Driving in France
Nov 28th, 2006, 05:18 AM
#21
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If I can do it with a 14 yr old navigator anyone can! I suggest training out of Paris, renting the car in a smaller city/town, driving about the country then train back to Paris.
My only problems with driving (as an English only speaker) occurred while trying to get out of Paris and then returning the car to the airport.
I love the roundabouts in France. If you mess up you just go back around until you get it right.
My only problems with driving (as an English only speaker) occurred while trying to get out of Paris and then returning the car to the airport.
I love the roundabouts in France. If you mess up you just go back around until you get it right.
Nov 28th, 2006, 08:11 AM
#22
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As I wrote, about a month ago:
Over the last few months I have read a number of negative comments about driving in France – the roads are dangerous, the drivers go to fast and tailgate, there seems to be no police presence to catch all the unsafe drivers, etc.
Well, I am about to return home to France after spending three weeks in Canada, visiting family all over southern Ontario - in the city of Toronto, the outskirts, the country During this time we have been passed by cars going far faster than the 20 kilometers above the speed limit that we are driving, going through red lights, cruising across 4 lanes of highway, passing on both left and right, cutting us off, etc. And nowhere have I seen any police cracking down on driving that I think is much more dangerous than we know in France. This is not to say that they are not there. I know because I have stayed with family and watched the local news that the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend hundreds of drivers were ticketed for just such infractions, plus for having cars that were completely un-roadworthy. The point here is that you as an average tourist are not always aware of police patrols.
When we came to France in 1994 we came with Ontario drivers licenses – which could not be exchanged for French. We knew this before we came, but having run out of time before we left, we decided that we’d surely find a solution in France. We did – it was called ‘Take the French drivers test.’ We did and it was a revelation to people who had been driving for many many years, had picked up some bad habits, as most of us do, and didn’t really understand all the rules of the road in France. Anyone getting a license in France must go through a driving school, take a very detailed exam based on the Traffic Code, and be presented at the actual test by the school. For the test you must drive a gearshift, and prove that you can use all the gears, as well as indicate that you understand and can follow the Code. Not only does this take a long time but it is very expensive – it can easily be several thousand euros to get your license. (We passed, by the way, but it wasn’t easy.)
During our lessons we were impressed with the instructor’s emphasis on safety, not speeding and not drinking. Unfortunately many young people don’t listen and do kill themselves in the first few months they drive. He was pessimistic about France’s willingness to come down on impaired driving and speeding. At that time, 1994, the total number of fatalities was over 9000.
Since then things really have changed – in great part because of what the French call ‘peur de gendarme’- fear of getting caught. There is not the same number of speed cameras in France that there are in Britain I understand, but there are more and more cameras, and radar patrols, with heavy penalties. In fact a recent British car magazine had to send a replacement driver when the person driving a test car was caught going 40 km (24 miles) over the speed limit on an autoroute, and had his license confiscated.
And the culture is changing – we don’t see the same number of ‘designated drivers’ among our friends, as we would expect in North America, but young people and others are getting the message. This year the fatality rate was below 5000, almost half of what it was 12 years ago.
So, what will you find when you drive in France? Unfortunately they will still drive too close. That doesn’t seem to change. They may drive faster than you, particularly on twisty roads. But they probably know the roads better than you, and have errands to run, appointments to keep, etc. I drive from my house to Sarlat several times a week (several times a day in summer) and know the road very well. It’s very frustrating to follow someone going 40 or 50 kilometers an hour on a road marked 90, even though I wouldn’t necessarily go 90 on all of it.
But on autoroutes they will for the most part drive on the right, pass on the left rather than cruising from one lane to the next. They will generally behave as well as most drivers we’ve met in North America.
Roads for the most part will not be as straight as in North America. Makes them more interesting. And I’ve never been on one here as narrow as the road in some English counties – in Cornwall we drove a Mini down roads where a bicycle couldn’t have passed us.
Roundabouts/traffic circles which may take some getting used to, but are much easier to deal with than having to turn left (or right in Britain) across three lanes of traffic – especially when some of those drivers coming at you are about to run the amber or even red light.
Roads that are for the most part in much better shape than many in North America – distances aren’t as great, and so it’s obviously easier to keep them in shape.
Cars that will have been road tested every two years, to ensure that brakes, lights, motor, etc., are all working properly.
As someone who drives in the country, I would still personally be nervous about driving in Paris, but that’s because I don’t know the city, and am not used to lots of traffic any more. We’ve become real country mice living in the Dordogne for 12 years. But I would encourage anyone who is thinking of driving in France not to be put off by some of the negative opinions, and to explore the countryside in ways that you just can’t do by public transport, unfortunately. On that road into Sarlat at least half the time I drive it I’m struck by how beautiful the scenery is, and by how lucky I am to live in this lovely part of the world. Please if you drive in front of me don’t go 40 km less than the speed limit, but do come and enjoy it.
Over the last few months I have read a number of negative comments about driving in France – the roads are dangerous, the drivers go to fast and tailgate, there seems to be no police presence to catch all the unsafe drivers, etc.
