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Driving

A view of a certificat d'enregistrement or carte grise

Driver in south-east France registered car to daughter, 9, to avoid fines

She took father to court after turning 19 and finding out she had €5,000 of penalties

Motorist caught speeding at 136 km/h on Nice’s Promenade des Anglais

Man taken into custody after driving at high speeds in 50 km/h zone

Car leasing in France: fee disputes flagged by consumer watchdog

Popular contracts are not subject to typical protections

news

30,000 EV chargers on major French roads by 2035

Ministries must coordinate to implement plan

Trending

Price of new cars in France fell for first time in five years in 2025

The cost to purchase a new car has increased 29% since 2019

Green compact SUV, Renault 5 E-Tech, in side view on a colourful gradient background.

Electric car sales rise sharply in 2026: grants and eligibility in France explained

Up to €5,700 is available for lower income households

New stretch of contested A69 motorway in south-west France opens

Entire road should be fully operational by mid-October

TotalEnergies petrol station with vehicles refuelling at multiple pumps

French PM warned against lowering VAT on fuel

Proposal measures described as too costly by advisory body

Car speeding past a speed sign

France’s speed cameras are infuriating – and that’s why they keep getting vandalised

Columnist Samantha David says the devices seem designed to catch drivers out

Why some cars have red, pink or green number plates in France

Coloured plates are used in specific circumstances

A view of a number plate showing the ‘F’ for France sign

I fell victim to number plate fraud in France - fines kept arriving

Resident fined multiple times even though he was in US at the time of offences

Diesel price at lowest since mid-March but do shortages loom?

Fuel supplies may enter ‘red zone’ in July or August due to increased summer usage

France road deaths rise in 2025, official figures show

Speed and alcohol remain the leading causes of fatal crashes

Close-up of a hand holding a French identity card in Paris.

Does taking a test to obtain a French licence make you a ‘new driver’ for insurers?

It is not possible to request a simple exchange of some US driving licences

Speed limits reduced across France as heatwave drives ozone pollution alerts

Regional measures aim to reduce emissions and limit health risks during peak temperatures

Explained: campervan ownership in France

Includes prices, parking, models and popular apps

TotalEnergies petrol station with vehicles refuelling at multiple pumps

TotalEnergies announces extra fuel cap in France this weekend amid petrol price highs

Average petrol prices are now higher than TotalEnergies cap

French minister backs licence suspensions for phone use while driving

The measure could be rolled out nationwide; it is currently being trialled in four departments

Roadside radar speed camera warning sign against trees and blue sky.

Speed cameras: French mayors can soon install more

Mayors will have the authority to do so…but at their commune’s own expense

Diesel prices in France rise 40% in one year

Increase caused by Middle East conflict, petrol prices continue to slowly increase

Hand holding a pink French paper driving licence beside a modern plastic licence card near a parked car.

Drivers must now pay €40 to exchange licence for French licence

Change applies to all non-French licences, but rules on when to exchange remain unchanged

Video: French police show film of ‘drunk deer’ to warn rural drivers

Animals can act erratically after eating fermented fruit in spring

A view of a bad pothole in a road, with a car in the background

Drivers’ group warns over unsafe condition of French roads

40 Millions d’automobilistes calls on drivers to report potholes, cracked surfaces and collapsing verges via mobile app

Must UK authorities be informed if we bring back car from France on visit?

Vehicles should be registered in the country where they are kept

Will my licence be suspended if I use my phone for GPS in France?

We look at how enforcement of latest rules is being applied in practice

Red vintage-style convertible car parked on a gravel roadside near pine trees

How France’s classic Citroën 2CV became a British-style retro sports car

The model is one of very few kit cars available in France, as regulations ban amateurs from building them

Policeman talking to a driver in a car

Ardèche latest French department to suspend driving licences for using mobile

Measure to be introduced as 2026 road fatalities already reach last year’s figures

How long can you leave a car parked on the street in France?

Larger towns and cities often have strict by-laws

Living in France part time - do I exchange my driving licence?

Licence exchange rules differ depending on the country which issued your licence and France’s agreements with it

France braces for heavy traffic over May 8 long holiday weekend

Roads will be filled with families travelling for break. Thursday will see busiest traffic

Why waiting times to charge electric cars in France are increasing

Charging queues are growing as 2026 sees a strong start in sales of electric vehicles

South-east French town introduces new rule to protect dogs in cars

The rule details the dangers of rapidly rising temperatures in cars

Close-up of a four-nozzle petrol pump at a service station that dispenses B10 Diesel (yellow), B7 Diesel (orange), E85 'super ethanol' (blue) and E10 petrol (green).

Ethanol conversion kits: what drivers in France need to know

Conversion kits are available at a leading supermarket from €690

Vehicles refuelling at an E.Leclerc petrol station canopy in Vitry, France

Where does France’s oil come from?

As the price of crude oil rises again we look at France's supply of the precious commodity

Hand holding a pink French paper driving licence beside a modern plastic licence card near a parked car.

