Winter Tyres France- Are you Breaking the Legislation?

Planning a winter street journey to France with a automobile, motorhome, campervan or caravan? Involved in regards to the French winter tyre legislation and when you comply? Right here’s every little thing you have to know.

Don’t neglect to seize your FREE France street journey guidelines beneath that will help you keep organised.

*We work laborious to make this the most effective motorhome journey weblog and street journey web site attainable, filled with useful content material for you. The web site is supported by our readers, so when you purchase by way of hyperlinks on this web site we could earn a commission- at no additional value to you. All opinions stay our personal.

In case you discover this put up helpful, you’ll be able to additionally deal with us to a espresso – we promise to get pleasure from it whereas creating extra helpful content material like this- we’d even take pleasure in a biscuit (or two!)

The France winter obligatory gear legislation (usually name the French tyre legislation)

Since 01 November 2021, it has been a authorized requirement in lots of areas in France to both:

• have correct winter tyres fitted to your car or
• to hold and put on snow chains or snow socks the place directed.

The dates for this are between 01 November and 31 March annually, no matter climate circumstances.

Nevertheless, it’s a Mountain Legislation (Loi Montagn) and solely applies in 48 departments positioned in or close to the French mountains (Alps, Massif Central, Massif Jurassien, Pyrenees, Massif Vosges)- so when you’re staying within the north of France in locations like Brittany or Bordeaux, you don’t want to fret about complying with the legislation, because it doesn’t have an effect on these areas.

Yow will discover a map beneath which exhibits the areas.

What’s the level of the French winter tyre legislation?

The French needed to “scale back street congestion in mountainous areas and enhance street security” when driving on snowy or icy roads.

Every year, unequipped automobiles block roads and trigger accidents on their winter street journeys and so they wish to scale back these.

Earlier than 01 November 2021, you solely wanted winter tyres/ chains when roads marked « B26 necessary particular gear » had been really coated with snow.

Now, you’ll want tyres fitted or to hold chains/ socks when you’re winter motorhoming and planning to drive down an affected street, no matter present climate circumstances.

The place are the affected areas?

The affected departments embody:

Ain, Allier, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Ardèche, Ariège, Aude, Aveyron, Cantal, Corrèze, Côte-d’Or, Creuse, Doubs, Drôme, Gard, Haute-Garonne, Hérault, l’Isère, Jura, Loire, Haute-Loire, Lot, Lozère, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Moselle, la Nièvre, Puy-de-Dôme, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Orientales, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Rhône, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, la Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Var, Vaucluse, Haute-Vienne, Vosges, l’Yonne, and Territoire de Belfort.

Nevertheless, it’s doesn’t essentially imply each street in each division is covered- the native council and prefecture decide which roads and areas are affected.

This map is taken from the French Connexion web site and exhibits all of the departments the place not less than one street is included within the legislation.

How have you learnt which roads are affected in France?

Indicators will let you know while you’re about to enter a winter obligatory gear space. The dates which you could adjust to are 01 November and 31 March every year- you’ll be able to ignore the indicators at different occasions.

One signal exhibits you the place the obligatory space begins, and one the place it finishes:

What do you have to adjust to the France winter legislation?

If driving or motorhoming in France one on of the necessary roads in one of many affected areas between 01 November and 31 March annually, these are the foundations you could adjust to:

• all 4+ wheeled automobiles with out a trailer should have winter or 4-season tyres fitted and/or have non-slip snow chains or ‘socks’ mounted on the car (or at minimal current within the car)
• Heavy automobiles with out a trailer can select between winter tyres or chains.
• If in case you have a trailer, you could have winter tyres fitted AND snow chains fitted on two driving wheels

Winter Tyres France- what’s wanted?

Winter tyres have particular markings on them.

Till November 1, 2024, tyres solely marked “M + S” can be tolerated.

On and after 01 November 2024, tyres will should be marked with “3PMSF” (3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake) and one of many “ M+” markings. S ” , “ MS ” or “ M&S ” 

Winter tyres have to be mounted on not less than two steered wheels and not less than two driving wheels. If the car has a number of steered axles, these are the steered wheels of the principle steering system

4-season/ all season tyres are legitimate so long as they’re stamped “3PMSF” (or not less than “M + S” till November 2024)

Learn the official wording right here.

In case you don’t have winter tyres fitted, you could:

• carry snow chains or socks for not less than two driving wheels

OR

If you’re a heavy car or have a trailer

Heavy automobiles with out trailers (I’d recommend a motorhome over 3.5 tonnes counts as a heavy car) can select between chains or winter tyres.

Heavy items automobiles with trailers can be required to hold snow chains for not less than two driving wheels, even when they’re outfitted with winter tyres.

RELATED POST: The best way to plan a winter motorhome journey & stay in a van throughout winter

Are snow socks allowed in France?

Snow socks are undeniably cheaper, simpler to suit and use, to not point out higher in your motorhome payload! And sure, they’re allowed underneath the French winter legislation.

Nevertheless, they aren’t as sturdy as chains and are designed for brief journeys, not numerous journey in snow, so when you’re planning on doing an extended journey or a number of brief ones, get chains.

No matter you select, be sure to follow becoming them in advance- we by accident order the flawed measurement chains and didn’t realise till we had been within the mountains. Fortunately, it was all high-quality however might have been an enormous mistake.

Does the legislation apply to bikes?

The legislation solely applies to 4 wheeled automobiles, so it appears bikes are exempt (however, actually, do you wish to experience a motorbike in snowy circumstances with out correct tyres??!)

Is it legislation to have winter tyres in France?

In a phrase, no. In case you carry chains or snow socks, you’re coated when it comes to the legislation. However when you’re planning to take a motorhome snowboarding or journey into mountainous areas throughout winter, I like to recommend you get winter or on the very least all-season tyres fitted and carry chains or socks as well as.

Higher secure than sorry!

What if I’m not outfitted correctly?

If you’re wintering down in Spain or ‘popping by way of the Alps’ and drive by way of an space the place winter tyres or snow chains are necessary with out complying with the above, you might be stopped by the authorities and fined €135. You might also not be capable to proceed your journey and the car immobilised.

B26 site visitors signal

The B26 site visitors signal (the one displaying snow chains) will proceed to imply that you could WEAR (not simply carry) chains on these roads when snow is on the bottom, even outdoors the winter interval. These are clearly marked on the roads and there can be an space of chainage so that you can pull in and match chains if wanted.

Sharing is caring!