Traffic signs

Wherever you go, traffic signs are generally recognisable even if they look a little different. But there are some you won't know, and some may have slightly different meanings.

Here is a guide to signs that you'll most likely encounter on French roads. A number of signs will be accompanied by supplementary plate to emphasise meaning, or to indicate distance, direction or exceptions.

Priority signs

Crossroads ahead
You must give way to
traffic from the right

Crossroads ahead
You have priority over
traffic from side roads

 Give way

Prepare to give way
150 metres ahead
 

Stop and give way

Prepare to stop
150 metres ahead
 

Priority route
You have priority over
traffic from side roads

End of priority route
You must give way to
traffic from the right

Roundabout
Give way to vehicles
coming from your left

 

 

 

 

Warning signs

Bend to the right

Bend to the left

Succession of bends,
first to the right

Succession of bends,
first to the left

Uneven road surface

Speed humps ahead

Road narrows
on both sides

Road narrows
on the right

Road narrows
on the left

Slippery road surface 

Lifting bridge

Level crossing
with barriers

Level crossing
without barriers

Tramway
crossing ahead

Children

Pedestrian
crossing ahead

Other danger

Risk of cattle
on the road

Risk of sheep
on the road

Risk of wildlife
on the road

Risk of mounted horses
on the road

Steep descent

Traffic signals

Two way traffic

Risk of falling rocks

Quayside or river bank

Cyclists crossing

Risk of low flying aircraft

Dangerous crosswinds

Temporary warning signs

Ueven road surface

Road narrows
on both sides

Slippery road surface

Roadworks

Other danger

Temporary traffic signals

 Loose chippings

 Queues likely

Accident

Fog or drifting smoke

 Temporary traffic
conditions

 Road closed



   

Contraflow
(with traffic restriction)

Temporary lane
restrictions

Temporary lane merge

Diversion

Diversion ahead

Temporary deviation

Prohibition signs

No vehicles permitted

No entry

No left turn

No right turn

No u-turns

No overtaking

No overtaking by
goods vehicles

Stop - customs post

Stop - gendarmerie

Stop - police

Stop - toll booth

No parking

No parking
1st - 15th of the month

No parking
16th - 31st of the month

No stopping

No motor vehicles
except mopeds

No motor vehicles

No goods vehicles

No pedestrians

No cyclists

No horse-drawn vehicles

No agricultural vehicles

No handcarts

No buses

No mopeds

No motorcycles

No caravans

Maximum permitted
length

Maximum permitted
width

Maximum permitted
height

Maximum permitted
weight

Maximum permitted
axle weight

Maximum speed limit

Give way to
oncoming vehicles

Use of horns prohibited

Minimum permitted
distance between vehicles

No vehicles carrying
explosives

No vehicles carrying
water pollutants

No vehicles carrying
dangerous loads

No vehicles permitted
with exception shown

End of all restrictions

End of lower speed limit

 

End of no overtaking
restriction

End of no overtaking by
goods vehicles restriction

End of no use of horns
prohibition

Start of restricted
parking zone

Start of restricted
parking zone

Start of maximum
speed zone

   

Start of restricted
traffic zone

End of restricted
parking zone

End of maximum
speed zone

End of restricted
traffic zone

 

Mandatory signs

Turn right

Turn left

Keep right

Keep left

Ahead only

Turn right ahead

Turn left ahead

Turn right or
continue ahead

Turn left or
continue ahead

Turn left or right

Cycle lane

Pedestrians only

Bridleway

Minimum speed limit

Use of snow chains
mandatory

Bus lane

Tram lane

Other mandatory
instruction

End of cycle lane 

End of pedestrian route

End of bridleway

End of minimum
speed limit

End of mandatory
use of snow chains

End of bus lane

   

End of other restriction

Keep left

Keep right



Information signs

Parking

Disc parking zone

Meter parking zone

Risk of wild fires

Advsiory speed limit

End of advisory
speed limit

Taxi rank

Bus stop

Emergency layby

Carpool station

One way street

No through road

No through road
on side street

No through road
except for pedestrians

No through road except
cyclists and pedestrians

Road use restrictions

Priority over oncoming
vehicles

Pedesrian crossing

 

Tram crossing

Restricted caravan
parking

Use of overtaking lane
forbidden by vehicles
indicated

Number of lanes
available to traffic

Contra-flow cycle lane

Contra-flow bus lane

Left lane leaves onto
slip road

Right lane leaves onto
slip road

Side road warning

Contra-flow cycle lane

Escape lane

Speed hump

Lane merge

Overtaking lane

Overtaking lane
in opposing direction

End of overtaking lane

Pavement parking
permitted

Start of variable
speed limit

End of variable
speed limit

Start of expressway

End of expressway

Tunnel

End of tunnel

Cycle route

End of cycle route

Pedestrian and cycle route

End of pedestrian and
cycle route

Start of motorway

End of motoway

Start of home zone

End of home zone

Pedestrian area

End of pedestrian area

Prohibited vehicles must
travel in direction shown

Start of reserved lane
Multi-occupant or low emission vehicles only

End of reserved lane

     

Start of built up area
Speed limit 50 km/h unless otherwise signed

End of built up area
Speed limit 80 km/h unless otherwise signed

Hamlet
Speed limit does not change unless signed

Toll booth

   



Direction signs
   

Direction sign for  large.
and local destinations

Direction sign
with distances

Direction sign with town
reached by motorway

Local direction sign

Direction sign
for prohibited traffic

Direction sign
for a small settlement

Upcoming exit on a
non-motorway route

Upcoming exit on a
non-motorway route

Upcoming exit
on a motorway

Distance to next exit
with junction number

Distance to next exit on
a non-motorway route

Distance to a
motorway interchange

Overhead sign for a
numbered exit

Overhead sign for an
exit with lane drop

Overhead sign for an
exit with slip road

Overhead sign for
lanes continuing ahead

Overhead sign for
lanes leaving motorway

Advanced direction sign

Advanced direction sign

Advanced direction sign

Advanced direction sign

Distance to next junction

Distance to next junction
with a lane drop

Distance to
motorway interchange



Distance to interchange
with a lane drop

Route confirmation signs

Distance to next junction with places served

Distance to interchange
with places served

Distance to motorway
interchange

Distance to numbered
junction







Distance to motorway interchange

Junctions that can be used for a destination

Itineraire de substitution
Notification of an alternative route

Route bis
Alternative long distance route to avoid congestion

End of alternative route

Peripherique / Rocade
Ring road





Cyclist signs

Start of cycle route

Start of cycle route
with name

Cycle route in direction
shown

Cycle route in direction
shown

Cycle route in direction
shown

Junction ahead showing
destinations for cyclists

         

Junction with cycle route
ahead in direction shown

Cyclists permitted to pass red signal in direction shown