France Travel Guide

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A car is a convenient way to travel around in France. Roads are very well maintained and the French road network includes 4960 miles of motorways (many with tolls) which link Paris and the main provincial towns and cities.

The French motorways are a delight to drive on, as they are all relatively new and incredibly well maintained. They are usually expensive and the locals prefer to avoid them and stick to the national routes. One leg of a motorway is often 1.50 euros no matter how short. To give you an indication, the toll from Paris to Tours is about 26 euros one way for a journey of about 2.5 hours.

If you want an up to date break down of the tolls on any trip log onto the Michelin website and it will calculate the current tolls for you. Beware they really do add up quickly.

The motorways are fast efficient way to travel and once you are on them they are easy to navigate. The speed limits on motorways are 130 kilometres in fine weather and 110 in the rain. Beware the gendarmes usually hang out around the exits with their speed cameras catching unsuspecting motorists as they fly past. If you must speed on a motorway do not do it under an exit bridge.

The gendarmes also like the long viaducts, which span huge valleys. Typically the speed limit is reduced to 90 kilometres per hour because of the huge winds at those altitudes. The gendarmes catch out many unsuspecting motorists at the far side of these huge high bridges.

Lorries, trucks or HGVs (Camions in French) are not permitted to drive on the motorways on Sundays. The exits from the motorways often bank incredibly hard and when they say 30 kilometres per hour for the exit, it is a fair indication and should not be ignored.

If you have the time it is lovely travelling along the national routes and not just hurtling past all of the countryside on the motorway. It is easy to get stuck behind lorries and extra wide vehicles.

If you are travelling on the national routes you have to be really careful about buying petrol or diesel on a Sunday. Almost every service station is closed on a Sunday (except those on Motorways) and all of the automatic petrol pumps do not accept international credit cards only French debit and credit cards.

It is easy to find yourself almost out of petrol at a pump unable to fill up on a Sunday because you only have foreign cards. This happened to me and luckily I was able to convince a lovely French man to put 60 euros of petrol in my car on his card in exchange for cash. If I had not happened upon this very sweet gentleman, I would have been sleeping in the car until Monday morning until the service station staff returned.

Permanent speed cameras are normally well signposted and are big rectangular boxes painted with bright fluorescent yellow and black diagonal stripes to warn you. The Michelin website also lists where these fixed speed cameras are on your journey and advises the speed limit at those locations.

The French are a very proud nation and avidly support their own automobile manufacturing industry. Accordingly there will be lots of Peugots and Citroens available to rent. Because France is such a large country being the size of Texas, lots of French have embraced diesel-powered cars for economic reasons.

Most people prefer manual to automatic diesels, as they are more responsive. The end result is that if you are from Australia, New Zealand or England and do not fancy driving a manual car and changing gears with your right hand whilst driving on the other side of the road, you need to book your automatic hire car early as they only have a few and they get booked out early especially in the height of summer.

Perhaps you may want to request your hire company to arrange an automatic car for you from a different depot. This is all possible, if you provide the hire car company with enough notice.

The minimum driving age in France is 18 years old.

A valid U.S. driver’s license is required for all U.S. citizens who drive in France. Minimum driving age is 18. Proof of insurance coverage is necessary; your license, insurance certificate, and vehicle registration may be requested along the way.

To rent a car in France you must be at least 20 years of age and have held a full driving license for at least a year. Insurance is obligatory. The main car rental companies have offices in all railway stations and airports, as well as in major city centers.

Car rentals in France can be costly; reserving a car in advance on the internet can mean significant savings if you reserve ahead for a minimum of days and pay in advance.

About France

France is the largest country in Western Europe, slightly smaller than Texas. France is between the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea; bordering Italy and Spain. 58 million people live in France, about 4.5 million of them foreigners.

Language

French is the primary language spoken in France. If you plan to travel to France, it is strongly recommended that you learn the basics of the language. Your effort will be noticed and appreciated. If you can’t speak French, begin by saying. “Please excuse me for bothering you, but I do not speak French” – “Excusez-moi, s’il vous plait, de vous deranger, mais je ne parle pas francais.”

Business Dress

The French are very conscientious of their appearance and view dress as a reflection of social status and success. Because of this, be sure to wear well-tailored, stylish clothing. Dark, conservative clothing is most appropriate – avoid bright colors or flashy accessories.

Business Hours

Most businesses in France operate from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, with a lunch hour lasting up to two hours. Many executives or those in senior positions will stay at the office until 7:00 or 8:00 pm.

Holidays

There are 11 public holidays in France. In 2007, they are:

January 1st – New Year’s Day

April 9th – Easter Monday

May 1st – Labour Day

May 8th- 1945 Victory Day

May 17th – Ascension

May 28th – Whit Monday

July 14th – Bastile Day

August 15th – Assumption

November 1st – All Saints’ Day

November 11th – Remembrance Day

December 25th – Christmas Day

Most French employees get five weeks of vacation and many will take up to three weeks of this in July or August.

Conversations and Behavior

The most important aspect of French behavior is the emphasis on courtesy and formality. When meeting someone, it is customary to shake their hand. But, handshakes in France are light and quick – a strong handshake is considered aggressive. Good posture is important to the French – so be sure to stand up straight.

Do not address a business associate by their first name unless invited to do so. The basic courtesy title for women is ‘Madame’ and is ‘Monsieur’ for men. ‘Mademoiselle’ is considered old-fashioned and should be avoided.

Sometimes, the French will introduce themselves using the last name followed by their first name. This can be confusing if they both sound like first names. It is fine to ask for clarification if needed.

When engaging in conversation avoid topics related to individual political views or other personal matters. Stick to topics such as sports, art, music and food. Be prepared to discuss your own countries history and political system.

There are many common gestures and behaviors that are considered offensive in France. Be sure to avoid the following:

- Chewing gum in public

- Putting your hand in your pockets while in public

- Slapping an open palm over a closed fist

- Snapping fingers

- The OK symbol (forming a circle with the thumb and forefinger) actually means zero or useless in France. Use the thumbs up instead.