Roads

Road accidents in France: Mixed figures for October 2024

Newly-released data shows an increase in deaths as winter conditions set in

Anger as another area of France decides to return to 90 km/h on many roads

The measure is ‘anti-environmental’ and would worsen road safety, a campaign group says

Exploring the complexities of private roads and access rights in France

Droit de passage rules can sometimes lead to decades-long disputes

news

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?

Speed limits to be lowered on more Paris roads from November

Two sections of motorway in the Paris area will be lowered in a bid to reduce noise pollution

Traffic forecast for August 30 - September 1: Roads to avoid in France

The end of the summer holiday season and the start of the Paralympic Games are a potent mix for busy roads this weekend

French court removes approval for new road - a year after it is built

The road runs through woodland that is home to some 45 protected species

End of green car insurance sticker in France: Eight questions answered

From April 1, drivers will no longer have to display vignette on their windscreens

MAP: Where are drivers most likely to have an accident in France?

Where are the most dangerous places to drive in France? We take a look at the data

Will farmer roadblocks return? French union angered by lack of action

The president of the union has said he has ‘not ruled out’ future blockades

See: Huge rockfall blocks road in Dordogne, south-west France

The 4,000-tonnes of rubble will take many months to clear

French farmer roadblocks continue: Woman killed as car hits barricade

The accident left two other people seriously injured as the protest spreads around the country

MAP: See where in France motorways are currently planned

As protestors are cleared once more from the site of the controversial A69 motorway project, we look at where new roads are planned (although not all may end up being built)

New road sign causes confusion in France. Have you seen it?

The symbol was chosen because the lozenge shape is already used in parts of North America - Renault lawyers had questions

Mock ‘hen’s nests’ appear in French potholes to fight for better roads

The nests are part of a campaign by motorbike riders to denounce what they call the dangerous and worsening state of roads across the country

Will lorry driver shortages in France affect supplies as in the UK?

France lacks 40,000 - 50,000 drivers. Prime Minister Jean Castex yesterday announced government plans to counteract labour shortages over a range of industries, including road transport and construction

Has reducing the French speed limit to 80km/h saved lives?

A new study says that lowering the limit has not reduced deaths in contrast to claims from the government. Several roads - or parts of them - have since returned to a 90km/h limit

‘Macron’s ‘great planet’ is filling up with speed sign scrap metal’

In a fix: 33 departments have raised their ‘back’ roads back to 90, however as they cannot control the ‘main’ national roads, the speed limit actually remains slower

This new French road sign will show where motorbikes can lane filter

This second trial - lasting three years in 21 departments - lets motorcyclists filter between lanes of slow-moving traffic and will be marked with new road signs

Motorbike lane filtering reintroduced in 21 French departments

After a blanket ‘ban’ in January, a new trial will reintroduce rules allowing motorbikes to advance past vehicles waiting in traffic queues

France tests speed cameras that also check phone and seatbelt use

The new cameras will be smaller and more inconspicuous than current models and are being tested in Toulouse and areas of Doubs

French village’s action to stop Waze sending cars onto its rural roads

Villagers take action after sat-nav system guides thousand of drivers through country roads to avoid congestion on nearby busy autoroute

Private unmarked speed camera cars to triple in France in 2021

The move is intended to free up police officers to ‘better use their skills’ in areas such as drink and drug driving detection

Gendarmerie stop five tonne van overloaded with bikes in south France

The van was strung with bikes and tricycles and weighed two tonnes over the legal limit. Plus - we explain how vehicle weight and cargo limits work in France

France gives go-ahead for traffic lights that let good drivers pass

Move signals a u-turn from Interior Ministry after it ordered local authorities to remove intelligent traffic light systems in September 2020

Motorway tolls should be lower in France if major roadworks, says MP

MP argues that people opt to take motorways to travel faster, so if the road has roadworks, drivers are not getting what they expected and should pay less

What to do if you find an injured deer in France

‘Saving a wild animal is not straightforward, so get advice’ says Dominique Crickboom, general secretary of the Wildlife Care Center Network in France

Europe’s ‘most affordable electric car’ on sale in France

The Dacia Spring basic model will cost €12,403 with the government ecology grant, and opens for pre-orders next week

Route in east France closed to allow frogs to mate safely

A rural route in Grand Est will stay closed every night for almost a month so that amphibians can cross and reach nearby ponds where they reproduce

New ‘Power Road’ in France clears itself of snow

A new road built to stop black ice in Corrèze has already proved its worth... by keeping itself clear of snow thanks to built-in anti-icing technology

France confirms €1,000 grant for second-hand electric cars

The new grant is available to all, has no conditions attached and is for use with second-hand cars - in contrast to previous grants.

