-
What do the different number plate colours of cars mean in France?
Standard passenger vehicles must be white, but do you know what the other colours signify?
-
Small town in Normandy attracts record visits on Wikipedia
A new ranking puts this famous coastal town in first place, followed by a medieval hilltop favourite, and three mountain resorts
-
French wine production faces sharp decline
Adverse weather conditions across France's key vineyards forecast a 22% drop in output for 2024
Coronavirus: road death toll halved during lockdown
While the number of high-speed offences and accidents increased.
Road deaths more than halved in April, with the lockdown cutting most non-essential traffic. The figure of 103 killed was 133 down on April 2019 – a 56% fall – and follows a 40% cut in March, when lockdown started.
Read more: how to get a Covid-19 car insurance refund in France
However, the national road safety body Sécurité Routière said the death toll figures gave a false image as numbers had fallen by less than the drop in road traffic. There was also the return of once-rare accidents where lone drivers had unexplained high-speed crashes, plus many flashed at more than 250kph.
Empty roads saw high-speed offences and accidents soaring. Research by Europe 1 showed speed traps caught 11,200 drivers going at least 50kph over the limit – up from 9,600 in 2019 – while radar alert firm Coyote showed 77% fewer vehicles on the roads.
Read more: France plans gradual sporting return
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France