Brittany man held ‘ghost driving licence’ for 30 years

Here is how to avoid the ‘nonexistent licence’ issue

Traffic warnings in place across France for May 1 long weekend

Roads will be busiest on Thursday and Sunday

French fuel prices continue to drop but oil prices on rise

Drops seen for second consecutive week but outlook uncertain

Split image of a driver using a phone and a gendarme checking documents at the roadside.

Phone use while driving in France: new crackdown from May 1

Four departments are set to have zero-tolerance penalties

Two Normandy departments set to reduce 90 km/h speed limits to 80 km/h

Local court ruling says previous changes did not fully consider safety reports

French post offices to lease electric cars to customers

The La Poste car leasing platform has a selection of some 6,500 vehicles

Roole app in car dashboard screen

French driving app challenges Google Maps and Waze

Roole is free to use although there are also paid-for versions

Speed radars increasingly being vandalised in France

Up to 15% of radars are currently out of service

TotalEnergies boss warns of fuel shortages in France, Macron responds

France may enter an ‘era of energy shortages’ if the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz continues, says CEO Patrick Pouyanné

Are ‘malus’ taxes refunded by insurance if new car is stolen?

Government taxes can add tens of thousands of euros on top of new vehicle cost

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How much money is generated by fixed speed cameras in France – and where does it go?

Private radar vehicles also operate thoughout France

School holidays and busy traffic: which roads to avoid in France this weekend

The end of spring break for some and the start of it for others will see multiple roads in France face congestion

Radar in France starts flashing all drivers regardless of speed

Motorists were flashed despite respecting the 80 km/h speed limit

French residency card and citizenship fees to rise from May 1

Foreign driving licence exchanges are also to become fee-based for the first time

More French drivers head to Switzerland for cheaper fuel: is it worth it if you live near border?

Drivers taking advantage of rare cross border price differences

High-mileage drivers in France to benefit from fuel discount: who is eligible

Lump sum payment will cut fuel costs by around 20c per litre

Petition challenges speed camera placement at roadworks on French motorway

Speed limit suddenly dropped from 90 km/h to 70 km/h

Fuel prices in France will not drop in next few months, claims Leclerc boss

Uncertainty over global oil prices are set to remain due to Middle East tensions

Drivers in France asked to take photo of car number plate to help measure insect decline

Photos enable a count and also identity of the insect type killed

A gendarme checking a driver’s papers

Roadside police checks increase in south-western French department

Checks last weekend saw hundreds of drivers committing violations and 34 having licence suspended

A view of a number plate showing the ‘F’ for France sign

Do old French number plates need updating?

France overhauled its vehicle registration system in 2009

What are the latest diesel prices across France?

Prices vary significantly between service station operators

How to obtain a photo if caught speeding in France

Images are only available for a limited period of time

Workers at hundreds of French service stations on strike

Action comes after demands for fuel compensation were rejected

French profit margin cap criticised: what are other EU governments doing to reduce costs?

Several policies from tax cuts to price limits have been introduced across the bloc

French government set to introduce profit margin cap for fuel suppliers

It comes after diesel prices dropped by less than 10c since announcement of Middle East ceasefire

France low-emission zone ban backed by MPs: what happens next?

A ban on ZFEs was included in a controversial simplification bill

MPs and Senators to cast final votes on French low-emission zone ban

The government is attempting to bypass a controversial law dismantling the zones

Diesel price trends in France: latest updated figures

Interactive graph shows average prices at thousands of stations

French fuel prices ‘should drop by 10c’ at thousands of service stations today

Caution over long-term drops due to market volatility remain

Why an increasing number of drivers in France are using dashcams

Drivers – and cyclists – say footage helps for insurance disputes

Fuel prices should fall ‘by end of weekend or next week’ says French PM

Sébastien Lecornu is ‘not opposed’ to EU tax on energy profits

Compare the price of motorbike insurance across France

Map reveals the most expensive and cheapest regions as premiums go up across France

France fuel price set to drop due to Middle East ceasefire, map shows shortages

Prices predicted to fall by 5 - 10c by the end of week but caution remains

Licence issue leaves Briton unable to drive in France

Case highlights importance of applying early for an exchange

A gendarme checking a driver’s papers

Driver checks intensify in south-west France: Hundreds of licences removed

Driving-related injuries have increased by +72% in Gers compared to start of 2025

France fuel prices and shortages: April 7 updates

Fuel cap altered at thousands of stations as reports of shortages continue

‘Discreet’ speed cameras frustrate drivers around Toulouse

Cameras are placed on poles in amongst trees or on downhill roads

Close-up of a four-nozzle petrol pump at a service station that dispenses B10 Diesel (yellow), B7 Diesel (orange), E85 'super ethanol' (blue) and E10 petrol (green).

Updated: France fuel shortages department by department

Significant shortages persist despite ceasefire agreement

Fuel price rises: French state records €270m tax surplus in March

Minister warns windfall ‘amounts to millions but economic impact of war is in billions’

Easter long weekend set to be busy on French roads - but truck protests ease

Sector leaders ask regional branches to cancel demonstrations