Well, I am about to return home to France after spending three weeks in Canada, visiting family all over southern Ontario - in the city of Toronto, the outskirts, the country During this time we have been passed by cars going far faster than the 20 kilometers above the speed limit that we are driving, going through red lights, cruising across 4 lanes of highway, passing on both left and right, cutting us off, etc. And nowhere have I seen any police cracking down on driving that I think is much more dangerous than we know in France. This is not to say that they are not there. I know because I have stayed with family and watched the local news that the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend hundreds of drivers were ticketed for just such infractions, plus for having cars that were completely un-roadworthy. The point here is that you as an average tourist are not always aware of police patrols.
When we came to France in 1994 we came with Ontario drivers licenses – which could not be exchanged for French. We knew this before we came, but having run out of time before we left, we decided that we’d surely find a solution in France. We did – it was called ‘Take the French drivers test.’ We did and it was a revelation to people who had been driving for many many years, had picked up some bad habits, as most of us do, and didn’t really understand all the rules of the road in France. Anyone getting a license in France must go through a driving school, take a very detailed exam based on the Traffic Code, and be presented at the actual test by the school. For the test you must drive a gearshift, and prove that you can use all the gears, as well as indicate that you understand and can follow the Code. Not only does this take a long time but it is very expensive – it can easily be several thousand euros to get your license. (We passed, by the way, but it wasn’t easy.)
During our lessons we were impressed with the instructor’s emphasis on safety, not speeding and not drinking. Unfortunately many young people don’t listen and do kill themselves in the first few months they drive. He was pessimistic about France’s willingness to come down on impaired driving and speeding. At that time, 1994, the total number of fatalities was over 9000.
Since then things really have changed – in great part because of what the French call ‘peur de gendarme’- fear of getting caught. There is not the same number of speed cameras in France that there are in Britain I understand, but there are more and more cameras, and radar patrols, with heavy penalties. In fact a recent British car magazine had to send a replacement driver when the person driving a test car was caught going 40 km (24 miles) over the speed limit on an autoroute, and had his license confiscated.
And the culture is changing – we don’t see the same number of ‘designated drivers’ among our friends, as we would expect in North America, but young people and others are getting the message. This year the fatality rate was below 5000, almost half of what it was 12 years ago.
So, what will you find when you drive in France? Unfortunately they will still drive too close. That doesn’t seem to change. They may drive faster than you, particularly on twisty roads. But they probably know the roads better than you, and have errands to run, appointments to keep, etc. I drive from my house to Sarlat several times a week (several times a day in summer) and know the road very well. It’s very frustrating to follow someone going 40 or 50 kilometers an hour on a road marked 90, even though I wouldn’t necessarily go 90 on all of it.
But on autoroutes they will for the most part drive on the right, pass on the left rather than cruising from one lane to the next. They will generally behave as well as most drivers we’ve met in North America.
Roads for the most part will not be as straight as in North America. Makes them more interesting. And I’ve never been on one here as narrow as the road in some English counties – in Cornwall we drove a Mini down roads where a bicycle couldn’t have passed us.
Roundabouts/traffic circles which may take some getting used to, but are much easier to deal with than having to turn left (or right in Britain) across three lanes of traffic – especially when some of those drivers coming at you are about to run the amber or even red light.
Roads that are for the most part in much better shape than many in North America – distances aren’t as great, and so it’s obviously easier to keep them in shape.
Cars that will have been road tested every two years, to ensure that brakes, lights, motor, etc., are all working properly.
As someone who drives in the country, I would still personally be nervous about driving in Paris, but that’s because I don’t know the city, and am not used to lots of traffic any more. We’ve become real country mice living in the Dordogne for 12 years. But I would encourage anyone who is thinking of driving in France not to be put off by some of the negative opinions, and to explore the countryside in ways that you just can’t do by public transport, unfortunately. On that road into Sarlat at least half the time I drive it I’m struck by how beautiful the scenery is, and by how lucky I am to live in this lovely part of the world. Please if you drive in front of me don’t go 40 km less than the speed limit, but do come and enjoy it.
Nov 28th, 2006, 02:56 PM
#23
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altajoe..we've just returned from 6 days driving thru Burgundy in a BMV equipped with GPS..but we couldn't figure out how to use it and it really asn't nescessary if you look ahead and know where you want to go.Just another money -depleter imho!
Nov 28th, 2006, 04:10 PM
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If you decide on the car, you might want to read my husband's article, "Driving in France," on the bonjourparis.com web site. It's in the archives, I believe, and I have a copy of it too.
Nov 29th, 2006, 03:49 AM
#26
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The roads and auto routes in France are great. The directions are well done. You should know the names of the larger cities in the directions that you are going. Round abouts are convenient.
As far as tailgating, flashing lights etc. It can be bad. It is just plain rude to do so.
My French friends pay absolutely no attention to the signs dropping down in villages..seem to have one speed..go. When they visited me here in the US, they observed the speeds. I drive in excess of the speed limits here, but I observe the speed limits in a foreign country. I think that would be normal.
When it is tourist season the locals are certainly aware of it and must allow more time to make their appointments. I live in an area where we have tourist seasons. Extra time must always be allowed at those times.
