Information for travelling to and from France
For non EEC members you'll need a visa, available from the French Embassy in your country, other wise for EEC members, you must have an identity card with photograph.
Autoroutes and roads
Autoroutes are the same as a freeway or motorway. In France, many of the main autoroutes have a toll to pay ("Péage"). The price depends on the type of vehicle and kilometres. The autoroutes use a numbering system with the letter "A" at the beginning such as the famous A6 ("l'autoroute du soleil"). Traffic information and prices for the Autoroutes
Speed limits on the roads
In urban areas the limit is 50km, on other main roads roads it is 90k whilst on autoroutes 130km. In the recent years there has been a large increase in the numbers of fixed automatic and also mobile radars. On the spot fines and even impounding of the car can be used against people for speeding offences, as far as we know if you are 30km over the limit you will have your driving licence removed and or the car impounded.
Priority to the right when driving
This strange and old rule of the French highway code, which is still enforced in both towns and on the countryside. So beware and prepared to give way to traffic coming from the right.
Priority to the right
More useful French phrases about road signs and traffic lights.
Airline companies
Air France Flight information, flight arrival times
Train travel in France
France has an excellent train system, it is run by the SNCF, there is a complete online reservation system, so you can reserve and pay for your tickets now. The train lines are split into four distinct types
- T.G.V, Train Grandes Vitesse ( high speed trains), this is an inter-city service, such as Paris to Bordeaux. These train lines are now open to competition and there some great train journeys such Paris to Geneva direct in 3 hours.
- TER, regional trains, between towns and villages to get across France.
- RER, Transilien, the train system around Paris
- Freight service, for transporting all across France, with trans-European connections
There is also the the Eurostar train, offering travel between France and the UK, via the magnificent Euro Tunnel with choices of London or Ashford in England, Paris, Lille and other destinations in Europe .
Book a train
Easy train bookings with the Trainline web site
Ferry crossings to and from France
Here are some of the best ways to cross the sea from the UK to France.
If you would like to compare and find the best Channel crossing rates, check out AFerry.co.uk
DFDS Seaways, ferries from Dover or Newhaven to Dunkirk, Calais or Dieppe.
Condor Ferries, routes from Poole and Portsmouth to Saint Malo or Cherbourg.
SNCM, ferries from France to Corsica, via Toulon and Marseille to Bastia or Ajaccio
Bus and coach
There are now plenty of low cost coach services such as Flixbus tracelling all over the country.