News, Traffic Information and Road Works

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.

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!

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!