Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Each car must also carry the
carte grise
and a
constat
amiable d'accident
, a claim form obtained from the insurance
company. In non-injury accidents, the form must be filled out,
signed by both parties and sent to the insurance company.
A
contrôle technique
(safety certification) must be kept in the
car, along with spare headlight bulbs.
Unlimited third-party coverage (
au tiers
) is the minimum
automobile insurance required by law, and coverage must
be by a French or EU company.
Au tiers limité
includes
third-party fire and theft while
tous risques
is comprehensive
insurance; there are other more extensive options. Ask your
friends or colleagues to recommend an insurance company
and compare the services and prices of several companies
before you choose. Make sure you read the fine print to
find out what the insurance companies don't cover. Do
your research carefully, for cancelling an insurance policy is
almost as complicated as taking one out. Generally, agents
handle home and health insurance, as well as automobile
coverage. Policies run for one year and are generally renewed
automatically. Ask your own broker for a letter documenting
your insurance record. In some cases, a discount is available
after one year, which is increased slightly for each year that
passes with no claims.
Bicycling
Parisians love their
vélos
(bicyles). Many people ride their
bikes as their main mode of transportation, as it's an easy,
cheap and even healthy way of getting around. The city is
encouraging bicycle riding by creating
pistes
(lanes) that are
off-limits to motorised vehicles throughout the metropolitan
area. Also, the bus lanes and pedestrian streets, all protected
from car traffic, are open to cyclists. More lanes are being
built, so cyclists have many options for safe riding throughout
the city. The
couloirs vélos
(bicycle lanes) are marked by wide,
white stripes. They run north and south, east and west, and
all around the circular boulevards Maréchal. Ask at the Tourist
Office or your own
mairie
for the brochure
Paris à Vélo
, which
tells you everything you might want to know about biking in
Paris and includes a map of all the current bike lanes.
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