French road signs explained for UK drivers

On this page

1. The signs that matter most
2. Speed limit signs
3. Direction signs
4. Road markings
5. Priority and give way signs
6. Warning signs: red triangles
7. No entry, no overtaking and no parking: red circles
8. Signs you must follow: blue circles
9. Information signs
10. Traffic lights
11. Words on French road signs
12. Zones: 30 km/h, blue zones and low-emission zones
13. FAQs

French road signs follow the same European shapes and colours as British ones, so most will look familiar: red circles give orders, red triangles warn, and blue circles tell you what you must do. What catches British drivers out are the words on the signs, the town name signs that set the speed limit without showing one, and direction signs coloured by type of road. This guide shows the signs you’ll meet most often, drawn and explained, and translates the words you’ll see on them.

The signs that matter most

Signs drawn by us for illustration; the place names are examples.

Speed limit signs

Speed limits are shown in km/h in a red circle, as in the UK. The difference is that France often doesn’t put up a sign for the default limits. The town name sign at the entrance to a town or village starts the 50 km/h limit, and the same name crossed with a red line ends it. Outside towns, you’re on the default limit for that type of road unless a sign shows otherwise. The French government has confirmed that a lower limit outside towns must be shown by a speed limit sign.

Under a speed sign you’ll often see Rappel, meaning “reminder”: it repeats the limit that already applies, often after a junction. See French speed limits for every limit.

Direction signs

Direction signs are colour-coded by the type of road they lead to:

• Blue: autoroutes, which are usually toll roads. Blue signs often show the word Péage (toll).
• Green: main routes to larger towns and cities.
• White: local destinations, such as town centres and villages.
• Brown: tourist and cultural destinations, such as châteaux, rivers and regional landmarks.
• Yellow: temporary signs, such as diversions (Déviation) around roadworks.

Toutes directions (all directions) and Autres directions (other directions) are the signs to follow when your destination isn’t listed. Leaving a town, they usually lead you back to the main roads.

Road markings

Permanent road markings in France are white. Yellow markings are temporary, usually at roadworks, and where you see them, follow the yellow lines rather than the white ones. A solid white line in the centre of the road means no crossing or overtaking, as at home. A broken white line across your lane at a junction means give way.

Priority and give way signs

These tell you who goes first at junctions. They matter more in France than at home, because where there’s no sign, traffic from the right can have priority. Our guide to priorité à droite and roundabouts explains how it works.

• Stop

  Stop

  Come to a complete stop at the line, then give way to traffic on the road you're joining, even if it looks clear.

• Give way

  Cédez le passage

  Give way to traffic on the road you're joining. You only need to stop if something is coming.

• Priority road

  Route prioritaire

  You have priority at the junctions ahead, so traffic from side roads gives way to you.

• End of the priority road

  Fin de route prioritaire

  You no longer have priority. Expect the normal rules, often priority to the right, at the next junctions.

• Priority at the next junction

  Intersection prioritaire

  You have priority at the next junction only. After it, the normal rules apply again.

• Priority to the right ahead

  Priorité à droite

  At the next junction, traffic coming from your right has priority. Slow down and be ready to give way.

• Roundabout ahead

  Carrefour à sens giratoire

  Usually with a plate saying "Vous n'avez pas la priorité": give way to traffic already on the roundabout, coming from your left.

Warning signs: red triangles

As in the UK, a red triangle warns of a hazard ahead. Many come with a plate underneath giving details or a distance.

• Bend to the right

  Virage à droite

  Slow down before the bend. A sign with a left-hand bend means the opposite.

• Slippery road

  Chaussée glissante

  Slow down and leave more space, especially in rain or frost.

• Speed bump

  Ralentisseur

  A speed bump or raised section ahead. Slow right down: many are steep.

• Traffic lights ahead

  Feux tricolores

  Be ready to stop. Flashing amber means take care and follow the normal priority rules.

• Level crossing with barriers

  Passage à niveau avec barrières

  Never stop on the crossing. If the lights flash or the barriers start to move, stop.

• Other danger

  Autres dangers

  A plate underneath says what: for example Verglas fréquent (ice often forms here) or Bouchon (traffic jam).

No entry, no overtaking and no parking: red circles

A red circle tells you what you can’t do. Signs with a grey figure and black diagonal lines mark the end of a restriction.

• No entry

  Sens interdit

  You can't drive into this road from this end. Often seen on one-way streets.

• No vehicles

  Circulation interdite

  Closed to all vehicles in both directions. A plate may list exceptions, such as sauf riverains.

• No overtaking

  Interdiction de dépasser

  Don't overtake other vehicles until the restriction ends.

• No left turn

  Interdiction de tourner à gauche

  You can't turn left at the next junction. A right-pointing arrow means no right turn.

