Michael Hafferty
Taking your caravan to France will add a new dimension to your touring holidays. Road signs n drive-france.com/faqs/french-road-signs n autoeurope.com/travel-guides/france/france-road-signs Traffic in France, of course, drives on the right. This is not really a problem while you are on main roads, because you are in the traffic flow, but make an agreement with your co-pilot to remind you of what might seem obvious, especially when you are rejoining the road after a driving break – your natural instinct will be to go onto the left side. You have probably heard about priorité a droite, which means ‘give priority to traffic on your right’. This rule applies unless signed otherwise. The vast majority of French traffic signs are identical to those used in the UK, but it is very important to understand the meaning of the following.
Right, top You have priority at all junctions on this road until signed otherwise (top)
Right, middle You have priority at the next junction Right, bottom Junction ahead. Be prepared to give priority to traffic from the right.
Speed limits Maximum speed limits are well-signed and strictly enforced. Should you exceed a limit by more than 40km/h, the penalties increase severely, including immediate disqualification and even forfeiture of your vehicle in extreme cases. On-the-spot fines are common. The speed limit in a built-up area is 50km/h (about the same as our 30mph) and is indicated by a red border around the road sign showing the town’s name.
Fuel As in our country, fuel is dearest on motorways and cheapest at supermarkets. But France is much bigger than the UK and there is a lot of ‘empty space’ between towns. It is good practice to keep your tank half-full, especially at weekends when filling stations might be closed, and on public holidays. You’ll see signs for various types of fuel: n Petrol Essence, Super; octane numbers are displayed n Diesel Gasoil/gazole n LPG GPL
Aires There are free aires on autoroutes. You can stay there overnight (although Practical Caravan wouldn’t recommend it for security reasons): your toll autoroute ticket is valid for 24 hours. It’s always advisable to park sensibly in a well-lit and well-frequented area.