France opens first 'carpool' lane near Grenoble

The French city of Grenoble is to introduce a carpool lane on one of its main roads, which will be open to taxis, low emission cars and vehicles carrying more than one passenger from today (September 30).

New road safety campaign for cyclists announced in France

As more people use bikes as a mode of transport in France, the numbers of cycling accidents are also going up - but a new campaign is aiming to change this.

Motorways should be run more fairly, says French Senate

Motorway companies in France should “share future profits more fairly with the state and users” and charge lower rates for greener vehicles, the Senate recommends in a new report.

Drivers in France can now contest parking fine before paying

Drivers who receive a parking fine in France are now legally allowed to contest the fine before paying it, in a U-turn on the previous law.

Parking charges in Bordeaux may be means-tested

Bordeaux may soon charge residents for city parking based on their annual household income, in a move being dubbed “social and supportive” by the newly-elected mayoral team.

France travel: Heavy traffic warning in force

Red alert for travel on Saturday

How to spot unmarked speed control cars on French roads

As unmarked police cars catch drivers speeding on French roads using infrared cameras, a new site is aiming to catalogue all unmarked "radar cars" currently being used in France.

Road speed cuts significantly reduce pollution in France

Cutting speeds on the autoroute into and out of Toulouse from 130kph to 110kph reduced nitrogen dioxide pollution by 9.8% – and about half the nearby residents are no longer in a zone rouge.

French drivers rush to swap cars as eco grant amount drops

People in France have been rushing to benefit from an increased government grant that enables drivers to exchange their more polluting cars for greener models, as the grant amount drops today (August 3).

France's 80kph speed limit saved 349 lives – official report

Lowering the national speed limit to 80kph from 90kph from June 2018 outside motorways and dual-carriageways saved 349 lives according to the government commission set up to examine the change.

Odd sights on French roads: A 400kg bull and tractor caravan

It has been a week of strange sights on French roads, after police reported finding both a Peugeot 206 carrying a 400 kg live bull, and a German tractor pulling a caravan for hundreds of kilometres.

French village latest to install ‘shock’ speed limit signs

A village in northeast France has become the latest to install “shock” road signs in a bid to persuade speeding road users into slowing down.

Green politician supports lowering French motorway toll fees

Environmental politician Yannick Jadot has come out in support of controversial proposals to lower the French speed limit, and reduce the cost of motorway tolls as “compensation”.

Minister in favour of lowering French motorway speed limit

A proposal to reduce motorway speed limits to 110 kph in France, put forward by the citizens' Climate Change Convention, was "personally" supported today (Monday June 22) by minister of transport and ecology, Elisabeth Borne.

Drivers using phones in France now risk losing licence

Drivers in France who use their mobile phones while driving now risk losing their driving licence for up to six months, plus fines, and points on their licence - as a long-debated law comes into force.

Unions call for lorry driver walkout over Covid-19

Lorry drivers across France are being called to exercise their right to stop working due to risk of Covid-19, but an industry boss has said “there is no shortage [of goods] to fear” as a result.

France warned on fake gendarmerie Covid-19 form checks

Drivers in France are warned to stay alert to fake police and gendarmerie officers, who have been demanding illegal on-the-spot fines for alleged breaches of the Covid-19 confinement rules.

Vast illegal ride-sharing network dismantled in France

Five men have been arrested in western Paris on suspicion of running a vast ride-sharing network that exploited illegal workers as drivers.

First French department confirms return to 90kph limit

The Haute-Marne in eastern France has become the first department to officially change back to a 90kph speed limit on departmental roads, 18 months after the government first imposed a drop to 80kph.

Road deaths in France up almost 10% in January

The number of people who died on the roads in France jumped by almost 10% in January this year compared to January last year, a contrast to the “historically low” numbers seen in 2019.

