Learn the most common French road signs to stay safe while driving in France. In this visual list, French road sign pictures are displayed next to their corresponding American road sign with meanings in English.
Compared to the United States, traffic signs in France use symbols rather than words to convey their message. Get familiar with French (and European!) symbols on traffic signs to become a better driver.
Feel free to download a printable version of my American and French road signs pdf file.
In this article
- Interdictions
- French stop sign
- Obligations
- Warnings
- Right-of-way
- Indications
- Freeways
- Radars
- Zones
- End of zone
- Temporary road signs
- French sentences on the road
- French freeway message boards
Disclosure: This site is sponsored by ads and affiliate programs. I may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post.
French road signs – Interdictions
Interdiction road signs in France have a circle shape and their color is usually red and white.
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France
![French road signs - ma French Life (1) French road signs - ma French Life (1)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-do-not-enter.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (2) French road signs - ma French Life (2)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-do-not-enter.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (3) French road signs - ma French Life (3)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-no-bike.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (4) French road signs - ma French Life (4)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-no-bike.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (5) French road signs - ma French Life (5)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-no-peds.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (6) French road signs - ma French Life (6)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-no-peds.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (7) French road signs - ma French Life (7)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-no-parking.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (8) French road signs - ma French Life (8)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-no-parking.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (9) French road signs - ma French Life (9)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-do-not-pass-sign.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (10) French road signs - ma French Life (10)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-speed-limit-30.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (11) French road signs - ma French Life (11)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-do-not-pass.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (12) French road signs - ma French Life (12)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-speed-limit.jpg)
Speed limits in France are displayed in kilometers per hour (km/h) because France uses the metric system. If you’re not familiar with the metric system, read French measurements. You can also directly use my Kilometers to miles converter.
![French road signs - ma French Life (13) French road signs - ma French Life (13)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-speed-limit-city.jpg)
French speed limits
When French speed limit signs are located underneath the entrance sign of a city or a village, the speed limit applies to the whole city or village.
![French road signs - ma French Life (14) French road signs - ma French Life (14)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-no-stop-no-parking.jpg)
- Arrêts et stationnement interdits
- No stopping and no parking until the next intersection.
![French road signs - ma French Life (15) French road signs - ma French Life (15)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-yield-to-front.jpg)
- Cédez le passage à la circulation venant en sens inverse
- Yield to traffic coming the opposite way.
French stop sign
The French Stop sign is almost identical to the American Stop sign.
![French road signs - ma French Life (16) French road signs - ma French Life (16)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-stop.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (17) French road signs - ma French Life (17)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-stop.jpg)
Unlike in the United States, a Stop sign in France is always accompanied by a bold solid white line across the road. At a French Stop sign, your vehicle must come to a total stop (wheels should stop turning) just before the solid white line. The fine for not completely stopping at a stop sign is €135 along with four points withdrawal on your French driver’s license. Failure to come to a total stop at a stop sign is a 4th category traffic violation in France.
Do you wonder why Stop signs in France don’t say Arrêt instead of Stop? French borrowed the word Stop from English and made the verb stopper out of it. If you’re interested in French anglicisms gone wrong, read Misused English words in French.
French road signs – Obligations
Obligation road signs in France have a circle shape but, unlike interdictions, their color is usually blue.
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France
![French road signs - ma French Life (19) French road signs - ma French Life (19)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-right-turn-only.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (20) French road signs - ma French Life (20)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-right-turn-only.png)
![French road signs - ma French Life (21) French road signs - ma French Life (21)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-left-or-through.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (22) French road signs - ma French Life (22)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-right-or-through.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (23) French road signs - ma French Life (23)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-mandatory-right-turn.jpg)
- Obligation de tourner à droite avant le panneau
- Mandatory right turn before the road sign.
![French road signs - ma French Life (24) French road signs - ma French Life (24)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-ped-zone.jpg)
- Entrée d’aire piétonne
- Pedestrian only area entrance.
French road signs – Warnings
Warning road signs in France are easily recognizable by their triangle shape and their red and white color. In the United States, yellow traffic signs are used for warning whereas yellow signs in France are for temporary signs.
