PQ' s ' reciprocal' agreement has absolutely nothing to do with this situation (and even IF it did, states cannot make international treaties/pacts)

I wouldn't necessarily drive it, but the situation re IDPs has been explained up thread. A quick visit to any AAA office will set you up.

(and even IF it did, states cannot make international treaties/pacts)>

Well it says in my state Driver's Manual that our state has entered into accords with France and Germany to honor each other
's licenses - meaning that I could if residing in France longer than a tourist status automatically get a French license just by showing my Michigan license.

And my Koreans friends can go the same - show their Korean (South to be sure!) license at the S O S here and automatically get a Michigan license without taking a written test or road test as people from nearly all other countries must do."

So what janisj says is patently not true in what I said because this is a FACT.

<i>meaning that I could if residing in France longer than a tourist status automatically get a French license just by showing my Michigan license.</i>

But if the cop who stops you woke up on the wrong side of the bed he could still ask for your IDP. There is a difference between going to the proper authorities to get the French license and counting on the cop to accept your U.S. driver's license as valid in France.

The bottom line is, unless a US license is accompanied by a notarized translation in FRENCH, you need an IDP.

www.franceintheus.org/spip.php?article376

ira and others, the IDP IS required in France as of May of 2013.>

Well I missed it so thanks for repeating it - will note that in future posts.

Merci

KimBowers:

Here are the non-driving options

fly from Paris (actually Beauvais which is outside of town) on Ryanair

fly from Paris CDG on EasyJet

fly from Paris Orly on Vueling

train from Gare de Lyon to Fugueres in Spain and change there for Barcelona

night train from Paris-Austerlitz to Barcelon-Franca without changes

Take flights out of Orly or CDG over flights out of Beauvais. The former airports can be reached by RER, Beauvais requires a bus ride that starts out from the western edge of Paris.

Beauvais requires a bus ride that starts out from the western edge of Paris.>

Well you can also take a cab into Beauvais itself and taken frequent trains into Paris so the Ryan Air bus ain't the only option.

<i>Well you can also take a cab into Beauvais itself and taken frequent trains into Paris so the Ryan Air bus ain't the only option.</i>

So what. Even with the train option Beauvais is not as convenient as ORY or CDG unless one happens to stay within walking distance of the Place Maillot.

PQ' s ' reciprocal' agreement has absolutely nothing to do with this situation (and even IF it did, states cannot make international treaties/pacts)>

I agree that it does not have anything to do with this situation - in which France requires not the IDP per say but a notarized translation of licence info into French but janisj is wrong when she says 'states cannot make international treaties/pacts' as here is the exact wording from my state's licensing policy:
"Note: Michigan has reciprocity agreements that allow
applicants with a driver’s license from Canada, Germany, and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) to convert their driver’s license
to Michigan without taking a written test or road test.>

France has been dropped but janiss' claim that states cannot do that must be misinformation or my state is acting illegally?

So what. Even with the train option Beauvais is not as convenient as ORY or CDG unless one happens to stay within walking distance of the Place Maillot.>

No debating that - that and with all the fees Ryan Air charges for the flight and bus think three times about flying into Beauvais rather than Paris itself.

PQ is correct.
Germany, for example, honors the drivers licenses from 27 US states to issue a German DL w/o the (pricey) tests.
Nevertheless, this is only relevant for legal aliens who plan to live and work here for more than 6 months, and not for tourists.
Similar though not necessarily identical regimes exist in other European countries.