Category: Travel

IF your car needs a battery boost, there is an electric car charging point in Villefranche-du-Périgord.

You will find it on the square in front of La Poste, on the eastern side of the village.

It offers two charging plugs, with a maximum power output of 22kWh, with a charging voltage of 400 Volt and a maximum current of 32 A.

The socket type is a T2-TE-[en].

Car charger display board

The charger uses the Mobive system and payment is possible via credit card.

The Mairie of Villefranche-du-Périgord is close to the car charging point, as well as La Poste, the Tabac shop offering you the chance to pick up a newspaper or something to drink and La Bastide hotel.

Another car charging point is available in Sauveterre-la-Lémance, around 10 km away in a westerly direction towards Fumel along the D710.

A regular petrol station is available in Villefranche-du-Périgord, you will find it on the western edge of the village.

If you are struggling with a motoring problem then the village garage is found just opposite the hotel, and if you are driving a motorised car then find cheap petrol prices in France.

THERE is a petrol station in Villefranche-du-Périgord, just look out for the multi-coloured cow on the forecourt.

The petrol station is found on the western side of the village, about a kilometre along the D660 and is next door to the veterinary surgery.

The station is open 24 hours a day and is operated by Aire C, who place brightly coloured model cows outside their petrol stations.

Three types of fuel at the pump

There are two pumps and the fuel available is SP 98, SP 95 and Diesel, with payment possible by card using the standalone payment point to the side of the actual pumps.

Petrol prices in the countryside are usually quite a bit more expensive than town or supermarket petrol stations, although you can compare prices online.

Villefranche-du-Périgord does have an electric car charging point, but if you need another petrol station one is available in Sauveterre-la-Lémance, around 10 km away in a westerly direction towards Fumel along the D710.

A SHORT walk in the Loubejac countryside this morning, just as the sun rises and the mist begins to clear in the valley…

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THE French government has announced it will continue to support the price of fuel to individuals and businesses until the end of the year.

A phased series of price support will be put in place over the coming months, with a cut of 30 cents per litre, after tax, coming into force from 1 September, 2022 until the end of October.

From 1 November until 31 December, 2022, the price cut will be reduced to 10 cents per litre, with the financial support set to come to an end in the new year.

Which fuel will see prices cut?

The government’s price support will occur, like previous measures, at the petrol pump or fuel supplier, with the price on the screen the price you will pay.

Fuel suppliers are then recompensed at a later date taking into account the amount of fuel actually delivered to customers.

The fuels affected by the price cuts include diesel, as well as petrol SP95/98-E5, SP-95-E10 and superéthanol E85.

It is possible to track down fuel prices in France near you with an online service from the government that compiles the latest prices at forecourts and displays then on a map you can search.

ALMOST half of French départements have decided to increase the speed limit on some or all of their departmental roads, from 80 km/h to 90 km/h.

The move comes just four years after the French government announced the reduction of the speed limit across France to 80 km/h, but left open the option for local officials to return to the higher limit.

The Puy-de-Dôme is the most recent département to make the decision to return the speed limit of its 6,940 kilometres of departmental roads to 90 km/h.

It joins Allier, Aveyron, Cantal, Creuse and Corrèze in returning to the 90 km/h limit and these will be joined by the Ardèche on 1 September, 2022, when it returns to the higher limit.

Map of speed limits in France

Road safety campaign group, La Ligue de Défense des Conducteurs, has said it is disappointed by the decision of many local officials to increase the speed limit on roads, and is calling for a return to the 80 km/h limit across France.

The campaign group has produced a map showing the areas of France where all or part of the departmental road network is now operating under the new speed limit of 90 km/h.

The group says that different départements having different speed limits is also a problem for drivers as many won’t be completely aware of what speed they should be driving at when crossing borders.

And in a further breakout of the speed limit changes, the group has produced a table that shows the percentage of roads in the different départements of France that are now operating at the increased speed limit.

The following have yet to announce any decision – Essone, Drôme, Gironde, Landes, Pas-de-Calais, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Vendée

I must admit, here in the south of the Dordogne, we butt up against two other départements, and whilst some of the roads in the Dordogne have gone up to 90 km/h, the two adjoining départements are currently remaining at 80 km/h.

Driving in France

Whilst driving in France is safe, speeding and dangerous driving is a real problem on the roads and are a cause of many of the accidents the country sees.

One of the key reasons for the initial move by the French government to cut the speed limit to 80 km/h was for safety, also claiming that people would save on fuel costs and add little additional time to the journey.

But many local drivers, especially in the countryside, said the reduction in the limit was of little to no use on quiet roads where population density was low and only added to a feeling that ‘city folk’ didn’t understand their way of life.