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France
![French road signs - ma French Life (26) French road signs - ma French Life (26)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-signal-ahead.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (27) French road signs - ma French Life (27)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-signal-ahead.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (28) French road signs - ma French Life (28)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-upcoming-stop.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (29) French road signs - ma French Life (29)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-upcoming-stop.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (30) French road signs - ma French Life (30)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-yield-sign.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (31) French road signs - ma French Life (31)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-yield-sign.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (32) French road signs - ma French Life (32)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-right-curve-ahead.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (33) French road signs - ma French Life (33)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-right-curve-ahead.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (34) French road signs - ma French Life (34)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-winding-road.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (35) French road signs - ma French Life (35)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-winding-road.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (36) French road signs - ma French Life (36)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-down-hill.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (37) French road signs - ma French Life (37)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-down-hill.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (38) French road signs - ma French Life (38)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-yield-ahead.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (39) French road signs - ma French Life (39)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-yield-ahead.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (40) French road signs - ma French Life (40)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-2-way-traffic.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (41) French road signs - ma French Life (41)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-2-way-traffic.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (42) French road signs - ma French Life (42)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-slippery-road.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (43) French road signs - ma French Life (43)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-slippery-road.jpg)
In cooler regions, the French slippery road sign is paired with a Verglas fréquent sign to remind drivers to watch for ice..
![French road signs - ma French Life (44) French road signs - ma French Life (44)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/us-watch-for-ice.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (45) French road signs - ma French Life (45)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fr-icy-road.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (46) French road signs - ma French Life (46)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-peds-crossing.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (47) French road signs - ma French Life (47)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-peds-crossing.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (48) French road signs - ma French Life (48)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/us-incoming-bike.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (49) French road signs - ma French Life (49)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-incoming-bike.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (50) French road signs - ma French Life (50)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-bump.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (51) French road signs - ma French Life (51)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-bump.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (52) French road signs - ma French Life (52)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-roundabout.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (53) French road signs - ma French Life (53)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-roundabout.jpg)
Roundabouts are extremely frequent in France and it’s worth taking the time to learn how to enter or exit them. Check out the different types of roundabouts in France and learn how to master them.
Did you know?
The yield traffic sign in the United States was initially yellow like the other warning signs. It was changed to red in 1971 to make it more noticeable and similar to the stop sign.
French road signs – Right-of-way
The following French road signs have no American counterpart but they’re widely used and therefore you need to know them. When there is no road sign, traffic entering the roadway from the right always has priority.
![French road signs - ma French Life (54) French road signs - ma French Life (54)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/intersection-right-priority.jpg)
- Cédez le passage aux véhicules arrivant par votre droite
- At the next intersection, yield to vehicles coming from your right.
![French road signs - ma French Life (55) French road signs - ma French Life (55)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/intersection-priority-road.jpg)
- Priorité ponctuelle
- At the next intersection, you have priority over traffic coming from your right and from your left.
![French road signs - ma French Life (56) French road signs - ma French Life (56)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-priority-road.jpg)
- Route prioritaire
- This is a priority road. You have priority over traffic coming from your right and from your left.
The yellow diamond traffic sign indicating a priority road is very frequent on French roads.
![French road signs - ma French Life (57) French road signs - ma French Life (57)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/sendMyBage-relocating.jpg)
French road signs – Indications
France road signs with a rectangular shape are not regulatory signs but they provide indications instead.
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France
![French road signs - ma French Life (58) French road signs - ma French Life (58)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-one-way.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (59) French road signs - ma French Life (59)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-one-way.jpg)
The following French traffic sign is used in narrow road sections.
![French road signs - ma French Life (60) French road signs - ma French Life (60)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-priority-face.jpg)
- Priorité par rapport à la circulation en sens inverse
- Priority over traffic coming from the opposite direction.
Freeway signs
French freeway signs are blue whereas they’re green in the United States.
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France
![French road signs - ma French Life (61) French road signs - ma French Life (61)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-freeway-entrance.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (62) French road signs - ma French Life (62)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-freeway-entrance.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (63) French road signs - ma French Life (63)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-toll-epayment.jpg)
- Paiement par abonnement
- E-payment only.
![French road signs - ma French Life (64) French road signs - ma French Life (64)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-toll-booth.jpg)
- Halte péage
- Stop for toll booth.
Radar road signs
French radars are signaled with any of the following road signs. By law, radars don’t have to be indicated so don’t assume that no sign means no radar.
![French road signs - ma French Life (65) French road signs - ma French Life (65)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fr-radar-frequent.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (66) French road signs - ma French Life (66)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fr-radar-automatic.jpg)
Radars road signs translation in English: For your own safety, speed frequently enforced by radar.
The latest radar signs don’t have any text but they show the speed limit at the top of the sign.
![French road signs - ma French Life (67) French road signs - ma French Life (67)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fr-radar-new-sign.jpg)
Areas or zones
Whereas a traffic sign is valid until another sign changes the rule, French road signage also uses the concept of zone. A zone usually includes multiple streets.
![French road signs - ma French Life (68) French road signs - ma French Life (68)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-restricted-zone.jpg)
- Entrée de zone de circulation restreinte
- Low emission zone.
Read about restricted zones in Air quality certificate in France.
![French road signs - ma French Life (69) French road signs - ma French Life (69)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-zone-30.jpg)
- Entrée de zone 30
- Zone limited to 30km/h (18mph).
