Breakdown Guides

Breakdown cover in France

By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

You don’t want to break down in a foreign country where you can’t speak the lingo - which is why breakdown cover is even more important when you're travelling abroad. (updated (28/6/10)

Green Flag Euro Plus - 90 days European Cover
	Long distance recovery; Green Flag will take you and your vehicle home or to a preferred location. No call out charges. Green Flag offer 24 hours roadside assistance, 365 days a year.	More info

As well as the risk of breaking down while on the road, you also need to be aware of the different road rules that apply when driving in France.

Breakdown cover

Most UK breakdown companies will allow you to add European insurance to your policy, for a one-off extra cost.

If you already have a top of the range policy, you should check whether or not you're already covered if you want to take your car into Europe.

But even breakdown and rescue services are a little different when you go abroad.

For example, most French motorways are privately managed and won’t allow a breakdown company to assist you.

If you do break down on a French motorway you should call one of the following emergency numbers instead:

• Press the button on an emergency phone and the French police will send assistance
• Dial 17 from a public phone
• Dial 112 from your mobile phone.

Once you have been towed from the motorway you will be able to call your breakdown company who will provide further assistance.

If you break down in France

By law, you must travel with a warning triangle and a fluorescent high visibility vest in France. Take the following steps before you call your breakdown company:

• Stop your car in a safe place, away from traffic if possible
• Put on your high visibility jacket
• Put up your warning triangle - 30 meters behind your car on a French road or 100 meters on a French motorway
• Move yourself and all passengers away from traffic.

If you have an accident in France

If you have a road traffic accident in France you will need to speak to your insurance company before arranging recovery - only they can issue instructions for the recovery and repair of your car.

French driving laws

Before you even set out on the road in France you need to make sure that you've familiarised yourself with the French driving laws.

For example, the use - or even just the possession - of devices that can detect police radar, such as some sat nav systems, is illegal in most European countries. Penalties can include a fine of up to €1,500, a driving ban, and even imprisonment.

Other laws to be aware of include:

• Children under the age of 10 cannot travel in the front seats, unless there are no rear seats or the rear seats are already occupied with children under 10 or there are no seat belts
• Holders of EU driving licenses exceeding the speed limit by more than 40km/h will have their licenses confiscated on the spot
• It is prohibited to use your horn in built up areas, except in cases of immediate danger
• The use of dipped headlights on motorcycles is compulsory during the day.

Before you set off you should make sure that you have read the full list of laws, rules and regulations that govern French roads.

Getting the best deal on breakdown cover in France

The first thing that you should do is double check that your existing policy doesn’t already cover you for travel abroad. Some policies will give you a set number of days’ European cover - but you might have to pay more if you want to drive in France for longer.

If you're not already covered, compare breakdown cover to make sure that you're getting the best deal.

Make sure that your chosen provider offers a 24-hour emergency number as well as offering some sort of translation service to help you communicate with the local garage towing or repairing your car.

Green Flag Euro Plus - 90 days European Cover
	Long distance recovery; Green Flag will take you and your vehicle home or to a preferred location. No call out charges. Green Flag offer 24 hours roadside assistance, 365 days a year.	More info