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But when your are driving through France there are a few things
you need to be aware of.
Did you know that the legal age to drive in France is 18 years of age and even if you have
a full licence from another country and you are under that age, then you are still not
allowed to drive in France?
Every passenger must wear a seatbelt and it is illegal for a child under the age of 10 to
be in the front seat.
You must always stop at a zebra crossing, which is enforced by law and when going through
a town you will find a lot of them, but you should be very careful when you are the
pedestrian, as the French do not seem to obey this rule as much as they should!
Watch your speed! If you are stopped for speeding you can be fined on the spot and
the fines have to be paid in cash there and then, which can be quite expensive. If
you cannot pay or you are travelling more than 25km/h above the speed limit, then your car
can be impounded and you could end up with a very hefty fine or even lose your licence, so
be careful, especially when on the toll roads, as you do not want your driving holiday to
come to an abrupt end!
The motorways are 130km per hour, but this is reduced in bad weather down to 110km per
hour and on duel carriageways and main roads the same rules apply where the speed limit is
reduced in bad weather. A duel carriageway is 110km per hour and main roads are 90km
per hour, with the peripherie being 80km per hour and towns or minor roads being a maximum
of 50km per hour.
The French Government do publish information on exactly where speed traps are located and
this is one of the reasons why it is illegal to have a radar detector fitted to your
vehicle.
In bad weather, fog etc, even during the day, it is compulsory to use your lights but you
do not have to keep your lights on during the day at any other time.
Obviously you must have deflectors fitted to your headlights if you have a right-hand
drive vehicle and by law you must have a set of replacement bulbs and a warning triangle
with you at all times. But it is always advisable to check the regulations prior to
your holiday in France, as they do change from time
to time.
So with the general rules out of the way, even though there are a lot more, just enjoy the
experience and the beautiful scenery when you are on your driving holiday in France.
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