Driving in France: what to expect
If you are picking up a campervan or motorhome in France, the good news is that driving here is straightforward. France has an excellent, well-signposted road network, from sweeping toll motorways to quiet country lanes, and the modern panel vans most rental fleets use handle just like a large car.
The single most important thing for UK visitors to remember is that France drives on the right, so you overtake on the left and give way to the left at most roundabouts. Take it slowly for the first hour, especially at junctions and when pulling out of aires and fuel stations, and the rest of your France road trip will feel completely natural.
Licences and minimum age
Most campervans and smaller motorhomes weigh under 3,500 kg, so a standard category B car licence is all you need to hire and drive one in France. Larger A-class motorhomes can exceed that weight and require a C1 entitlement, so always check the vehicle's maximum authorised mass against your licence before you book.
- UK and EU licences are accepted as they are, no extra paperwork required.
- Non-EU/non-UK drivers (for example from the US, Canada or Australia) should carry an International Driving Permit alongside their home licence.
- Minimum age is typically 21 to 25 depending on the supplier, and many add a young-driver surcharge under 25. Confirm the policy when you compare deals.
Speed limits (and why they drop in the rain)
French speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour, not miles, so keep an eye on your speedo. Heavier motorhomes over 3,500 kg face lower limits on some roads, but for a typical sub-3.5t camper the standard limits apply. Crucially, limits drop in wet weather, and this catches a lot of visitors out.
- Towns and villages: 50 km/h (sometimes 30 in centres).
- Secondary roads (N and D roads): 80 km/h, rising to 90 on some routes.
- Dual carriageways: 110 km/h, dropping to 100 in the rain.
- Motorways (autoroutes): 130 km/h, dropping to 110 in the rain.
- In rain, secondary roads fall to 80 km/h, and in fog or poor visibility a blanket 50 km/h limit can apply.
Speed cameras are common and well hidden, so stick to the posted figure.
Péage: France's toll motorways
France's fast autoroutes (the blue-signed A-roads) are mostly toll motorways, known as péage. You collect a ticket on entry and pay on exit at staffed or automatic barriers, by contactless card, chip-and-PIN, or cash. Look for the green arrow or card symbol over a lane, and avoid the orange-t lanes marked with a 't', which are reserved for électronic télépéage tag holders.
Tolls add up on long runs (Calais to the Côte d'Azur can cost well over 100 euros for a motorhome, as larger vehicles pay a higher class), so it is worth budgeting for them. The relaxing alternative is to drop onto the toll-free N and D roads: they are slower but far prettier, pass through real towns and villages, and turn the drive itself into part of the holiday. A good plan mixes péage for big distances with scenic roads where you have time.
Crit'Air vignette and Low Emission Zones
Many French cities now run permanent Low Emission Zones (Zones à Faibles Émissions, or ZFE), including Paris, Lyon, Grenoble and Strasbourg. To drive into one you must display a Crit'Air vignette, a small coloured sticker on the windscreen that rates the vehicle's emissions from 1 (cleanest) to 5.
Older or more polluting vehicles can be banned outright during the day, and driving in a ZFE without a valid vignette risks an on-the-spot fine. Hire vehicles based in France should already carry the correct Crit'Air sticker, but it is well worth confirming this with your supplier at pick-up, especially if your itinerary takes you through a major city.
The essentials: rules, kit and fuel
A few habits and items keep you legal and safe on French roads.
- Priorité à droite: at some unmarked junctions and older roundabouts you must give way to traffic joining from the right. Watch for signage and slow down where priority is unclear.
- Mandatory kit: you must carry a reflective hi-vis vest (within reach inside the cab, not in the back) and a warning triangle. Put the vest on before stepping out on the hard shoulder.
- Drink-driving: the limit is a strict 0.5 g/L of blood alcohol, lower than England's, so the safest approach is none at all.
- Phones: handheld phone use while driving is illegal and heavily penalised; use a hands-free or fully built-in system.
- Fuel: almost all campervans and motorhomes run on diesel, labelled gazole (or B7) at French pumps, colour-coded yellow. Double-check before you fill.
- Emergencies: dial 112 from any phone for police, ambulance or fire across France and the EU.
