Day Trips to France logo Day trips to france

General tips

Some helpful tips for whilst you are driving in France can be found below. Ensure that your are familiar with these tips to make your journey as safe and stress free as possible.

  • Always drive on the right hand side of the road in France and remember on roundabouts to give priority to the left.
  • There are many toll roads in France, so ensure you have some spare Euros to pay the tariffs. On some toll autoroutes, you will receive a ticket on entering - keep it safe to produce later. Prices vary depending on the route and the distance travelled.
  • If another road use flashes their headlights at you it may mean that the driver is warning you that they have right of way (which is often the opposite of what this may mean in the UK).
  • Be vigilant when setting off from service stations or on the left side of the road, or joining an road from a slip lane.
  • Take care in urban areas, as there are often rules giving priority to traffic coming from the right of your vehicle (known as 'Priorité a droite'). However, if you see a yellow diamond, this indicates that you have priority.
  • As in the UK, petrol stations on the motorways are usually more expensive. Try to find a hypermarket or petrol station on your route - where fuel may be slightly cheaper.
  • French road signs also displays European route numbers where appropriate (as well as French autoroute numbers). European route numbers are marked with a white number on a green background, and are in addition to the French road number.