Crit'Air Sticker for Caravans - What UK Drivers Need to Know
Updated 29 March 2026
The Crit’Air sticker is needed for your tow vehicle only. The caravan itself does not need a sticker. Your tow car’s category determines whether you can enter French ZFE zones — the caravan’s age or type is irrelevant.
Check your Crit'Air category
Which vehicle needs the sticker?
This is the most common question we get from caravanners, and the answer is simple:
- Tow vehicle (car/SUV) — needs a Crit’Air sticker, displayed on its windscreen
- Caravan (trailer) — does not need a sticker
The Crit’Air category is based on the tow vehicle’s fuel type and year of registration. When you enter a ZFE zone, enforcement checks the tow vehicle — either by ANPR camera reading the tow vehicle’s number plate, or by a police officer checking the sticker on the tow vehicle’s windscreen.
What category is your tow vehicle?
Popular UK tow cars and their likely categories:
| Tow vehicle | Fuel | Typical category |
|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Discovery (2017+) | Diesel | Crit’Air 2 |
| Volkswagen Touareg (2018+) | Diesel | Crit’Air 2 |
| Kia Sorento (2015+) | Diesel | Crit’Air 2 |
| Skoda Kodiaq (2017+) | Petrol | Crit’Air 1 |
| Ford Ranger (2016+) | Diesel | Crit’Air 2 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV | Hybrid | Crit’Air 1 |
Use the lookup tool above to check your specific vehicle — enter your tow car’s registration number.
Restrictions that affect caravanners
ZFE zones in practice
Most caravanners are passing through or near French cities, not trying to reach campsites in city centres. The ZFE zones typically cover the urban core — motorway ring roads and bypasses are usually outside the zone.
However, some cities have ZFE boundaries that extend to major approach roads. Check our zone map for the specific cities on your route.
Older diesel tow vehicles
If your tow car is a diesel registered before 2006, it may be Crit’Air 4 or 5 — categories that are increasingly banned from French city centres. If your tow car is pre-1997, it cannot get a sticker at all and is banned from all ZFE zones.
This primarily affects older Land Rover Defenders, Toyota Land Cruisers, and similar long-lived tow vehicles. If yours falls into this category, plan your route to avoid ZFE city centres.
Angles Morts stickers
Separately from Crit’Air, France requires Angles Morts (blind spot) stickers on vehicles over 3,500kg gross weight. This applies to the combination weight of your tow vehicle and caravan.
If your combination exceeds 3,500kg, you need three Angles Morts stickers on the caravan:
- One on the front right side
- One on the front left side
- One on the rear
The stickers must be positioned between 0.9m and 1.5m from the ground. Fine for not displaying them: up to €135.
These are separate from the Crit’Air sticker and can be purchased from motoring shops or online. They do not require an application — they are generic warning stickers.
Campsite access near ZFE cities
Many popular campsites are located just outside ZFE boundaries. If you are staying at a campsite near a major French city:
- Check the campsite’s location relative to the ZFE boundary on our zone map
- Plan your approach route — motorway access roads often bypass the ZFE
- Get a sticker anyway — if you want flexibility to drive into the city for shopping, sightseeing, or emergencies
- Consider public transport — many French city campsites have bus or tram connections into the centre
Planning your route
For a typical UK-to-south-of-France caravan trip via Calais:
- Calais to A26/A1 — no ZFE issues
- Paris area — use the A104 (Francilienne) outer ring road to avoid the Paris ZFE
- Lyon area — the A46 bypass avoids the Lyon ZFE city centre
- A7 to the south — passes near several city ZFEs but the motorway itself is generally outside the zones
- Mediterranean coast — Nice, Marseille, and Montpellier all have ZFE zones in their centres
With a Crit’Air 1 or 2 sticker on your tow vehicle, you can currently enter all active French ZFE zones without restriction.