![French road signs - ma French Life (70) French road signs - ma French Life (70)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-winter-equipment-zone.jpg)
- Entrée de zone d’obligation d’équipements en pneus hiver
- Zone with mandatory snow tyres during winter.
Winter road equipments are mandatory in 48 French departments with mountain areas (Alps, Corsica, Massif Central region, Jura mountains, Pyrenees and Vosges). Winter law is enforced from November 1st to March 31st. Enforced dates are typically displayed underneath the mandatory winter equipment sign.
![French road signs - ma French Life (71) French road signs - ma French Life (71)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-green-zone.jpg)
- Voie verte
- Green zone, non-motorized vehicles only.
![French road signs - ma French Life (72) French road signs - ma French Life (72)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-meeting-zone.jpg)
- Zone de rencontre
- Meeting zone entrance.
A meeting zone (zone de rencontre) is meant to be a shared space open to everyone. Pedestrians can walk on the road, bikes can go in both directions and motor vehicles cannot go over 20 km/h (around 12mph).
![French road signs - ma French Life (73) French road signs - ma French Life (73)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-road-marking-50.jpg)
French road markings
You must follow speed limit pavement markings in France, even when there is no speed limit traffic sign.
End of zone signs
You know you’re exiting a restricted zone when you see one of the following road signs.
![French road signs - ma French Life (74) French road signs - ma French Life (74)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/zfe-exit-sign.jpg)
- Fin de zone
- End of low emission zone.
![French road signs - ma French Life (75) French road signs - ma French Life (75)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-end-of-zone-30.jpg)
- Fin de zone 30
- End of speed limit to 30 km/h (18mph).
![French road signs - ma French Life (76) French road signs - ma French Life (76)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-winter-equipment-zone-end.jpg)
- Fin de zone d’obligation d’équipements en pneus hiver
- End of mandatory snow tyres during winter.
![French road signs - ma French Life (77) French road signs - ma French Life (77)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-green-zone-end.jpg)
- Fin de zone verte
- End of green zone (non-motorized vehicles only).
![French road signs - ma French Life (78) French road signs - ma French Life (78)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/fr-meeting-zone-end.jpg)
- Fin de Zone de rencontre
- End of meeting zone.
Temporary road signs
French temporary road signs have a yellow background.
United States
France
![French road signs - ma French Life (79) French road signs - ma French Life (79)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-detour-sign.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (80) French road signs - ma French Life (80)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-detour-sign.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (81) French road signs - ma French Life (81)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-temp-road-narrows.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (82) French road signs - ma French Life (82)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-temp-road-narrowing.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (83) French road signs - ma French Life (83)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-temp-light-orange.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (84) French road signs - ma French Life (84)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-temp-light.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (85) French road signs - ma French Life (85)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-traffic-jam.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (86) French road signs - ma French Life (86)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-traffic-jam.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (87) French road signs - ma French Life (87)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-workers.jpg)
![French road signs - ma French Life (88) French road signs - ma French Life (88)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/fr-workers.jpg)
French sentences on the road
You might encounter these sentences while driving in France. Check out their meanings before taking the wheel.
- Allumez vos feux
- Turn on your lights
- Fin d’allumage des feux
- Turn off your lights
- Un train peut en cacher un autre
- One train may hide another
- Risque de verglas
- Icy road
- Roulez au pas
- Drive very slowly
- Route barrée
- Closed road
- Suivre déviation
- Follow detour
- Vérifiez votre distance de sécurité
- Keep a safe distance
- Vous n’avez pas la priorité
- You don’t have right of way
French sentences on freeways
Message boards on French freeways can be pretty wordy. Get familiar with some of the most frequent sentences.
![French road signs - ma French Life (89) French road signs - ma French Life (89)](https://i0.wp.com/mafrenchlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fr-message-boards.jpg)
- Accident, ralentissez
- Car accident, slow down
- Attention travaux à 10 km, vitesse réduite
- Work zone in 10km, reduced speed limit ahead
- Au péage, prudence, piétons
- At the toll booth, watch out for pedestrians
- Bouchon à 1 km, prudence
- Traffic jam in 1km, caution
- Des chantiers, des hommes, je ralentis
- Work zones, men at work, I slow down
- Distance respectée = sécurité
- Keeping a safe distance = security
- Hommes en jaunes sur les voies, je ralentis
- Men in yellow on the road, I slow down
- Je respecte les vitesses
- I follow speed limits
- Par temps de pluie, vitesse 110km/h
- Speed limit reduced to 110km/h when raining
- Ralentissem*nt à 2 km, restez vigilants
- Slower traffic in 2km, proceed with caution
- Vent violent, soyez prudent
- Caution, high winds
Now that you’ve learned the main French road signs and their meanings, read about driving in France vs driving in the U.S. in Americans driving in France.