Journey Recommendation Half 2: Site visitors Tickets In France

Typically issues happen and also you’ve by no means handled them earlier than. This occurred to me 3 times: I used to be stunned with two French rushing fines in France once I obtained house from my journey and 1 parking ticket once I was in Cavaillon. Right here’s what you need to learn about these visitors tickets in France and how one can pay them.

Initially printed June 2015 and up to date October 21, 2023.

1. How You’ll Be Notified About Your French Rushing Fines

In case you are caught rushing, you’ll discover out not simply from the federal government, but in addition out of your rental firm about your driving offence.  Whenever you get house you’ll get 2 letters:

(a) Automobile Rental Company

The automotive rental company will cost you an administrative payment. It could vary from 20 € or extra. The discover will make reference to “Site visitors nice…..administrative cost”.

(b) Authorities Company

They may ship you the official discover indicating the place you had been rushing and by how a lot. It’s going to additionally point out the price of the nice, relying on if you pay it.

Earlier than I share with you my very own expertise, I’ll first share some details about driving in France….and what you are able to do to keep away from getting visitors tickets.

2. Suggestions For Avoiding French Rushing Fines And Parking Tickets

(a) Tip #1: Watch The Velocity Limits At All Instances

Within the outdated days, driving in France was a free-for-all. The restrict was 130 km/hr and everybody went over it. Not anymore. There may be photograph radar in all places. I believe probably the most infamous areas for pace cameras are the roads main into small cities. Abruptly the pace restrict drops to 30 km/hour and there aren’t all the time pace bumps to sluggish you down. The minute you see the signal, be on alert! It’s very straightforward to get a rushing ticket in France.

Word: I’m NOT a speedster or pace demon! I’m (normally) a cautious driver; nevertheless, in France, they gives you a ticket, even in case you are solely 5 km/hr over the restrict. Sadly, I didn’t pay sufficient consideration.

(b) Tip #2: Make Certain Your GPS Can Alert You

Right now I take advantage of both my Garmin GPS or the GPS on my smartphone’s Google Maps/Waze app as a result of they’ll normally (however not all the time) point out the pace restrict. Throughout my final journey, nevertheless, I did discover that the restrict was completely different on the GPS versus what the indicators stated. So in fact I went with what the signal stated. The GPS will usually provide you with a warning in case you are over the restrict, so hold your eye on this notification (and the highway).

(c) Tip #3: At all times Assume You Have To Pay For Parking

Sure, I had my fill of visitors violations in France throughout that journey! I additionally obtained a parking ticket. I noticed a giant lot however didn’t rigorously search for the fee machine. I believe it merely wasn’t on my thoughts. This was dumb as a result of I used to be within the centre of town….the place most parking is paid parking.

3. My French Rushing Tickets

(a) Administrative Costs From The Rental Firms

Once I obtained house after one in every of my journeys, I acquired costs from the 2 automotive rental firms I used: a 20 € cost from Hertz and a 30 € cost from Europcar. The primary French phrase you’ll wish to know is “The primary phrase you’ll wish to know: a nice. In French it’s “une amende”. This implies: a nice.

Each acknowledged the next, “Site visitors nice…..administrative cost”. What this implies is that when you have an infraction the police request the motive force/renter data from the rental automotive firm in order that they’ll ship the motive force (me) a discover of what I did mistaken.

(b) French Rushing Tickets Acquired Within the Mail

I ultimately obtained two rushing tickets on my rental automobiles from the French authorities. Neither one had a photograph of the automotive; nevertheless, maybe since then they now do that. (Once I was accused of damaging my rental automotive in 2023, they did ship a photograph).

The visitors fines had been mailed to me in Canada. The primary one took about 6-1/2 weeks to get to me and the second took about 25 days.

So what was the nice for rushing in France? These had been the charges from a number of years in the past they usually have gone up. There are three varieties of penalties:

• Une Amende Minorée (Diminished Advantageous): If I paid inside 46 days of the incident the nice can be €45.
• Une Amende Forfaitaire (Mounted Advantageous): If the nice was paid between 47-76 days after the infraction, the price went as much as €68.
• Une Amende Majorée (Elevated Advantageous): If I didn’t pay or contest the visitors ticket inside 76 days, the price was €180.

(c) Paying French Rushing Fines

The great (?) information is that there’s an English web site that makes it straightforward to pay your ticket on-line (https://www.amendes.gouv.fr).  It’s best to NOT ignore the ticket. Once I return to France I don’t wish to encounter any issues. 

4. France: Rushing Fines In 2023

• For those who’re on a highway restricted to 50km/hour, and also you’re rushing as much as 20 km/hour, the nice begins at €135.
• For those who’re on a highway the place the pace restrict is over 50 km/hour, and also you’re rushing as much as 20 km/hour, the nice begins at €68.
• Rushing between 20-50 km/hour over the restrict? The nice begins at €135. And when you’re rushing over 50km/hour? €1500.

5. My French Parking Ticket

In the future I parked my automotive in lots in Cavaillon as I used to be going to hire a motorcycle and tour the world. I didn’t see an indication wherever indicating there was a 2-hour restrict. (Okay, I didn’t look arduous sufficient). I found this upon my return.

I needed to get assist from the bike store to know how one can pay the €17 nice. Right here’s what I discovered:

• I may pay by cheque. That didn’t work for me. I stay in Canada and didn’t have a French chequing account.
• I may pay with a “Timbre-Amende”. This can be a stamp. I used to be informed I wanted to go to a Tabac (a retailer that sells tobacco) and purchase a stamp from them. It’s a particular stamp that’s placed on the discover and mailed off.  Hmmm. Must discover a tabac. Not all tabacs carry these stamps, however thankfully, the second I went to did. I needed to get clarification on whether or not I wanted to place the shape in an envelope or not. No, you simply put one other postage stamp on and mail it off!
• It’s now extra widespread to pay the nice on-line; nevertheless, if it’s a small city, you may not have this selection.

Take a look at these posts for extra journey recommendation associated to driving and renting automobiles:

Pin to your favorite board on Pinterest