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Driving to ski at half term? Don’t forget the new rules for driving in France

Since last summer, there are new laws for driving in France. And if you’re driving to ski, brush up on things to remember before you hit the snow.
Efficient__go anywhere_Subaru_Forester_powers_incredible_snowsport_‘first_Subaru_15179
A 4WD will always be better, but you still have to pack snow chains

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7 February 2013

Driving to ski in a Subaru Forester
A 4WD like this Subaru Forester will always be better, but you still have to pack snow chains

DRIVING to ski this half term? Better read on.

The last thing you want en vacances is a tussle with les garcon en bleu, so before your business car turns into a holiday car, you should be aware of some changes to French road rules.

And while we’re at it we’ll dust down the driving-in-the-snow manual too.

 

The new laws

From July 1 2012 it’s been a requirement for all drivers to carry a breathalyser kit in the glovebox.

It’s now a requirement to carry a breathalyser kit when you drive in France

The kit must have two disposable breathalysers. The breathalyser must meet NF standards (similar to the BSI here in the UK) and carry NF certification. So make sure it has that.

Wherever you drive on the continent, limits are generally lower – 50 rather than 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

There are differences with speed limits, and speed detection too.

The speed limit on a French autoroute is 130km/h (that’s 80mph on your speedo). However,  when it’s wet it drops to 100km/h (just under 70mph) and to 90km/h (56mph)  if you’re towing.

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Matt Morton

Matt Morton

Matt Morton is an automotive content writer for Business Car Manager

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