Driving

What are criteria to apply for France's electric car leasing scheme?

Third year of popular programme sees 50,000 contracts available

A13 between Paris and Normandy to close for nine months from November

The closure will affect traffic towards Normandy as safety work is carried out on the Saint-Cloud tunnel

Red fuel nozzle inserted into a blue car at a petrol station.

Fuel prices in France: outlook 'extremely uncertain'

Government remains unsure over future prices, while TotalEnergies relaunches price cap

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How can I know if the speed limit is 80 or 90km/h on French roads?

An interactive map shows which departments have restored the higher limit and how many kilometres of roads are affected

Electric vehicle charging assistants deployed at busy French motorway service stations

Bornistes help drivers use busy charging hubs and resolve technical problems during the peak getaway period

Isère to restore 90km/h speed limit on 3,000km of roads

Alpine department will return many roads to the higher limit, reversing 2018 national reduction

New motorway costs if driving from France into Belgium

Proposed system is intended to make all road users contribute to maintenance costs

‘Intelligent’ traffic lights appearing across several French communes

How French towns are using technology to adapt road safety

Why can car washes in France remain open despite drought restrictions?

Professional car washes often include water recycling systems

Driver-monitoring cameras: What is changing with new cars in France

New measures are aimed at preventing serious accidents

Can I get a French driver's licence ‘from scratch’ without exchanging my US one?

You cannot hold more than one valid driving licence for use in France at the same time

Traffic expected across French motorways as school holidays begin

Roads will be particularly busy in north and west as second-highest traffic warnings raised

Drivers in France bring legal case over ‘phantom braking’

‘My car suddenly stopped on motorway at 100km/h’

90 km/h road sign in front of an old house and greenery in rural Dordogne, France.

Normandy department goes against court ruling to keep 90km/h speed limits

Higher limits will remain until at least January 2027 as new accident studies carried out

Peugeot and DS cars recalled in France over door handle safety defect

Owners can check affected models in government list

Common mistakes foreign drivers may make in France

From Crit’Air stickers to alcohol limits, the rules of the roads can vary compared to other countries

Worst traffic days in France revealed for summer 2026

Bison Futé predicts ‘extremely difficult conditions’ during peak holiday periods

Tax on importing a UK car to France: rules and exemptions

Brexit trade rules can come into play to reduce levies on certain vehicles

More drivers face instant licence loss in France for phone use

500 licences already revoked as another western-France department starts measure

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

Can French police suspend foreign driving licences?

Departments are cracking down on mobile phone usage behind the wheel

30,000 EV chargers on major French roads by 2035

Ministries must coordinate to implement plan

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

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

Spain’s new speed cameras can catch drivers ‘before they have time to brake’

The new laser-based AI speed cameras can identify vehicles from over 200 metres away

TotalEnergies extends fuel cap in France throughout June

Drivers will benefit from current cap at all stations for at least a further month

Speed camera box beside a road as a blurred car drives past

Drivers in France face more cameras and harsher penalties

Rising road deaths are ‘intolerable’, minister says

Speed limits reduced across France as heatwave drives ozone pollution alerts

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

French driver fined €43,000 for traffic offences he did not commit

A French driver spent four years fighting fines for offences he says he never committed

A damaged roadside speed camera stands near a rural road, with two police officers and a vehicle nearby.

Drivers in France destroy ‘abusive’ countryside speed camera on hill

‘You can easily hit 100km/h without realising’

New fuel aid announced for drivers in France: who can claim and how much?

€1.2billion support package announced due to high petrol prices

Constitutional Council blocks removal of low-emission zones for drivers in France

Vote to end zones à faibles émissions (ZFEs) overturned on review

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

Can speed cameras in France check if a car is insured?

Discover how automated road systems actually work in practice

Explained: campervan ownership in France

Includes prices, parking, models and popular apps

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

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

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

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

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