General Information
France has nearly 25,000mi/40,000km of national highways, of which nearly 6000mi/9600km are four-lane superhighways, known as 'autoroutes'. These enable you to make the most of your car rental visiting the little travelled corners of France. Many of these superhighways are toll roads, called 'autoroutes a peage'. These toll roads were developed starting in the 1960s by private concessions, after the government realized that it was lagging behind neighboring countries in developing a national superhighway system. The French government also maintains a good network of secondary national highways, denoted on maps by an 'N' before the route number. (These highways are also referred to by the initials RN, for 'Route Nationale,' followed by a number.) Local governments maintain local roads, known as 'Routes Departementales,' which are often the most scenic and are denoted by a 'D' in front of the route number. Highways in France tend to be jammed in late July/early August and again in late August/early September, when it seems that all of France is heading to vacation spots.
Requirements
To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for 1 year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. Seatbelts are mandatory and children must be at least age 10 to sit in the front seat. Child seats are mandatory for children up to age 3.
Speed Limits
Speed limits in France are as follows: City 31mph/50kph Open Roads 68mph/110kph Highways 81mph/130kph
Rules of the Road
Traffic travels on the right and drivers customarily yield to drivers approaching from the right. Fines for traffic violations are collected on the spot in either Euros or travelers’ cheques. A flashing red light means do not enter.
Gas
In the larger cities of France, you will find many gas stations open 24 hours. Gasoline tends to cost more when you buy it at a station on the highway.
Tolls
There are toll highways in France that are labled as 'Autoroute peage.' These highways are marked by blue signs with the letter 'A.'
Parking
Pay parking meters are quite common in many small towns. Most large cities have 'blue zones' where you display a parking disc or ticket on the dashboard of your car when you park. These discs are available at police stations and tourist offices.