• No U-turns

  Demi-tour interdit

  Don't turn round here.

• No parking

  Stationnement interdit

  You can stop briefly to drop off or pick up, but not park.

• No stopping or parking

  Arrêt et stationnement interdits

  Don't stop here at all, even briefly.

• End of the speed limit

  Fin de limitation de vitesse

  The limit shown no longer applies: go back to the normal limit for the road unless another sign says otherwise.

• End of all restrictions

  Fin de toutes les interdictions

  The restrictions signed earlier, such as no overtaking or a lower speed limit, end here.

Signs you must follow: blue circles

A blue circle tells you what you must do.

• Turn right ahead

  Direction obligatoire

  You must go the way the arrow points.

• Keep right

  Contournement obligatoire

  Pass to the right of the obstacle or traffic island.

• Cycle route

  Piste cyclable obligatoire

  For cyclists only. Don't drive or park on it.

• Snow chains required

  Chaînes à neige obligatoires

  You must fit snow chains on the road ahead. Seen in mountain areas in winter.

Information signs

Square and rectangular signs give information, such as the start of an autoroute or a one-way street.

• Start of an autoroute

  Autoroute

  Autoroute rules apply from here: 130 km/h (110 in rain), and no pedestrians, cyclists or slow vehicles.

• End of the autoroute

  Fin d'autoroute

  Lower limits apply from here, so watch for the next speed sign.

• One-way street

  Sens unique

  Traffic only goes the way of the arrow.

• Dead end

  Impasse

  No way through for vehicles.

• 30 km/h zone

  Zone 30

  The limit is 30 km/h on every street until a sign marks the end of the zone.

• Reserved lane (often car sharing)

  Voie réservée

  Mainly for cars with a minimum number of people, sometimes buses or taxis too. A plate gives the rules and hours.

All signs on this page are our own simplified drawings, to help you recognise the real ones.

Traffic lights

French traffic lights use the same colours as British ones, but two rules catch visitors out:

• Red: stop at the line. Running a red light is a €135 fixed fine and 4 points on a French licence, and many junctions have red-light cameras.
• Steady amber: you must stop, unless the light changes when you’re too close to stop safely (Code de la route, article R412-31). Not stopping is a €35 fine.
• Flashing amber: you don’t have to stop. It warns of a hazard, such as a junction or crossing, and you go on with care, following the normal priority rules, which can mean priority to the right. A flashing amber arrow lets you turn, but you must give way to pedestrians crossing.

Words on French road signs

Zones: 30 km/h, blue zones and low-emission zones

• Zone 30: a sign at the entrance marks an area where the limit is 30 km/h, until the “end of zone” sign.
• Zone bleue: parking is free for a limited time, but you must display a parking disc showing your arrival time.
• Low-emission zones (ZFE): signs mark the edge of the zone, and the rules depend on your Crit’Air sticker. See our Crit’Air sticker guide.

French road signs explained for UK drivers FAQs

What do flashing amber traffic lights mean in France?

Flashing amber warns of a hazard, such as a junction. You don't have to stop, but you must slow down and follow the normal priority rules. A steady amber light means stop, unless you're too close to stop safely.

What does 'Rappel' mean on French road signs?

'Reminder'. It appears under a speed limit sign to repeat the limit that already applies, often after a junction.

What does 'Toutes directions' mean?

'All directions'. Follow it when your destination isn't signed separately; it usually leads you to the main roads out of town.

What does 'Sauf riverains' mean?

'Except residents'. The road is closed to through traffic, with access only for people who live or have business there.

What do the colours of French direction signs mean?

Blue signs lead to autoroutes, usually toll roads. Green signs mark main routes to larger towns and cities. White signs are for local destinations, brown signs point to tourist sights, and yellow signs are temporary, such as diversions.

Where does the speed limit start in a French town?

At the town name sign, even if there's no speed limit sign: the limit is 50 km/h. It ends at the sign with the town's name crossed out with a red line.

What do yellow lines on French roads mean?

Yellow road markings are temporary, usually at roadworks. Where you see them, follow the yellow lines instead of the white ones.

What does 'Péage' mean?

'Toll'. Signs with Péage lead to toll autoroutes or toll booths.

What does 'Cédez le passage' mean?

'Give way'. You must give way to traffic on the road you're joining.

What does a red circle with a white bar mean in France?

No entry. You can't drive into the road from this end, usually because it's one-way the other way.

What does a yellow diamond sign mean in France?

You're on a priority road: traffic from side roads gives way to you at the junctions ahead. The same sign with a black diagonal bar means the priority road ends.

What does a blue circle with a red cross mean in France?

No stopping or parking. A blue circle with a single red diagonal means no parking, but you can stop briefly.