Rectangular signs (normally with one pointed end) are directional signs, and helpfully they're also colour-coded: Blue = autoroute / motorway. Green = major roads. Yellow = temporary roads - often detours. White = local roads.
A roads (as in A6) are motorways, called autoroutes in France. N roads are national strategic truck routes. D roads are departmental (county) roads. They range from busy local routes and former national routes now downgraded (make sure you have an up-to-date map with the new road numbers) to tiny country lanes.
Stop Signs From Around the World. A bilingual English-French "STOP/ARRET" sign in Quebec, the North American bastion of French language and culture. Curiously, stop signs in France use only the English word "STOP," an artifact of European Union standardization (see earlier slide from Spain).
What does the yellow diamond road sign mean in France? A yellow diamond with a white border means that the 'Priorité à Droite' rule (giving way to traffic from the right) does not apply at the next junction.
Blue with a white diamond, it symbolizes a lane reserved for carpooling, set up to encourage this mode of travel. You'll soon be seeing them everywhere on the Paris ring road.
The City of Paris eventually found it more pertinent to stop replacing it. The Police prefecture also said they will remove these signs to make intervention “from secondary ways” smoother and avoid penalizing residents. Yield to the right remains the general rules, like in traffic circles.
Both signs signify for a driver to stop. But, the word "alto" does not traditionally mean stop in Spanish. Parar is the Spanish verb meaning "to stop." In Spanish, the word alto commonly serves as a descriptive word meaning "high" or "loud." As in, the book is up high on a shelf, or the boy shouted loudly.
There a very few 'free' motorways in the country, although there are a number of dual carriageways and other roads that can take you from the North to the South of the country without visiting a single toll – however, this would take a bit longer. Below is a map of the main toll roads in France.
There is no “right turn on red” in France. A yellow flashing arrow means that you can drive in the arrow's direction, with caution, even though the other lights may be red. Headlights are mandatory when it is raining. On multi-lane roads and highways, slower traffic always stays to the right.
Warning Triangles - You will need to carry 2 x warning triangles when driving in France warning triangle must be placed 50 & 150 metres behind your vehicle to warn approaching traffic if your vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident. Hazard warning lights alone are not sufficient.
Curiously, stop signs in France use only the English word "STOP," an artifact of European Union standardization (see earlier slide from Spain). Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where signs are either English-French bilingual or only in French.
The unofficial shorts-ban is not stylistic, it's cultural. Shorts are not conservative or formal enough for the French. “Parisian women know that they won't be allowed into nicer shops, churches or sophisticated venues while wearing them,” says USA Today travel trips.
Many people who move to France do so without being able to speak any French. Although it might be acceptable for certain professions, most expats will find that their having more fun as they pick up the language. Generally, people develop their language skills out of necessity.
You don't have to be fluent in French (I'm not) but it's important to be polite & follow their customs. Greet people by saying "Bon jour/soir," know how to say basic phrases like "Please" and "Thank You" and don't be loud. A smile and an effort to speak a little French really goes a long way.
Drivers report being puzzled by a new lozenge symbol road sign used to indicate a car-sharing lane reserved for vehicles carrying at least one passenger. The signs were tested in Grenoble and Lyon and are now also in Toulouse and Marseille. They will be multiplying across the country in a four-year trial.
Sometimes the French road numbers can be confusing, especially where you see two or even three road numbers on the same sign. A common one is to get an “A” and an “E” number on the same sign, for example the A18-E402. A18 is the French autoroute number, E402 is the road this becomes heads into another European country.
Explanation: When a diversion route has been put in place, drivers are advised to follow a symbol, which may be a black triangle, square, circle or diamond shape on a yellow background.
