France Travel Information for Motorcycle & Offroad Tours

In France, the season is mainly a matter of altitude. In the lowlands, along the coast and in the low mountain ranges, roads stay open year-round; here the weather only affects riding comfort, not whether the road is passable. May to September is the most pleasant period, while winter brings cold and wet weather but no closures.

It's different in the Alps and Pyrenees: the high passes such as Col du Galibier, Col de l'Iseran, Col de la Bonette or Col du Tourmalet are officially closed in winter and only cleared once the snow allows it. The official closure periods usually run from October/November to May/June, but the actual clearing date depends on that year's snowfall and can vary by several weeks.

Even outside the winter closure, cold, fog and sudden snowfall can be expected at altitudes above 2,000m at any time of year, even in high summer. In July and August, motorcycles also share the big passes with large numbers of road cyclists.

France is a member of the EU and the Schengen Area. For citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, a valid national ID card is enough; a passport is not required. There is no visa and no limit on the length of stay, since freedom of movement applies within the EU.

Travellers from non-EU countries (such as the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom or Australia) need a valid passport. For most of these countries, tourist entry is visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period (the Schengen rule); citizens of some countries need to apply for a visa in advance. On entry, the passport should still be valid for at least three months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area.

Within the Schengen Area, there are usually no systematic identity checks at the French border. A valid ID document should still always be carried, along with vehicle papers and proof of insurance, in case of a random spot check.

A longer stay of more than 90 days is only possible for non-EU citizens with a visa long séjour, which must be applied for in advance at the French consulate in the home country.

France is a member of the EU and the Schengen Area, so entering with an EU-registered motorcycle is about as simple as it gets: no Carnet de Passages, no customs declaration, no time limit on the import. The vehicle registration document (Teil I) and valid proof of insurance are enough. Since an EU number plate is automatically considered insured within the EU, a Green Card is not strictly necessary for EU-registered vehicles, though it does no harm to carry one as evidence in case of an accident.

For motorcycles with a non-EU number plate (such as Switzerland or the United Kingdom), it is still advisable to carry the Green Card, even though it is rarely checked at the border.

More important than entry itself is the equipment requirement: since 2013, riders and pillion passengers on motorcycles over 125cc, and on motor tricycles over 15kW, must wear reflective clothing with at least 150cm² of reflective surface; jackets or vests with built-in reflective strips are the usual choice. CE-certified gloves are also mandatory for both rider and pillion. Both are checked during traffic stops, and the fine is around 68 euros per missing item.

Anyone riding through Paris, Lyon or another city with more than 150,000 inhabitants has generally needed a Crit'Air sticker for the low-emission zone (ZFE) since January 2025, motorcycles included. Some cities, such as Reims, exempt motorcycles, and the rule is also politically contested and may change. The sticker costs only a few euros, is valid for the lifetime of the vehicle, and should be ordered before the trip via the official French website; allow some lead time.

An EU category A card licence is sufficient for France; an international driving permit is not needed for EU citizens. Non-EU citizens should check before travelling whether their licence is recognised directly in France or whether an international driving permit is also required, which depends on the issuing country.

Checks by the police or gendarmerie are common on country roads and at motorway rest stops, and are usually low-key. You will be asked for your licence, vehicle registration document and proof of insurance. For a rented or borrowed motorcycle, a written confirmation from the registered owner is advisable, even though it is not strictly required within the EU.

France's road network is one of the best maintained and most densely signposted in Europe. Motorways (autoroutes) are mostly tolled, charged via barriers at toll stations (péage). On some sections (A13, A14, A79, plus parts of the A4, A10 and A837), tolling now runs as a free-flow system: a camera reads the number plate, and payment must be made online within 72 hours or an extra fee applies. As a free alternative, so-called Routes Nationales (RN) or Départementales (D) run alongside most motorways, often the more scenic and slower choice for motorcyclists.

