News, Traffic Information and Road Works

Latest up-date
19 November 2009

If you are visiting the vineyards of France to buy your favourite wines, the notes below will help you avoid traffic problems. If you want to visit some of the 113 vineyards on our lists, then check out the Routes in our member's Premier Pages section.

If you don't want to drive all the way to the vineyard, Winedrive members living in the UK can order great French wine from home at low vineyard prices and have it shipped to Calais, then take a cheap day return from Dover to collect it.

For more detailed information including advice regarding delays, diversions and speed restrictions and for monthly reports from the vineyards, see Premier Pages. Click the Join Now! button above.

Road Reports

The Merry Gendarme
If you are looking forward to your first experience driving in France, you are in for a treat. Once you have fought your way out the ferry port and hit the open road, you will probably find almost nothing - no traffic - just miles of near empty carriageway.

For frustrated UK motorists, the change of pace immediately sets the trend for the French lifestyle. Until you notice an odd phenomenon - a group of cars will appear on the otherwise empty road, at the limit, nose-to-tail. The French just love to drive inches from the car in front.

Then one will dart out, overtake, pull in front and sit there. It has little to do with going fast. It's simply about being first. If you see an accident in France, damage will usually be limited to front and rear ends.

The Gendarmes are on to this and will be cracking down over Christmas, along with speeding, drink driving, lights not working properly, not stopping at 'Halt' signs or just bad driving. They are using helicopters with cameras which can read a number plate from nearly a kilometre away, and don't expect much Christmas cheer if you are caught.

They will be polite and courteous, but you can still expect random breath tests and big fines if over the limit. The car can be immobilised on the spot and the driver taken away until back under the limit. And remember that using the telephone while driving will result in a 90 Euro on-the-spot fine.

Winedrive advice is to stay squeaky clean over Christmas and follow French speed limits to the letter. Remember, the Gendarmes may be merry over the holiday but they don't take prisoners - just your money!

Traffic Hot Spots
Aixe-sur-Vienne Généland / Palinges Perpignan
Ancerville La Chapelle d'Armentiers Plombières-Les-Bain
Anneux La Flamengrie Salome
Béziers Langon Sarry / Moncets / Longevas
Boé Loucelles Sorans les Breurey
Boissy-Saint Léger / Bonneuil sur Marne.   Lussac-les-Château South of Strasbourg
Champigny sue Marne Magny Cours St Claud
Chersonville Marseille St Laurent en Grandvaux
Coix de la Hardt Marville le Moutiers Brulé   Ste.-Soulle
Col des Vaux Verosvres Montalembert Steenvoorde
Denney / Trévenans Moroges Thiéblemont
Frontenay-Rohan-Rohan Morval Vagney
For full details, road numbers and dates, see Premier Pages


Ain Faucille (special equipment obligatory).
Alpes du Hautes Provence Champs.
Alpes-Maritime Lombarde and Restefond la Bonette.
Ariege La Core (special equipment obligatory), and Pailheres.
Cantal Pas de Peyrol.
Drôme Bataille and Tourniol.
Hautes Alpes Agnel, Echelle, Izoard and Noyer.
Haute Garonne All open
Hautes-Pyrennes All open
Haute-Savoie Joux Verte,
Isere All open.
Jura All open.
Puy de Dôme All open.
Pyrenees-Atlantiques Aubisque, Somport (special equipment obligatory), Peyresoudre (special equipment obligatory), Soulor and Tourmalet. Tunnel de Bielsa (special equipment obligatory).
Savoie Cormet de Roseland, Croix de Fer, Galibier, Glandon, Eseran, Madeleine and Petit Saint Bernard.
Vaucluse Des Tempetes.
Vosges All open.


Radar Detectors
Anyone caught with a radar detecting scanner will be banned from driving in France for up to three years and have it confiscated on the spot.

Unless there is another driver in the car, you will be turned round at your port of entry and put back on the boat. If you are stopped anywhere in metropolitan France, you will have to get your motoring organisation to repatriate your car or get someone from England to collect it. Ports and airports are notified if a visiting driver is banned and anyone who continues to drive can expect severe consequences, including a possible prison sentence - LEAVE YOUR SCANNER AT HOME!


Speeding
Speeding fines can increase depending how far you are over limit and you could end up in a French court.
Mobiles
The on-the-spot fine for using your mobile phone while driving is now Euros 137.
Drink Driving
All drink drivers in France now go to court where the penalty will be decided. There is no minimum fine.

See Rules & Regulations in the 'Driving' section at 'Routes and Driving' for more information
Take a Break
Always break long journeys stopping every couple of hours for a 15 minute rest. If the journey takes more than six or seven hours, make an overnight stop. Hotels are very cheap in France and a family of four can stay the night for the equivalent cost of a single B&B in UK.