BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

I've read in a couple of places recently that France has reduced national speed limits.


I believe that single carriageways will now be 80kph rather than 90kph.


Since I'm heading that way at the beginning of May, does anybody know how this will be shown - have they erected thousands of new signs, or are riders / drivers expected to remember that things have changed ?
I don't remember seeing lots of signs posting the 90kph limit, with everyone expected to slow to 50kph at the town / village sign, then pick up to 90 again at the sign for the town / village limit.


What differences will I see in May ( please don't say a flashing blue light in the mirrors ! ) ??

You should be ok in May as it comes into effect on the 1st July according to the RAC website.
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driv ... in-france/

Ganesh wrote: You should be ok in May as it comes into effect on the 1st July according to the RAC website.
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/speed-limits-in-france/

Thanks for that.


I note that it says "many A and B roads", so not a blanket speed limit then.  That suggests to me that many more speed limit signs will be in place.


That's made me think of another issue - how soon will my Navigator V show the new speed limits ?


Then there's the "clean air" sticker which I will have to research before I drive through France heading for Portugal later in the year .....


I remember my early years of French travel (30 years ago) when driving / riding at speeds closer to 130 mph than kph on the autoroutes was seen as acceptable and there seemed to be very little speed limit enforcement anywhere. I understand the concerns at the number of deaths and serious injuries, but I can't help thinking that there must be solutions other than ever-reducing speed limits.

Clean Air Sticker here.....

  https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

Always avoid France on the way to Spain by taking the ferry to Bilbao/Santander, love France but it's too expensive when just passing through, now they will find a new income stream as well.

blokeonthemove wrote: Always avoid France on the way to Spain by taking the ferry to Bilbao/Santander, love France but it's too expensive when just passing through, now they will find a new income stream as well.

Yes, I've done the Portsmouth-Bilbao crossing but:

1. Portsmouth is a very long way from home
2. The ferry crossing was something like 36 hours
3. I actually like France (if not the new revenue streams - speeding fines, clean air stickers etc.)

We'll be going Newcastle / Amsterdam then down through France avoiding tolls and in some cases the autoroutes.