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 shocked 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 must find out about these site visitors tickets in France and find out how to pay them.

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

1. How You’ll Be Notified About Your French Dashing 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.  Once you get house you’ll get 2 letters:

(a) Automotive Rental Company

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

(b) Authorities Company

They are going to ship you the official discover indicating the place you have been rushing and by how a lot. It can additionally point out the price of the fantastic, relying on once 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 site visitors tickets.

2. Suggestions For Avoiding French Dashing 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Within the outdated days, driving in France was a free-for-all.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 picture radar in every single place. I believe probably the most infamous places for velocity cameras are the roads main into small cities. Impulsively the velocity restrict drops to 30 km/hour and there aren’t at all times velocity bumps to gradual you down. The minute you see the signal, be on alert! It’s very simple to get a rushing ticket in France.

Be aware: I’m NOT a speedster or velocity demon! I’m (normally) a cautious driver; nonetheless, in France, they provides you with 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

Immediately I exploit both my Garmin GPS or the GPS on my smartphone’s Google Maps/Waze app as a result of they may normally (however not at all times) point out the velocity restrict. Throughout my final journey, nonetheless, I did discover that the restrict was totally different on the GPS versus what the indicators stated. So after all I went with what the signal stated. The GPS will usually provide you with a warning in case you are over the restrict, so preserve your eye on this notification (and the street).

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

Sure, I had my fill of site visitors violations in France throughout that journey! I additionally obtained a parking ticket. I noticed a giant lot however didn’t fastidiously search for the cost 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 Dashing 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: fantastic. In French it’s “une amende”. This implies a fantastic.

Each said the next, “Site visitors fantastic…..administrative cost”. What this implies is that when you have an infraction the French Inside Ministry requests the driving force/renter data from the rental automotive firm in order that they’ll ship the driving force (me) a violation discover by mail of what I did mistaken. It’s known as an Avis de Contravention.

(b) French Dashing Tickets Acquired Within the Mail

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

The site visitors fines have 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 fantastic for rushing in France? These have been the charges from just a few years in the past they usually have gone up. There are three varieties of penalties:

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

(c) Paying French Dashing Fines

The nice (?) information is that there’s an English web site that makes it simple 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: Dashing Fines In 2023

• In case you’re on a street restricted to 50km/hour, and also you’re rushing as much as 20 km/hour, the fantastic begins at €135.
• In case you’re on a street the place the velocity restrict is over 50 km/hour, and also you’re rushing as much as 20 km/hour, the fantastic begins at €68.
• Dashing between 20-50 km/hour over the restrict? The fantastic begins at €135. And when you’re rushing over 50km/hour? €1500.

5. My French Parking Ticket

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

I needed to get assist from the bike store to grasp find out how to pay the €17 fantastic. Right here’s what I discovered:

• I might pay by cheque. That didn’t work for me. I stay in Canada and didn’t have a French chequing account.
• I might 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 happily, 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 fantastic on-line; nonetheless, if it’s a small city, you won’t have this feature.

Try these posts for extra journey recommendation associated to driving and renting vehicles:

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