When I mentioned this about a year ago, people were saying that I must be mistaken, and that I'd got the wrong end of the stick.
Well, I'll mention it again. When driving in France you will need a Crit'Air sticker on your windscreen. It doesn't cost much (£3), and it could save you a 180 Euro fine (£155). You'll find all the details online. Saying you didn't know about it is no excuse; you'll be fined!
You send the details of your car, and they send back a sticker outlining the rating of your car's pollution, which you show front/right of your windscreen (mine, above, is No 1; the least polluting). The whole process takes about 10 days, so do it now (and save your £'s).
The new rules apply to Petrol/Diesel cars only, and not Electric.
Seems a crazy rule, designed to catch people out.
ReplyDeleteDesigned to pay for the wine at the Christmas Gendarme's Party.
DeleteThat's good to know, thanks for the warning. xx
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people won't know, and will be caught-out.
DeleteThat's interesting Cro. Does this apply to other European countries I wonder? The dog and I fancy a run up to France, in my Spanish registered car....
ReplyDeleteA few years ago we went to Switzerland to pick up a dog we were adopting and we had to pay 20 euros (not Swiss Francs!) for use of their motorways!
I've only heard of it in France, but if they manage to rake-in plenty of money, I expect all will follow suite.
DeleteAnother way to add to the coffers.
ReplyDeleteThat's what it comes down to; money!
DeleteCro.... from the CritAir site
ReplyDelete"Understanding Crit'Air
The Crit'Air sticker (air quality certificate) classifies vehicles according to their emissions of fine particles and nitrogen oxides.
The Crit'Air sticker is compulsory for driving in low-emission mobility zones (ZFE-m) set up by local authorities, or for driving when the prefect introduces differentiated traffic during pollution episodes."
That currently is Paris & Lyon [inner and outer zones]... plus inner city areas of Nice, Montpellier, Toulouse, Marseilles, Reims, Strasbourg, Rouen, etc.
As far as I understand, any British driver (and French) driving down through France will hit these zones (I always pass through Rouen). It is best to be sure. The stickers cost next to nothing and could save a hefty fine.
DeleteIt is inner Rouen... so if you go past the catherdral and in front of the Mairie [one of the quickest, few traffic-light runs... yes, most certainly!
DeleteBut dawdling from Zeebrugge down to Descartes via the sideroads and byways.... the Bis Paris or Bis Poitiers.... you'll not meet any!
But, what's 3€11cents!