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Types of Shops: Boulangerie - bakers, which also sell croissants, ‘brioches’ (a cross between bread and cake), ‘pains au chocolat’ and ‘pains au raisin’ Pâtisserie/Confiserie - cake/sweet shop, often combined with bakers. Epicerie - grocers, often with more ‘fancy’ goods. Boucherie - butchers. Charcuterie/Delicatessen - cooked meats, pâté, salami, prepared salads, etc. Often combined with butchers. Fruiterie - greengrocers. Poissonnerie - fish shop. Alimentation - general food store, sells all basic items, including fresh produce, bread, when the bakery is closed, and wine. Long opening hours but can be expensive. Maison de la Presse - news agents. English papers are usually readily obtainable in holiday areas usually the following day at about twice the price. Pharmacie - chemist, usually very helpful in cases of minor accidents/ailments. Tabac - tobacconist also sells stamps, postcards, phone cards, news- papers, confectionary, parking permits, fishing permits and lottery tickets. Look for the red oblong sign of the ‘tabac’. Supermarché/Hypermarché - supermarket/hypermarket (Rallye, Mammouth, Codec, Leclerc, Casino, Euromarché etc). Larger stores France are open six or seven days a week and at lunch times, while smaller ones may close on Mondays and at midday. Hypermarkets are usu- ally situated outside of towns, in retail parks. Marché - market, often held two or three times a week in larger towns. They are, however, often open only in the mornings. Motoring Shopping Driving Age: the minimum driving age is 18 years. During the first two years after passing their driving test, drivers must not exceed One of the delights of a visit to France is sampling the delicious local 80km/h (49mph) on ordinary roads, 100kph on urban motorways and produce, cheese, seafood and fresh vegetables. Coffee and croissant 110 kph on motorways. breakfasts and French bread, local cheese and salad lunches are Speed Limits: 50 kph in built up areas ideal for summer holidays. 90 kph on main roads Shopping hours: generally shops open from 9am to 6.30pm with a break 110 kph on dual carriageways and motorways for lunch from noon to 2.30pm. Further south many shops close for a longer Vehicles towing a trailer (under 750kg) are restricted to 100 kph on ‘siesta’ period, often 1pm to 4pm. Food shops and supermarkets all roads, including motorways. can keep much longer hours, particularly during high season. Many There is also a minimum speed of 80kph on the outside lane on motorways shops, including large hypermarkets, are closed on a Monday, or during daylight, on level ground and with good visibility. When the at least in the morning. This includes just about everything at the road is wet, the speed limits are 80kph on ordinary roads (outside ferry ports and most supermarkets and hypermarkets are closed on built-up areas), 100kph on dual carriageways and 110kph on toll Sundays. motorways. In foggy conditions it is 50kph on motorways, when vis- ibility is less than 50m. 24 25 Be aware that French Police will stop drivers who may be exceed- Fuel: unleaded petrol and diesel are widely available. ‘Essence ing the speed limit in the area by 40 kph and drivers will lose their sans plomb’ unleaded petrol is 95/98 octane. LPG available. licences on the spot and therefore not be able to continue with their Credit cards are accepted at most filling stations and also there journey unless a substitute drive can take over. are now many automatic petrol pumps operated by credit/debit These regulations also apply to private cars tow- cards. Check first that these cards are acceptable. ing a trailer or caravan provided their total weight Accidents and breakdown: place the warning triangle, does not exceed 3.5 tonnes. If it is more than this, the speed which should be carried at all times, 30m behind limits are the same as those for goods vehicles. If the weight of the the vehicle (it must be visible from at least 100m.). trailer/caravan exceeds that of the kerbside weight of the car the speed If, in the case of an accident the police are going to be called, limits are as follows: and they must be in the event of bodily injury or substantial if the excess is less than 30% - 65kph damage, leave the vehicle in the place where it came to rest. If it if the excess is more than 30% - 45kph must be moved because of traffic obstruction, mark the position In these cases, a disc showing maximum speed must be displayed on on the road and get this confirmed by witnesses (‘témoins’). the rear of the caravan/trailer. They may not be driven in the fast lane A European Accident Declaration Form should be supplied with of a 3-lane motorway. the Green Card and the French driver should have a similar form Seat Belts: must be worn by the driver and all passengers. (‘Constat Amiable’). Complete