited from entering the ZFE are usually based on the vehicle’s Crit’Air classification, with restrictions preventing vehicles entering during certain hours (usually banning them during the daytime) or for a certain set of days (such as Monday - Friday but allowing them at weekends).

Rules can also be different for professionals using their vehicles for business.

Previously, it was difficult to find exact information as online sources differed and there was no central site that collated all the Crit’Air and ZFE regulations.

Now however, a list of the 25 zones can be found on this government site, alongside the individual specific regulations in place. 

If not displayed directly on the page, the government site links to local mairie websites which explain restrictions in further detail. 

These pages may also show exact maps of where the rules are in place.

In some instances, vehicles nominally banned from entering can obtain a special ‘pass’, allowing them access to the ZFE for a certain number of days per year. This is the case for example in Toulouse. 

This map from Itinériz allows a journey to be planned and shows if you are driving through a ZFE (and therefore need a Crit’Air sticker). 

Input information about your vehicle type (to see the sticker required), your starting point, and destination. Any restrictions on your journey path are then shown. 

In some cases although you may only be driving through a zone for a few minutes (they can extend into some suburban areas) you will still require a sticker.

If you do not yet have a Crit’Air sticker for your vehicle, it is recommended to get one, as even if the ZFE system ends these vignettes can be used for other purposes. 

Stickers are ordered directly via a government site and cost €3.11 plus postage. Orders for vehicles registered outside of France can be more expensive.