Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
major
portes
(entries into Paris from the
périphérique
) and
large arteries are generally congested.
Bouchons
(traffic
jams) and
embouteillages
(bottlenecks) are daily occurrences.
Delivery trucks often block small, narrow streets, stopping
traffic until a delivery has been made. Although drivers in
Paris generally obey the traffic laws, they are aggressive and
impatient. Take public transportation when you can.
Driver's Licence
If you drive, always carry a valid driver's licence; visitors
staying less than 90 days may use a licence from home. The
International Driving Licence is advisable but not required
in France (but may be necessary in other countries you
visit). It is not available in France but may be obtained
from your own automobile association. Students may use
their home driver's licence for the duration of their studies.
Those with a
carte de séjour
may use their home driver's
licence—but not the International Driver's Licence—for
one year from the date of issue of the
carte
. The licence
must be valid, translated into French and issued before the
residence permit.
After residence of one year, a French
permis de conduire
(driver's license) is required of EU residents. Expect the
process to take about two months, so apply to the Préfecture
before the end of the year. Bring a valid, translated driver's
licence, proof of domicile, your
carte de séjour
, two passport-
sized photographs and the current fee in the form of a
timbre
fiscal
—a prepaid stamp purchased at a
tabac
(usually a café
that also sells cigarettes and stamps). Although EU citizens
theoretically do not need a French licence, in practice it
is often necessary for insurance and other reasons. Go to
the Préfecture and they will decide whether you need one
based on your nationality. (In fact, the member states of
the EU are to issue a standard driving licence, which will
gradually replace expiring licences.) A French driver's
licence is valid for life.
Some countries and some states within the United States
have reciprocal agreements with France to waive the driving
test, but all applicants must take the written exam on rules
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