Drive in France

Any driver’s license written in Latin characters is accepted by car rental agencies for tourists – as long as it is valid.

French law requires an International Permit to accompany valid driver's licenses that are not in French. Canadian licenses are in French, and there is an exception for UK licenses.

Unless specified otherwise, the speed limits are :

  • 50 kms/hr in cities
  • 90 kms/hr in the countryside
  • 130 kms/hr on the highways

In miles per hour, this is about :

  • 30 miles/hr in cities
  • 55 miles/hr in the countryside
  • 80 miles/hr on the highways

Yes, car renters are obliged by the law to provide your driver’s information in case there is an infraction during the rental period.

The car renters will also charge an administration fee for about 25 to 30€ per fine.

It is in your interest to pay the fine online as soon as received to avoid any late fees.

We are sorry but highway toll pass is not available to foreign travelers in France.

You will need to pay each toll when you go through it with either coins/bills or with a credit card.

We are sorry, it is not included. We warmly recommend getting one from home and testing it before departure.

 

You will find gas available everywhere in France.

Please note that gas is much more expensive at highway resting areas, so fill-up before getting on the highway.

Gas is cheaper at supermarket stations (Leclerc, Super U, Auchan, Carrefour…) compared to traditional gas stations (Total, BP, Shell, …).

We highly recommend using the Waze phone app, which is the best at including traffic, roadwork, and navigation options.

If you are used to Google Maps or Maps, they also work well in France.

Portable GPS like Garmin will not be as updated as the above and will end up being more expensive, so we do not recommend them.

Should a GPS be built into your rental car, we still recommend using Waze as many of these systems are not fully up-to-date and do not take into account roadwork and traffic.

Go back to frequently asked questions

Our Travelers’ Reviews

Paul & nancy
We just returned from 15 days in France, this trip was to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Emilie and her team were amazing. We started in the south of France and finished in Paris. We visited many towns and villages, Aix, Cassis, Marseilles, les Gorges du Verdon,...The personalized guide book was golden for us. The details and suggestions …
Beverley & John
We've just come back from an amazing holiday planned by Emilie. The detailed guide book and all the maps and brochures we received were way beyond our expectations. The information on local customs and language helped us immensely during our stay in France. Emilie was prompt and courteous answering our many questions while planning our custom tour …
Susan & Richard from the US
This trip was amazing, and Laura did such a fantastic job at planning it for us, with us. Wow, the detail and care the whole team put into our package was astonishing.

Our Travelers’ Photos

Mona & Vernon
from the US
in Cassis creeks of the Mediterranean Sea
Elisabeth & Randy
From Canada
In Vimy Ridge Memorial
Ruth & Mary-Ann
From the US
In front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Karen, Theresa, Mike & Bill
From the US
Dinner with view...
Jane
from the US
Canoeing down the Dordogne river
Mary-Ann & Ruth
From the US
Meeting Emilie in Normandy
Dennis
from Australia
Hiking in the Dentelles in Provence
Greg, Laurie, Laura & Jeff
From the US
With their B&B host near Mont Saint Michel
Ron & Don
From Canada
In Burgundy
Sharyn
from the US
Taking a cooking class in Normandy
Gary, Barbara, Lori and Ron
from the US
After a cooking class in Provence
Leslie & Bill
from the US
Behing the giant clock in Orsay museum

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