the report section of either his or your Children under 10 years seated in the rear must be in the appro- carbonized form. Both drivers must sign the report - if you are in any priate fitted restraint system. Children under the age of 10 must way unhappy about the report write ‘sous réserve’ underneath your not travel in the front seat of a vehicle, unless they are in an signature. approved rear-facing fitted seat - but not if car is fitted with A detachable section of the Green Card should be attached to the passenger airbag. copy of the completed Declaration Form and sent to the address Headlights: must be adjusted for driving on the right. It is advisable given on the back of the Green Card. Finally, notify the Insurance to have a complete spare bulb kit as it is illegal to drive with faulty Company in writing, without delay. lights and you must be able to replace a bulb if requested to do so Fines: French police are empowered to levy ‘on-the-spot’ by a policeman. Dipped headlights should be used when driving fines for certain driving offences and must issue receipts. through tunnels and in poor visibility. Motorcycle headlights (dipped) Traffic lights: are often high above the road and very easily must be used during the day. missed. They go from red to green without passing through amber. Drinking and Driving: Police can carry out random breath tests Flashing yellow arrows mean proceed in the direction indicated but and severe ‘on the spot’ fines can be imposed. Saliva drug tests priority must given to pedestrians and the traffic flow being joined. are now used to detect drivers under the influence of drugs Parking: most towns have a ‘zone bleu’ within the limits of which a and again severe penalties are imposed. blue disc must be displayed (not required on Sundays and public Priority: is from the right (‘priorité à droite’). Unless it is stated holidays) obtainable from police stations, tourist offices and some specifically to the contrary, all traffic entering from the right has right shops. They permit parking for up to one and a half hours. Many of way. Outside built-up areas all main roads of any significance have towns also have parking meters and ‘pay-and-display’ car parks in right of way. the centre. On some streets parking is permitted only on a particular Road signs: tend to point at or across rather than down side or on certain dates. Do not park if the kerbs are marked with the roads they indicate and junctions are often signposted at the yellow paint. Outside towns pull off the road when parking. junction, rather than just before it, as in this country. Directions are It is an offence to park facing traffic, near pedestrian crossings, on normally indicated by the name of the next big town rather than bridges, on corners, private driveways, etc. the road number. When you pass through a town, follow the ‘toutes Strict regulations are in force in Paris and the surrounding directions’ and ‘autres directions’ signs unless your destination is départements of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-St. Denis and Val de Marne signposted separately. ‘Centre ville’ signs lead to the town centre, and ‘poids and parking is forbidden in many streets in the centre. You are not lourds’ signs indicate ring roads for heavy vehicles, which may be a good idea allowed to leave a car parked in the same place for more than 24 when traffic is heavy. ‘Boulevard périphérique’ or ‘route périphérique’ is consecutive hours in Paris. sometimes used to indicate a ring road. Vehicles parked contrary to regulations may be towed away and impounded. 26 27 Motorways/Autoroutes: tolls have to be paid on most balance. A fixed daily hospital charge (‘forfait journalier’) must also stretches of motorway but rates per kilometre vary. Tolls be paid. The 25% balance and the forfait journalier are non-refundable. are also levied on some bridges and through the Mont Blanc Ambulances: usually privately run, often by taxi firms. Nevertheless and Fréjus tunnels depending on the size of vehicle. Most they are fast and reliable. They normally require payment on the credit cards are accepted as payment for tolls. spot or very soon afterwards. Ambulance charges are not Motor Boats/Jet skis: everyone using a motorboat or jet ski with an reclaimable but are covered under a Personal Holiday Insurance engine of 6hp or above in French inland waters must hold either a ‘carte policy. A receipt will be necessary to make a claim. mer’ (for craft up to 2 tonnes) or a ‘permis mer’ (for anything larger). Chemists: for minor ailments it is often simplest to go to a If the vessel is less than 15m in length and not capable of more chemist rather than a doctor and they are also equipped to provide than 11 knots the RYA certificate of competence is sufficient.

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