Just 26km to the northeast of Paris, join the well-signposted and impeccably maintained A1 Motorway to reach La Ville Lumière (so nicknamed because it was one of Europe’s first cities to adopt street lighting) in under 50 minutes. The piercing Eiffel Tower, celebratory Arc de Triomphe and imposing turrets of Notre Dame Cathedral dominate the city’s striking skyline.

The capital’s roots can be traced back to 250 BC, when the Celtic Parisii tribe settled on the Île de la Cité, one of the islands in the Seine. The city went on to birth Gothic architecture, and was the throne of the Enlightenment’s intellectual boom in the 18th century. It was in the 19th-century Napoleonic era that many of Paris’ signature monuments and boulevards were established.

A hub of world-famous museums and galleries—ranging from the 18th-century Musée du Louvre and Musée d'Orsay to the modernist Centre Georges Pompidou—Paris is not short on culture. Among its 20 arrondissements—of which bohemian Montmartre and the brainy Quartier Latin are popular stop-offs—Paris is revered for its chic fashion, romantic architecture and, of course, incredible food. Indulge in the lofty designer boutiques sprinkled along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, chased with a meal at one of the French capital’s more than 70 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Interested in exploring more historic architecture? Half an hour from Charles de Gaulle Airport, skirting Paris’ periphery, the medieval Basilique Cathédral de Saint-Denis is one of the oldest examples of Gothic architecture, completed in 1144. Further-flung sights include the grandiose Palace of Versailles and the tranquil town of Giverny, whose gardens were Claude Monet’s muse.

Leave behind the bright lights of the city and voyage into the charming Oise-Pays de France. The park offers around 150,000 acres of verdant hiking turf. Oenophiles will appreciate the rolling vineyards of Champagne an hour’s drive from the capital.

A multitude of stunning north French communes, coastal villages and mountainous regions are within striking distance when you hire a car with Avis from Charles de Gaulle Airport. Don’t miss Normandy’s cobble-paved capital Rouen or harbourside Le Havre.

Which side of the road?
In France, please drive on the right side of the road.

Country driving laws

• Mobile phones may only be used with a hands-free device. Do not use headphones or earpieces
• Bus lanes are reserved exclusively for buses, taxis and bicycles

• In towns and rural areas, on minor roads and where there is no clear indication of right of way, it may be prudent to give way to traffic coming from the right (“priorité a droite”)
• It is recommended that drivers use dipped headlights at all times

Speed limits

All speed signs will be in km/h.

For a standard Avis rental vehicle with no trailer:

• Urban areas: 50 km/h (31 mph)
• 4-lane expressways (rural areas): 110 km/h (68 mph)

• Rural areas: 80 km/h (50 mph)
• Motorways: 130 km/h (80 mph)

Unless indicated by road signs.

Be aware of changes to speed limits displayed on road signs due to adverse weather conditions

Child safety / Seatbelt laws

• It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt
• Children weighing up to 9 kg must travel in a rear-facing car seat, in the back of the car only

• Children aged under 10 and weighing less than 36kg must be seated in appropriate child restraint

Please note - It is the child’s parent / guardian or vehicle renter’s responsibility to fit the child seat.

This road rules information is for provided for general guidance only. We endeavour to keep the information up to date and accurate, but any reliance you place on this information is at your own risk.