FrancevsItaly
France and Italy share a land border — here's how their driving rules differ, side by side.
VERIFIED 2026-07-29 & 2026-07-29 · METHODOLOGY| RULE | France | Italy |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 90 km/h |
| Motorway speed limit | 130 km/h | 130 km/h |
| 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 (for driver, if exiting vehicle on a road), Spare bulb kit (recommended) |
| Tolls | Toll booths | Toll booths |
| Headlights | Dipped headlights recommended in poor visibility; not generally mandatory in daylight outside tunnels, though many newer cars run daytime lights by default. | Dipped headlights mandatory on motorways and main roads outside built-up areas at all times, and in all tunnels. |
| 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 or snow chains carried on board are required on many roads roughly mid-November to mid-April, but exact dates and affected roads are set locally by each road authority — check signage on your specific route, especially in the Alps and Apennines. |
| 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 city centers (Milan, Rome, Bologna, and others) have camera-enforced restricted traffic zones (ZTL) or low-emission zones — check local signage before entering. |
| 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 150 cm must use an approved child restraint suited to their size; rear-facing seats must not be used in front of an active airbag. |
| Mobile phone use | Hands-free only; holding a phone is prohibited even while stopped with the engine running. | Hands-free only; holding a phone while driving is prohibited. |
| Currency | EUR | EUR |
| Emergency number | 112 | 112 |