Driver speeding at 230kph arrested in central France

A driver doing more than 230kph in an 80kph zone - more than 150kph over the speed limit - has been stopped and arrested by gendarmerie in central France.

French drivers welcome new ‘peanut-shaped roundabout’

A new “peanut-shaped roundabout” in north-west France is proving popular among motorists, who say it is safer and easier to use than a normal roundabout or crossroads.

Petrol prices drop in France due to coronavirus

Fuel prices in France have dropped again this week, with an official price of €1.4028 per litre of diesel, as crude oil supplies continue to be affected by uncertainty over the new coronavirus epidemic.

France had ‘historic low’ of 3,239 road deaths in 2019

There was a “historically low” number of road deaths in France in 2019, according to interior minister Christophe Castaner, as debates over safety and speed limits continue.

Car insurance in France rises to €615 yearly average

The cost of car insurance in France is on the rise, with drivers paying an average of €615 per year, as Ile-de-France is named the most expensive region, and Marseille the most expensive city overall.

Geneva legal bid to block new motorway

The city of Geneva is launching a legal challenge against a new autoroute to the south of Lake Geneva between Machilly and Thonon-les-Bains.

Roads closed and power cut as Storm Gloria hits France

Roads are closed, public transport disrupted, and power supplies cut in southern France after Storm Gloria, the most intense winter “Mediterranean weather episode” since 1982, hit France last night.

France offers up to €11,000 for eco-friendly vehicles

Drivers in France are still eligible in 2020 to receive up to €11,000 in grants to help buy a new or second-hand “clean” vehicle to replace an older, more polluting one - under certain conditions.

Dordogne bypass protesters hail road demolition order

Protesters fighting a half-built bypass that cuts through a prized natural site are confident that, after a 30-year battle, the road will never be completed.

Speeding French car caught after running out of petrol

A driver whose car was spotted doing 240kph in a 90kph area in southeast France and became involved in a police chase was finally caught after the vehicle ran out of petrol.

Lorries confirm more fuel tax blockades across France

Road transport workers and lorry drivers are planning 15 blockades across France this weekend in protest at the government’s plans to change fuel taxation laws in 2020.

French lorry driver 'anger' strike confirmed

French drivers of heavy goods vehicles have announced a strike day on December 7 to express their “legitimate anger with the profession”.

Green crossings over French roads saving wildlife

Construction company Vinci has spent €177million building 200 animal passages in the last decade. Jane Hanks finds out how they save wildlife

French nature group: ‘Drop motorway limit to 100kph’

Reducing speed limits by as much as 30kph on French motorways as a way to “protect the environment” and “improve public transport” would be a “winning strategy”, a French environmental group has said.

Fears for 25,000 French bridges after Mirepoix tragedy

The badly damaged remnants of the collapsed suspension bridge will be dismantled

Teenager killed in bridge collapse in southwest France

Two vehicles plunged into river when suspension bridge failed in Haute-Garonne

‘Acrobats’ who robbed moving trucks in France arrested

Ten men suspected of robbing €3.5 million worth of goods from lorries travelling at up to 90kph on motorways across France have been arrested, with police calling the thieves “acrobats and artists”.

French town dumps parking meters to boost local shops

Old parking meters mysteriously dumped on roundabouts in central France have prompted some residents to complain of vandalism - but the act has now been revealed as the work of the local council.

Uninsured vehicles now tracked by cameras in France

Road vehicles without insurance in France will now be tracked by speed cameras, with drivers risking fines of up to €7,500 as a result.

More Paris roads blocked by climate change protests

Climate change protests led by international group Extinction Rebellion are continuing in Paris - including the famous rue de Rivoli - as the movement spreads across the world.

Unmasked: the mystery plant-namers of Toulouse

Mysterious botanists who have been identifying wild plants and writing their names on a city’s streets have been unmasked.

Drivers in France no longer need breathalyser kits

Drivers in France will no longer be obliged to carry breathalysers in their vehicles at all times, as the discredited and ignored law that required it has finally been formally scrapped.

France to spend €43m to improve cycling paths

France is to dedicate €43 million to create more cycling paths in 111 areas, as part of a wider project designed to encourage people to triple daily push bike use by 2024, from 3% to 9%.

Drivers are in a rut

The authorities should make sure that all highway lanes are kept in tip-top condition and then we will have no excuse for not using the inside lane on motorways.