France Speed Limits for UK Drivers 2026 - All Road Types
Updated 29 March 2026
French speed limits are in km/h, not mph. The limits are lower than the UK in wet weather and there are no bright yellow speed cameras to warn you. Here is the complete breakdown for every road type.
Speed limits at a glance
| Road type | Dry | Rain | Fog (visibility < 50m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorway (autoroute) | 130 km/h | 110 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Dual carriageway with central barrier | 110 km/h | 100 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Single carriageway (outside built-up areas) | 80 km/h | 80 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Built-up areas | 50 km/h | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| City centre zones (where signed) | 30 km/h | 30 km/h | 30 km/h |
Quick km/h to mph conversions
| km/h | mph (approximate) |
|---|---|
| 130 | 81 |
| 110 | 68 |
| 100 | 62 |
| 80 | 50 |
| 50 | 31 |
| 30 | 19 |
Most UK speedometers show both scales. Use the inner ring (km/h) when driving in France.
Wet weather limits — the rule UK drivers forget
When it rains in France, speed limits automatically reduce. There are no signs telling you the new limit — you are expected to know.
- Motorways: 130 → 110 km/h
- Dual carriageways: 110 → 100 km/h
“Rain” means any visible precipitation on your windscreen. If your wipers are on, the reduced limit applies. French police and speed cameras enforce the wet weather limit actively.
Speed cameras in France
Fixed cameras
France has thousands of fixed speed cameras. Unlike the bright yellow Gatso cameras in the UK, French cameras are often:
- Grey or dark-coloured
- Mounted on slim poles or gantries
- Not always preceded by warning signs (although signs are increasingly common)
- Positioned both facing forwards and backwards
Mobile cameras
Unmarked vehicles with speed detection equipment operate on all road types. Some are parked at the roadside, others are driven by police. There is no reliable way to spot them.
Average speed cameras
Tronçons de contrôle (average speed zones) are becoming more common, particularly on motorways and in roadworks. They work the same as UK average speed cameras — measuring your speed over a distance.
Fines
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| Up to 20 km/h over the limit | €68 (reduced to €45 within 15 days) |
| 20–30 km/h over | €135 |
| 30–40 km/h over | €135 + possible licence points |
| 40–50 km/h over | €135 + court summons possible |
| 50+ km/h over | Up to €1,500 + vehicle seizure |
Important: radar detectors are illegal
Radar detectors and speed camera location devices are illegal in France. This includes:
- Dedicated radar detector devices
- Sat nav speed camera alert functions
- Phone apps that show camera locations
Fine: up to €1,500 plus confiscation of the device.
If your sat nav has speed camera alerts, switch them off or enable “danger zone” mode (which warns of general hazard areas without pinpointing cameras). Most TomTom and Garmin devices have a France-compliant mode.
New driver rules
If you passed your driving test within the last 3 years, lower speed limits apply in France:
- Motorways: 110 km/h (instead of 130)
- Dual carriageways: 100 km/h (instead of 110)
- Single carriageways: 80 km/h (same as standard)
This applies regardless of which country you passed your test in. French police can check the issue date on your licence.
Towing speed limits
If towing a caravan or trailer:
- Motorways: 130 km/h (if combined weight under 3,500kg, otherwise 90 km/h)
- Dual carriageways: 110 km/h (or 90 km/h if over 3,500kg)
- Single carriageways: 80 km/h
In practice, most UK caravanners stay well below these limits.
Common mistakes UK drivers make
- Forgetting wet weather limits — the automatic reduction catches people out
- Driving at UK speeds in km/h zones — 70 mph feels normal but is 113 km/h, which is over the 80 km/h limit on most non-motorway roads
- Not spotting cameras — they are not bright yellow
- Ignoring French fines — they escalate and follow you home
- Using speed camera alerts — illegal in France, even on your phone