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Road rules and tollsCrit'Air Sticker for a Rental Car in France
France requires a Crit'Air sticker in low-emission zones and pollution episodes. For a car registered abroad it costs 5.11 euros; the usual fine is 68 euros.
Nov 2, 20268 min read
Good to know
- Nearest airport
- Orly Airport (ORY)
- To city centre
- 14 km
- Centre access
- Low-emission zone · Zone à faibles émissions (ZFE)
- Parking in the centre
- Paid zones
- Region
- Île-de-France
- Main roads
- A1, A4, A6, A13, the Boulevard Périphérique and A86 ring roads
- Population
- 2,103,778
- City IATA code
- PAR
- Time zone
- Europe/Paris
- Currency
- EUR
- Driving side
- Right-hand traffic
- Rental offices
- 172
- Rental companies
- 9
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Where to pick up a car in Paris
Rental desks by area, with the distance from the city centre.
Train stations
Offices 50Châtelet - Les Halles
Gare de Lyon
Auber
Paris Gare de l'Est
Paris Gare du Nord
Paris-Bercy - Bourgogne-Pays d'Auvergne
Paris Gare du Nord (RER)
Paris-Saint-Lazare
Pont Cardinet
Rosa Parks
Charles de Gaulle — Étoile
Porte de Clichy
Charles de Gaulle-Étoile
Neuilly - Porte Maillot
Pereire - Levallois
Porte Maillot
Vincennes
Bécon-les-Bruyères
City centre
Offices 2Further from the centre
Offices 120Popincourt
Faubourg du Temple
Faubourg Saint-Jacques
Faubourg Saint-Marcel
Charonne
13e Arrondissement
Pigalle
Croulebarbe
10e Arrondissement
7e Arrondissement
La Villette
Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Belleville
Plaisance
Grenelle
19e Arrondissement
17e Arrondissement
Plaine de Monceau
12e Arrondissement
15e Arrondissement
Vaugirard
Quartier Bruneseau
Pasteur - Zola
Croix de Chavaux
Bécon
Petit Pantin - Les Limites
CNRS - Campus de Villejuif
Centre-Ville
Quatre Chemins
Les Grésillons
Bas-Pays
République - Point-du-Jour
La Plaine Saint-Denis
Les Princes - Marmottan
Flachat
Cité-Jardins
Les Bruyères
Billancourt - Rives de Seine
Esplanade Nord
Les Courtillères
Centre Ville
Gabriel Péri
Le Petit Noisy
République
Faubourg de l'Arche
Silly - Gallieni
Paris by car
Paris is wrapped by a ring boulevard that separates the old arrondissements from everything around them, and the Seine cuts the whole thing in half. Distances in France are still measured from a single marker outside Notre-Dame, and the road network radiates from it.
Driving in Paris
Paris is reached by A1, A4, A6, A13 and the Boulevard Périphérique and A86 ring roads. Paris has a low-emission zone, Zone à faibles émissions (ZFE): check the sticker rules before driving into the centre. Parking in the centre is paid and marked by zone. Driving through the centre is restricted, so most drivers park on the edge.
Arriving by road
The A86 ring road requires a Crit’Air label, and a third, still unfinished beltway called La Francilienne (N104) lies much further out. The Périphérique is probably easier than crossing the centre, whose medieval street layout is confusing and rarely lets drivers slow down to find their bearings. Suburban stations with car parks are the usual alternative to driving in.
From the airport without a car
From Charles de Gaulle Airport, RER line B runs through Gare du Nord and Châtelet-Les Halles into central Paris, with Noctilien buses N140 and N143 covering the night. Orly Airport has Métro line 14, the Orlyval link to Antony for RER line B, and tram line T7 to La Fraternelle for RER line C. Beauvais–Tillé Airport is linked by shuttle to the Métro at Porte Maillot.
Popular searches in Paris
One click to the results with the filter already set.
Day trips from Paris
- Versailles17 km
- Fontainebleau56 km
- Reims130 km
Rules of the road in France
- Speed limits
- 50 / 80 / 130 km/h
- Alcohol limit
- 0.5 ‰
- Motorway tolls
- motorway tolls paid at the barrier
- Must carry
- a reflective vest and a warning triangle
What kind of car do you need?
Typical capacity for the category — the exact model is confirmed by the rental company at booking.
Frequently asked questions
France: which side of the road do they drive on?
On the right. Speed limits are posted at the roadside and differ between towns, open roads and motorways.
Which currency will I be charged in?
Prices are usually set in EUR. The rental company sets both the price and the deposit, and shows them before you book.
Can I drive the car into another country?
Often yes within the EU, but never assume it. Crossing a border has to be allowed by the rental company and usually costs extra, so check the terms before you book.
Is there a low-emission zone in Paris?
Yes. Paris has a low-emission zone covering the centre, and cars have to meet its emission rules to drive in. The zone is called Zone à faibles émissions (ZFE).
Where do I park in the centre of Paris?
Parking in the centre is paid and marked by zone.
What are the speed limits in France?
50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on open roads, 130 km/h on motorways.
Are the motorways tolled?
Motorways charge at the barrier. Payment is by cash, card or an electronic tag.
Where can I pick up a rental car in Paris?
At Châtelet - Les Halles: Sixt. At Gare de Lyon: ADA, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, 2 other companies and an independent office. At Auber: an independent office. At Paris Gare de l'Est: Avis, Hertz and Sixt. At Paris Gare du Nord: Hertz, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and 3 other companies. At Gare Montparnasse: Avis, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and an independent office. At Paris-Bercy - Bourgogne-Pays d'Auvergne: Rent A Car. At Paris Gare du Nord (RER): Enterprise. At Paris-Saint-Lazare: Avis, Budget, Europcar and Sixt. At Pont Cardinet: an independent office. At Rosa Parks: CarGo. At Charles de Gaulle — Étoile: Sixt. At Porte de Clichy: Sixt and an independent office. At Charles de Gaulle-Étoile: Europcar. At Neuilly - Porte Maillot: Hertz. At Pereire - Levallois: 3 independent offices. At Porte Maillot: France Cars and Sixt. At Vincennes: ADA, Rent A Car and Sixt. At Bécon-les-Bruyères: an independent office. In the city centre: Hertz and Sixt. In Popincourt: an independent office. In Faubourg du Temple: ADA and 3 independent offices. In Faubourg Saint-Jacques: ADA. Elsewhere in the city: ADA, Rent A Car, Sixt, Avis, Hertz, 7 other companies and 41 independent offices. More rental desks are at Orly Airport, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Beauvais-Tillé Airport.
Travel guides to read before you book
Road rules and tolls
Road rules and tollsDriving in France: Rules and Requirements for a Rental Car
Driving in France: 130 km/h on motorways, 110 in rain, a 0.5 g/l alcohol limit, a vest and warning triangle in the car, and a licence France accepts.
Nov 2, 20267 min read