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

Sheena
My friend and I decided to do a trip to Paris and then drive down to Nice. I was initially going to plan it however I got busy with work and did not have the time. This is when I found, France Just for You, and read the amazing reviews on Trip Advisor and decided to book. Emilie was great! She was thoughtful and paid great attention to detail. We …
Cynthia
We enjoy drive yourself travel and located Emilie's France Just For You online. How fortunate we were. In September and early October we traveled 17 days in Loire, Bordeaux, Dordogne, Carcassonne and Provence. All the accommodations were in historic B&Bs. Our hosts were invariably gracious and helpful. At every stop Emilie included a home cooked …
Teri & Family from the US
Customized Itinerary with Fantastic Service & Support for France Travel Laura and Emilie with France Just for You provided exactly the itinerary we asked for. We corresponded with them several times to develop exactly what we were interested in and it worked out beautifully. This saved us so much time! We even experienced some challenging airline …

Our Travelers’ Photos

Lindsay & David
From the US
Enjoying a romantic vacation in France
Mike & Lynda
from the US
Wine Tasting in Bordeaux
Sharon & Bob
from Canada
Meeting with us in the Loire Valley (with Guillaume, Jeanne and Pauline)
Theresa & Bill
From the US
Between the vineyards & the lavenders in Provence
Cathy & Rich
from the US
Walking Mont Saint Michel Bay
Hee Leng, Xin Yu and Swee Ming
From Singapoure
Visiting the Opera Garnier in Paris
Carolyn & Harry
From Australia
Cycling in the Loire Valley
Muriel & Michael
from the US
In Utah Beach, Normandy
Judy, Marlyn, Alex & Jose from Mexico
Drinking Champagne at Taittinger in Reims...looking so French with the "beret"
Shanna & Mike
from the US
For their First Wedding Anniversary in Provence
Ann & Jim
From the US
In Amboise castle by the Loire river
Stéphanie & Vania
from the US
on the Aiguille du Midi peak in the French Alps (Chamonix)

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