WITH the summer 2022 holidays upon us the roads and autoroutes of France will see increased traffic from those looking to get away, but there are some websites you can use to try and get ahead of the jams.

Les grandes vacances, or summer holidays, will see many head to holiday spots across France, and so increased traffic on the roads especially at weekends and around particularly popular areas of the country.

You will see many news reports on French television and the internet talking of bouchons, or traffic jams, in le sens départ, which covers travel away from Paris often towards the west of France or down towards the south east and the Mediterranean coast.

The Bison Futé website

It is possible to get an idea of the travel problems and possible ways around les bouchons, by using the Bison Futé, or the smart bison, website.

This not only provides up to the minute information on traffic conditions on French roads, but it must have one of the best names for a government website.

The map shows you the whole of France and the major problems and issues on the main roads, such as repair work being undertaken, where the number of lanes have been reduced, sections of road that have traffic jams and even if animals have been seen on the roads.

If you double-click on the area of France that concerns you most you can get more information on road conditions closer to home.

French towns and cities

And if you want to see what the roads are like in some of the larger towns and cities of France then click on the Trafic des agglomérations tab above the map and this provides a list of locations and lets you zoom in on potential problems.

You can also get an idea of potential traffic problems in the days and weeks to come by clicking on the Prévisions tab, with the summer months of July and August being bad especially around the weekends.

With the period of 29, 30 and 31 July 2022 looking set to be bad with red warnings of difficult traffic conditions and even a black warning on the Saturday, highlighting the worst traffic conditions.

You can take the Bison Futé website with you as apps are available for both Android and iPhone mobiles.

Traffic on autoroutes

Another website you might want to take a look over is Autoroutes.fr, which is the site representing the companies that manage the autoroutes across France.

It provides information on the services available and toll road costs, but there is also a travel map that provides the latest information on ease of travel on the motorway system.

It is similar to the Bison Futé site in that you are provided with information on lane closures and sections of road that are experiencing traffic jams, it is also a little easier on the eye.

But remember it is only providing information about the autoroutes, and try not to buy fuel when on them, so once you come off the autoroute you are going to have to rely upon the Bison Futé site again.

If you must travel during the summer months then a little advance planning might help smooth your journey, if you don’t have to I’d suggest travelling to France in September when the roads are back to normal and they are a joy to drive.

WITH the cost of petrol and diesel in France, as well as everywhere else, only heading up you can use an online service to help find the cheapest prices closest to you.

The Finance Ministry has a very slick and up to date website, Prix des carburants en France, that draws in prices from thousands of petrol stations across France.

You can start your search via département, commune or postcode, with the results displaying the name of petrol stations and supermarkets closest to your chosen location and the individual prices per litre.

It is possible to zoom in on individual towns and areas, and with a little bit of extra planning you could work out the best places to stop if you were travelling through France or around a region.

Best fuel prices in France

Often it is supermarkets that have the best price, even the supermarkets in smaller towns will be competitive, although many village pumps are extremely expensive.

These can often be more than 0.20 cents per litre extra than the supermarkets, if you really have to use one of these petrol stations it is almost worth just buying a minimum five litres and then driving to the nearest supermarket to top up.

Some stations will still have staff to take payment, but increasingly they are self service and open 24 hours a day.

Save fuel by driving sensibly

One of the advantages of driving in the French countryside is that the roads are usually quiet, with little traffic on them, so you can keep a steady pace and accelerate smoothly.

In towns and cities it is different, with much more stopping and starting you will be using more fuel, but again try to keep a light touch on the accelerator.

Car tyre pressures also play an important part in fuel economy, so I’d suggest keeping a small air compressor pump in the car as you can’t always be sure pumps at petrol stations will be working and often you have to pay.

Also keep an eye on the condition of your tyres as many roads in the French countryside can be poorly surfaced, with sections sometimes damaged after heavy rainfall.

You may also be forced into driving in and out of soft verges when passing oncoming traffic, resulting in you banging into dips and bumps you were not expecting, so cast an eye over your tyres if you’ve had such an experience.

Air con can cost

Remember the air con uses fuel when running, and whilst it is a necessity when temperatures head towards 40C, try not to have it running when temperatures are more bearable.

Also don’t drive around with your car boot full of heavy items and if you can, take roof bars and boxes off your car as these can cause drag and again see you use up more fuel than you need.

Anticipating what might happen on the road ahead is also a good skill to develop, plan to pass cyclists smoothly, be aware of when pedestrians might cross the road and keeping a sensible distance from the car in front will give you time to think.

DRIVING around France can be a real pleasure. You will find quiet roads with views across the countryside, very few vehicles to get stuck behind and lovely villages where you can stop for a break.