If you are looking for an address, whether a citizen or a tourist, you are going to be driving at a slower than the driving speed sign wherever you are.
Both locals and tourists have a responsibilty of doing whatever to make driving easier for both. The tourist can pull over and let a backup of the "excess speed" drivers go by. The locals have to allow for the excess traffic and sometimes confusion on the part of the tourists IF they want their business! It doesn't hurt to ask if they can be helpful in whatever country.
To me, there is absolutely no excuse for rudeness of honking, flashing lights etc. in any country.
As far as tailgating, flashing lights etc. It can be bad. It is just plain rude to do so.
My French friends pay absolutely no attention to the signs dropping down in villages..seem to have one speed..go. When they visited me here in the US, they observed the speeds. I drive in excess of the speed limits here, but I observe the speed limits in a foreign country. I think that would be normal.
When it is tourist season the locals are certainly aware of it and must allow more time to make their appointments. I live in an area where we have tourist seasons. Extra time must always be allowed at those times.
If you are looking for an address, whether a citizen or a tourist, you are going to be driving at a slower than the driving speed sign wherever you are.
Both locals and tourists have a responsibilty of doing whatever to make driving easier for both. The tourist can pull over and let a backup of the "excess speed" drivers go by. The locals have to allow for the excess traffic and sometimes confusion on the part of the tourists IF they want their business! It doesn't hurt to ask if they can be helpful in whatever country.
To me, there is absolutely no excuse for rudeness of honking, flashing lights etc. in any country.
Nov 29th, 2006, 05:18 AM
#27
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>there is one really important rule to remember.
The car coming from the right has priority - even if he is on a smaller road.
The only exceptions are :
if there is a stop or give way sign on the small road
or your road is designated right of way by having a diamond sign.<
I thought that cars IN a traffic circle have the right of way over cars entering the circle.
Am I wrong?
The car coming from the right has priority - even if he is on a smaller road.
The only exceptions are :
if there is a stop or give way sign on the small road
or your road is designated right of way by having a diamond sign.<
I thought that cars IN a traffic circle have the right of way over cars entering the circle.
Am I wrong?
Nov 29th, 2006, 07:26 AM
#29
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no, cars in the traffic circle don't always have right-of-way, it depends on the circle and a sign should be posted. The normal priority given to the car to the right (which would be entering cars into the circdle) should hold if there is no sign or if there is a sign marking that. If the priority is for the cars already in the circle (which is contrary to the usual rule because it's priority to the left), there should be a sign marking that (which is triangular with a red border, and three circular arrows in it to indicate the traffic going around). If the priority is the normal rule (a droit, or to the right or cars entering), there is a blue round sign with those three arrows in it. I think the rule is that if there is no sign at all, the standard rule of priorite a droit (to the right) holds, which is not the cars in the circle. The big circle around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, for example (which I wouldn't dare to drive) has priority to the cars entering, not the cars in it. Actually, the point is to aid traffic, and in some rond-points, if cars were not given priority to enter, it could impede traffic a lot, I think.
I think it really depends on the itinerary and planning, so the question can't be answered alone. I think trains are more relaxing in general for a lot of reasons in comparison to driving (safety, convenience, relaxation, etc.). I definitely would recommend a train to get between two points far apart and to mainly tour cities. For me, the only reason to rent a car is if you want to meander around the back roads and drive in the country. Also, the rail network isn't as developed in some areas, so it is definitely useful there -- like maybe the Auvergne, and generally SW France. But there are lots of rail stations in more metropolitan areas.
I recommend Autoeurope also for car rental in France.
I think it really depends on the itinerary and planning, so the question can't be answered alone. I think trains are more relaxing in general for a lot of reasons in comparison to driving (safety, convenience, relaxation, etc.). I definitely would recommend a train to get between two points far apart and to mainly tour cities. For me, the only reason to rent a car is if you want to meander around the back roads and drive in the country. Also, the rail network isn't as developed in some areas, so it is definitely useful there -- like maybe the Auvergne, and generally SW France. But there are lots of rail stations in more metropolitan areas.
I recommend Autoeurope also for car rental in France.
Nov 29th, 2006, 07:41 AM
#31
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A lot of what-ifs and a lot of valuable time spent by folks who are <b>really</b>trying to be helpful to someone who still hasn't told us where they are planning to travel so we could really evaluate the need for a car, the train, or a combo of both.
Nov 29th, 2006, 03:23 PM
#32
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Well, Dukey is right! I have not posted our schedule and I need to apologize for that. Our trip is in April (already have the plane tickets) but we are not sure what towns we want to visit. That's the reason behind asking the question about car VS. rail. I guess I'm a little afraid of driving a car in a country where I don't speak the language. We have already toured Paris so this trip is outside of Paris. We know we want to tour southern France (Riveria and Provence) and central France and perhaps southwest France (near the border with Spain). Please give me just a few more days and we hope to be more detailed at that time. Meanwhile, thanks a bunch for the help so far. You folks have been super! Once again, please accept my sincere apology for being vague. Thanks!
