Road safety in France

Cheryl · 2025-07-16T06:42:29+02:00

Explore road safety insights in France for expats. Share experiences on traffic rules, road conditions, and tips for safe travel with kids.

Cheryl Moderator

Member since 15 October 2018

CherylModerator16 July 2025 04:42:29

13907

Hello everyone,

Navigating roads and experiencing traffic in France as an expat can be a learning experience. We invite you to share your insights in order to help other expats and soon-to-be expats stay safe on the road in France, whether driving, cycling or just crossing the street.

Are traffic rules strictly respected or enforced in France?

Are there any unspoken rules, unexpected habits or regulations that you had to adapt to?

Are the roads safe and well-maintained?

Are there specific times of day, weather conditions, or seasons that make driving more dangerous?

If you have children, do you feel comfortable letting them travel alone on local roads, whether on foot, by bike, or motorbike?

What are your tips or advice to stay safe on the roads in France?

Share your insights and experience.

Thank you for your contribution.

Cheryl
禁漫天堂 Team

wyngrove60 Serial expat

Member since 08 May 2021

wyngrove60Serial expat24 July 2025 09:40:07

369

I lived in France for 7 years, a year in Paris and 6 years in Biarritz. I used to drive on the peripherique every day from Port Maillot to Porte de la Chapelle. Traffic was smooth and easy. Even driving around Paris was never a problem and my car was a 730i so quite large for Paris. I'd drop the kids off at school on rue de Passy. I lived near the arc de triomphe which felt chaotic in the beginning when you drive on it, but you get used to it.

Down in the south west of France everything was easy. Roads are good, people drive pretty safely. Summertime can get a bit congested as I often drove between Biarritz and Hossegor or down to Saint Jean de Luz, but the drive was nice and people followed the rules.

I used to drive from Biarritz to Paris quite a lot, and once when I was driving at 235 km/hr I got pulled over by the Gendarmes. I paid my fine on the spot and went on my way.

Back in the day I had snow chains for when we went skiing in the Alpes or the Pyrenees. Not sure if people still use chains...still, even in the snow with icy roads I never had any problems. Later we bought a Renaut Espace and also a Peugeot 205i and both were nice to drive and never had any problems. We chose the Renault Espace because with 4 kids it rated as one of the safest MPV's on the road.