Paris Car Rental Guide
On this page, you can find information about and hints for car rental in Paris. The page also gives a short overview of the traffic regulations as well as other important facts that you should pay attention to when visiting Paris or renting a car there.
Car Rental Tips
Driving restrictions
The minimum age of a driver is 18 years. Children starting at age 10 are allowed to sit in the front seat. Those younger than 10 must be seated in the rear, seatbelted or in a child seat.
The use of seatbelts is compulsory for all passengers. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.5‰.
A flashing red traffic light means “Do not enter”; flashing amber means “Caution”; flashing yellow arrows mean “Yield”.
Vehicles parked in poorly lit places must have their parking lights on. Horns may only be used in cases of extreme danger.
If a driver wants to pass you, they usually indicate this by flashing their lights behind you.
A section of road where passing is allowed is shown by broken centre lines. If there are three or five lanes, the middle one should be for passing by traffic going both directions. A double-thick white line is used for designating the compulsory slow lane.
Speed limits:| Area | Limit |
| Expressways | 130-unlimited KM/H |
| Outside the City | 90 or 110 KM/H |
| In the City | 50 KM/H |
| Paris Beltway | 80 KM/H |
Emergency numbers
Police/Ambulance Service: 17
Fire Service: 18
Road Tolls
In France, the majority of motorways (autoroutes des peages) have tolls. Tickets are issued when entering the motorway and can be paid for with any major credit card. The payments vary by vehicle type and are calculated according to the distance you are travelling. Trunk roads (routes nationales) have no tolls.
Some useful expressions for tourists travelling in France
Car – voiture
Car rental – loyer de voiture
About Paris
Paris is a city demanding to be seen in all its respects. It offers much to the pleasure of the eye – walk on the famous Champs-Elysee or drive through the whole city, enjoying its numerous sights. Visit the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum – you will find romance everywhere. To say nothing of the banks of the Seine. Paris also offers you a possibility to take your delight in the local cuisine and savour its famous cheese, chocolate, wine and seafood.
Area: 105 sq km
Population: ~ 9.7 million
Country: France
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Telephone Area Code: 01
Monetary unit: Euro
