FrancevsGermany
France and Germany share a land border — here's how their driving rules differ, side by side.
VERIFIED 2026-07-29 & 2026-07-29 · METHODOLOGY| RULE | France | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Driving side | Drives on the right | Drives on the right |
| Urban speed limit | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Rural speed limit | 80 km/h | 100 km/h |
| Motorway speed limit | 130 km/h | No general limit |
| Alcohol limit (general) | 0.5‰ | 0.5‰ |
| Alcohol limit (novice) | 0.2‰ | 0.0‰ |
| Mandatory equipment | Warning triangle, Hi-vis vest | Warning triangle, Hi-vis vest, First aid kit |
| Tolls | Toll booths | No general toll |
| Headlights | Dipped headlights recommended in poor visibility; not generally mandatory in daylight outside tunnels, though many newer cars run daytime lights by default. | Not generally mandatory for cars in daylight, but recommended in poor visibility and required in tunnels; motorcycles must run headlights at all times. |
| Winter tires / chains | In designated mountain zones (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges, Jura, Corsica), winter tires or snow chains are required from 1 November to 31 March on routes marked with a specific sign — check signage before entering these areas. | Winter tires (marked with the Alpine/3PMSF symbol) are required whenever roads have snow, ice, slush, or frost — there's no fixed calendar season, the requirement is condition-based ("situative Winterreifenpflicht"). Driving on summer tires in wintry conditions can bring a fine and points. |
| Low-emission / restricted zones | Numerous "Zones à Faibles Émissions" (Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, and others) require a Crit’Air sticker matching the vehicle’s emissions category. | Many cities have an "Umweltzone" (environmental zone) requiring a green Umweltplakette sticker; some cities add separate diesel restrictions. |
| Child seats | Children under 10 years old (or 135 cm) must use an approved child restraint; generally not permitted in the front seat unless an exception applies. | Children under 12 and shorter than 150 cm must use an approved child restraint system. |
| Mobile phone use | Hands-free only; holding a phone is prohibited even while stopped with the engine running. | Holding a phone while driving is prohibited; hands-free use is permitted. |
| Currency | EUR | EUR |
| Emergency number | 112 | 112 |