Your
Guide to Cars & Driving in France
Your Comprehensive French Guide to Cars & Driving
Driving
in France

The key points of French driving legislation: facts you need to know about driving
laws, licences, speed limits, priority (the infamous
priorité à droite that remains in force across the country), road safety, alcohol limits and drink driving,
speed cameras and the documents you need to carry on the roads in
France. With links to further comprehensive information on registering, buying and selling a vehicle
in France.

All cars on French roads need to be regularly checked for roadworthiness from four
years of their first registration. This test is the Contrôle Technique (CT). All
used cars that are over four years old must also be sold with a valid Contrôle Technique that is less than six months old.
In this INFOrmation Page find out about when, where and how
to get this critical roadworthy test (the "French MOT") done.
Cars, Bikes & Driving in France
AngloINFO has a flourishing network of local websites across France and Monaco, collecting and publishing the most
relevant information to the specific region where you live or plan to move. If you know where your life in France will be, why
not get in touch with one of the many local English-speaking specialists that AngloINFO has listed in the following regions:
Information on what to do when you have a road traffic accident on French roads:
who to call and how to fill in the accident report document - the
constat
amiable d'accident or European Accident Report Form given you by your insurer, after a car crash. This INFOrmation Page tells you what you must do,
what you should do, and what you really shouldn't.
Information on how to exchange your foreign driver's licence for a French
licence - optional for EU citizens unless they commit a road traffic offence, but essential for those
from outside Europe. Information applies to European Union citizens (UK, Ireland and elsewhere in the EU) as well as
people with American, Australian, Canadian or South African driving licences.
The information you need if importing
a new or used car or motorcycle to France. Where to get the certificate of
conformity (proof of homologation), where to take the vehicle (the DRIRE) and
how to get a UK or mainland EU or US car onto French plates
Buying or selling a used
car? The "grey card" proves ownership of a French-registered vehicle. Find out
how to transfer this when buying, selling or scrapping a car, moving house or
replacing a lost or stolen Carte Grise in France.
Some handy tips on safety when heading to the Alpine
hills in winter, with useful information and links to essential weather and snow
report websites.
The information you need on how to apply for a
French driving licence, learn the Code de la Route, the role of the driving
instructor, applying for a learner's licence and taking the oral examination and
driving test to get a driving licence in France.
Information on how to
register a foreign caravan, trailer or camper van in France: getting the vehicle
to conform to French requirements, where to go to and how to arrange for the
vehicle to be check and what paperwork to take to get the registration.
General information on taking out
and cancelling a French insurance policy, with comprehensive details on insuring
a vehicle (options from third party to all risks) and making a claim. Page
includes a glossary of terminology used by insurance agents.
Also known as the International Motor Insurance Certificate,
this is an internationally recognised document (in countries in which the Green
Card is valid) and acts as recognisable proof of third party car insurance in
case of road accident while abroad.