Speed limits: 50km/h in built-up areas, 80km/h outside them (some départements have again allowed 90km/h on selected country roads since 2020, watch the signage), 110km/h on expressways, 130km/h on motorways, all reduced by 20km/h in the rain. Newly licensed riders with less than two years' experience must ride 20km/h below the posted limit at all times.

The major pass roads of the Alps (Route des Grandes Alpes) and the Pyrenees are fully paved and technically unproblematic, but closed seasonally. The exact clearing dates depend on snowfall and can differ from the official closure periods by several weeks; current closures are listed on the relevant département websites. In high summer, motorcycles share the passes with large numbers of road cyclists, especially in July.

A well-known off-road route is the Col du Parpaillon in the Hautes-Alpes, with its unlit tunnel at 2,637m. Following a rockfall, the pass road has been closed since 2023/2024 and has not yet reopened; older guidebooks and maps are out of date here.

France has a very dense network of fuel stations, even away from the motorways. On offer are SP95 (unleaded, often as E10 with 10% bioethanol), SP98 (premium, available in every larger town) and gazole (diesel). Adventure bikes with older fuel-injection systems should check beforehand whether they tolerate E10, and use SP98 if not. Premium fuel currently costs around 2.00 euros per litre (as of August 2026), with noticeable price fluctuation.

Outside opening hours, and on motorways, many stations run as automatic 24-hour pumps that only accept chip-and-PIN credit cards. Cards without a chip, or that only support a signature, are rejected by many of these machines, and a hold amount is often pre-authorised as well. Cash remains the norm at staffed stations.

France is considered a safe country for travellers overall; the same everyday caution that applies in any big city is generally enough, watch for pickpocketing, particularly around train stations and popular tourist sights. Political demonstrations and strikes (grèves) can block roads, toll stations or ferries at short notice and with little warning, so it is worth checking the current situation before setting off on a multi-day stage.

On country roads, speed is closely and consistently monitored through a dense network of fixed and mobile speed cameras, and fines are issued and sent on to foreign vehicle owners just as they are to French ones. On winding pass roads and in wooded, rural areas, be prepared for wildlife suddenly crossing the road, a risk that rises sharply around dusk and dawn.

No vaccinations are mandatory for France. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can be treated within the French healthcare system using the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), printed on the back of their statutory health insurance card. It does not, however, cover repatriation or treatment in private clinics.

The healthcare system is well developed, and emergency departments (urgences) exist in almost every larger town, even away from major cities. In the Alps and Pyrenees, however, the nearest clinic can still mean a long journey after a fall on a remote pass road.

France uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including at toll stations and most fuel stations. Unmanned night-time fuel stations only accept chip-and-PIN credit cards; a plain debit card without credit-card functionality is often rejected there. In small mountain villages and at some mountain huts (refuges) along the pass roads, cash is still worth carrying.

France is part of the EU roaming zone: with a SIM card from an EU or EEA country, roam-like-at-home rules apply, so there are no extra costs and your own data allowance is simply used as normal. Travellers from outside the EU should get a local SIM (Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Free) or an eSIM before departure; these are easy to find in towns and at train stations.

Network coverage is very good along the motorways and in towns. In the high valleys of the Alps and Pyrenees, and directly on the passes, coverage can be patchy, so offline map sections are worth having for pass stages.

The official language is French; English is mainly spoken in tourist regions and larger towns. A few words of French, above all a friendly bonjour when entering a shop, are noticeably well received.

Late July and early August is peak holiday season for the French themselves (chassé-croisé): on the weekends around 1 August, motorways heading south and to the coast are heavily overloaded, and the Bison Futé traffic service rates these days red or black. If you can, avoid the major routes on these weekends.

Restaurants usually serve only at fixed times, lunch roughly 12pm to 2pm and dinner from 7pm, with the kitchen closed in between in many places. In small towns, shops close on Sundays and often on Mondays too.