How To Get There - Travelling to France

With so many low cost airlines flying to an increasing number of airports in France from local airports all over the UK, it has never been easier to fly to France .

Below you will find a list of all the UK airports serving France along with a link to the relevant websites and telephone numbers you'll need to book a flight, so no need to go anywhere else!

UK Airports:

Please select an airport from the drop down menu below to view airport details.
 

If you are planning to drive in a foreign country you need to make sure that you are fully aware of the rules of the road. Even if the roads in France are generally less crowded than in the UK, driving on the right hand side demands more vigilance and focus from the driver.

Here are some helpful tips and information to help you plan your drive safely.

Before you hit the road:

• Check the type of cover you have from your insurance company, third-party insurance is compulsory for France, and notify them that you will be travelling abroad
• If you are a member of a breakdown scheme check if they will cover you for France as well, if not it is advisable to set up short term cover for the period you will be away. Companies such as The AA or RAC all offer breakdown assistance in France.
• If you are driving a right hand drive car be sure to check your car's manual to see if your headlamps mark off the area to black out, if they don't it is advisable to convert your headlights with stick on adaptors which are available from Halfords and other such stores 
• Motorways in France have a toll system (Péage), so it is a good idea to have some Euros on you before you start, even though you can usually pay by card you don't want to be caught out.

•  A valid passport as a form of ID
•  A full driving licence
• The original Vehicle Registration Document(V5). If you are not the owner or if your are hiring the vehicle you will need to present a Vehicle on hire Certificate(VE103).
• Insurance documents
• MOT Certificate

• The minimum driving age is 18
• It is illegal to drive using a provisional licence
• Radar detectors are illegal in France and if you are caught with one in the car (even if it is not in use) you could be fined up to €1500 and the device and even your vehicle may be confiscated
• Watch out for speed cameras which are becoming more common as part of a serious crackdown on bad driving. Holders of EU driving licences caught doing 40 km/h or more than the official speed limit will suffer the immediate confiscation of their licence.
• For the first two years after passing your driving test you are obliged to adhere to lower speed limits that also apply in wet weather conditions (see below).

In your car at all time:

• Since July 2008 it is obligatory for every motorist in France to carry a yellow fluorescent jacket (which must be kept in the passenger part of the car and not in the boot), and a warning triangle in the event that you breakdown or stop to assist someone else. These can be purchased in Argos, Halfords or other such stores and are relatively inexpensive.
• It is advisable to carry some spare bulbs, a first aid kit and to display a GB sticker.
• Carry a bit of cash with you at all times in case of an on-the-spot fine or péage

Penalties:

• Police are entitled to collect cash fines on the spot for any driving offence, if you cannot pay you may be escorted to the nearest cash point so be prepared and have some cash available at all times.
• The blood alcohol limit in France is lower than in the UK, at 0.5g/litre (0.8g/litre in the UK), and penalties are severe including fines, confiscation of driving licence and/or imprisonement. 

Hiring a car:

• If you are renting a car make sure that the details on your driving licence are up-to-date -inconsistencies in the information provided, such as the information on your driving licence not matching the details held on other forms, will raise concerns over your identity and rental car companies are unlikely to rent you a vehicle if they cannot confirm your identity.
• Information held on your photo card license and paper counterpart is used to verify entitlement, proof of name and address when hiring a car.