Driving in France

Information on Driving in France

Driving in France is easy most of the signs are the same as the UK.

The cost of fuel is about 10% cheaper than the UK but if you use the toll roads a lot then there is not much difference.

Before you go to France get a warning triangle, spare bulbs GB plate. Plus you need a disposable breathalyser twin pack at a cost of about 6 pounds.Make sure that it is legally compliant for use in France

Also you want the stick on headlight converters even if you are not driving in the dark.The French police were doing spot checks when we got off the ferry You could get an on the spot fine

The open road in France

The main things to watch about driving on the right is turning left and roundabouts.

You have to remember to look left instead of right like you do in the UK.

The roads in France are very straight and fairly quite by UK standards. The roads only gets busy in the main cities. If you are travelling long distances the toll roads are best but can work out expensive.

There are regular parking areas ever 10k where you can pull off with some facilities.

Every 25k there is fuel and full service facilities we found them better than UK motorway services.

Service Station

Something else I noticed this year is more speed cameras in rural areas, not on the scale of the UK.

The cameras have a clear warning sign before you reach them.

Most small towns and villages have free parking.

If not you seem to park on the pavement rather than the road.

Buying petrol or diesel in France is different than the uK they have very few roadside filling stations. Most fuel is sold at the large supermarkets 24 hours.

It is best to get your fuel before 7pm you can pay a cashier. After 7 you can pay by credit card not easy if you do not read French you could loose your card.Plus not all fuel pumps take UK cards.

Navigating in the rural area can be interesting you come to a crossroad.

It will have a good signpost showing four different villages none on your map.

One of the charms of driving in France is to get lost and find a hidden village or Chateau.

This year I got a sat nav which I use after I got lost trying to find our rented gite.Which was between two small villages on a unnamed road.it is much easier with the Sat Nav. The French post code areas are larger than in the UK so in remote areas you are on your own for the last half mile.If you are looking for your holiday gite on an unmarked road in the middle of nowhere.You are better using the Latitude and longitude this will get you to a few feet of your Gite.Google will convert any address for you.

One of the best things about driving in France is seeing the small villages and towns off the beaten track

The best reason to take the car to France.All the food and wine you can bring back.

Places to stay

Holiday Rental Cottage in Normandy

Le moulin l'Eveque is a former water mill set at the bottom of the Vire valley in an area of outstanding natural beauty.It is a little hamlet of 4 riverside properties one of which the owners live in and the other 3 are holiday lets. available individually or collectively for larger parties of up to 15 people.

Each property has it's own private garden and patio/BBQ area. There is also a large riverside garden which everyone is welcome to use, with a picnic table right on the river, beautiful with a glass of wine at sunset

The 3 bedroom le gite de cadran solaire has a large andvery well equipped kitchen on the ground floor, with the patio right outside, and stairs up to the principle bedroom wich is furnished with a super king size bed and has double aspect windows, one facing the south and river , the other looking west. Next to it is the main bathroom, with shower, wc and vanity unit Bedroom 2 has twin beds. These can be joined together if required, just let us know. This bedroom has it's own wc and vanity sink Through to the living room where you will find 2 sofas, one of which is a sofa bed and where you can watch TV in English. All the top freeview channels are available.

For booking details and prices

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Places to visit

• try Boulogne sur Mer
• The seaside town of Saint Valery sur Somme
• The market town of Desvres
• The village of Montcavrel

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