12 November 2024

Planning to drive in France?

Make sure you know what you need to have with you when driving in France

Driving in France meansd obweying the local rules and regulations - and in France that means making sure you have in you5r hire car the following mandatory items:

Reflective jackets, a warning triangle and if you are driving in a 'snow zone' winter tyres or snow chains.

One item that is no longer mandatory though is a breathalyser kit. This used to be a must, under a law introduced in 2012, but that has since been rescinded and since 2020 one no longer needs to be carried. Drink Driving is however still prohibited - and it worth remembering that the French limit at 0.5% BAC is lower than our 0.8% BAC.

If you hire a car in France, it should come with all mandatory requirements, but we highly recommend checking they are there before leaving the car hire location.

When hiring a car, remember to compare car hire excess insurance products offered by the rental firm to those available before you travel. You may be able to get a better deal via our comparison service.

The RAC have a list of the equipment you need if you are driving in France.