But there are some rules of the road that are worth considering, because despite the French countryside appearing to be a driver’s paradise there were, for example, 24 deaths and 199 accidents on the roads of the Dordogne in 2019.

And before you set off during the holiday period you might want to drop in on the Bison Futé website, which offers up maps and pointers to potential traffic problems.

General rules of the road in France

You must be over 18 to drive in France and do not use a mobile phone behind the wheel, police officers are keen to put a halt to this habit and can issue heavy fines.

A key piece of equipment is the high visibility jacket, and you should have one each for all the passengers in your vehicle.

Also ensure you are carrying them in the main compartment of the car, not in the boot, as should you have to leave your car then you can quickly and easily put the jackets on and then move away from the vehicle.

Another important piece of equipment is a warning triangle that you can place about 50 paces behind your vehicle to warn oncoming vehicles that your car is at the side of the road.

What are the speed limits in France?

Speed limits are clearly signposted at the roadside and they are:
· Built-up areas 50kph (possibly even 30kph)
· Ordinary roads 80kph
· Dual carriageways 90kph
· Toll autoroutes 130kph

Driving the countryside roads of France

Many of the countryside roads in France will be a little worse for wear and have patches of repair work and soft roadside verges.

Be aware that after periods of rain many of the roads will have a sheen of damp across them that sometimes brings vehicle fuel and oil to the surface.

So look out for ‘GASOIL’ signs at the side of the roads, this will signify that fuel or oil has been spilt onto the road, often from farm machinery, that if not noticed by the vehicle operator could have been dripping on to the road for a few kilometres.

Slow down and take extra care around bends and downhill because any spills can be very difficult to see on the surface of the road.

Major road closures or diversions due to bad weather, forest fires or other dangerous situations might be something you cross, with this in mind the French authorities recently launched the FR-Alert system to warn of local dangers.

Stopping at the STOP sign

A comment on the site stressed the importance of coming to a stop at the STOP signs you will see at road junctions.

They are a favourite spot for gendarmes to catch drivers that roll through the junction even though there are no other vehicles on the road.

So the recommended procedure is to come to a stop, check that the road is clear and then change into first gear, ensuring you have taken the proper time at the junction and don’t run the risk of facing a stern lecture and fine.

Understanding priorité à droite

Another comment on the site mentions the importance of priorité à droite especially at a road junction with no markings, although some will have a red bordered triangle with a black X on it.

If you approach a junction and a car arrives from the right then it is this car that has priority over you, and so it is for you to slow down and let the other car drive away in front of you.

In the video above you will see an example of the driver giving way to a white van coming from the right as they both approach the junction (2 mins 50 secs).

Speeding on French roads

Remember at the start of this piece I mentioned the number of deaths on the Dordogne roads, one of the major causes is speeding and it is a problem across France.

Long sweeping roads can make driving a real pleasure, but some of the countryside roads are twisty and tight, often going in and out of wooded areas with bright sunlight, so if can be difficult to stay on the road and with soft roadside verges you can easily lose control.

Wild animals on the roads

You are very close to nature in France with deer and sanglier, or wild boar, often spotted in the fields and woods, but they also cover large distances and regularly cross roads.

Hitting any animal on the road is sad enough, but deer and sanglier can cause great damage to your vehicle and can be catapulted up into your windscreen.

So be on the look out for any animals early in the morning or around dusk as this is normally when they are on the move.

Deer can suddenly appear out of the woods at the side of the road, and if one passes in front of you be on the look out for others following swiftly behind.

Cyclists on the roads in France

If the quiet roads of France are an appeal to drivers, they also have a real attraction to cyclists.

France is a paradise for amateur cyclists and they should be given a wide berth by passing drivers, so give yourself plenty of time and space to get past individuals or groups.

Be aware of farm vehicles

Agriculture is an important part of the French economy so you will often see tractors and trailers piled high with straw, crops and fruit.

Again give yourself plenty of time to pass these vehicles, don’t be tempted to speed past them when heading uphill unless the road is completely clear and sharp bends can soon be on top of you and you will not know what is coming around them.

Stay right at all times

This is for UK drivers, but sadly almost every year there will be accidents on the roads of France due to a vehicle being driven on the wrong side of the road.

In the countryside this can be a real problem because many of the smaller roads have no central road markings so you can easily drift across and not be aware of your road position.

Stickers can be placed on your windscreen to ensure you stay right, like these on Amazon, and they are particularly useful at roundabouts.

But if you have been out all day and you are hot and tired, then just be aware of where you are on the road and remember to drive ‘with your bum in the gutter’ if you are driving a UK, right hand drive vehicle.

Petrol prices in the French countryside

Some smaller villages will have a petrol station, or a self-service station on the edge of the village, but you will often pay as much as 0.20 euros a litre extra in comparison to a larger town.

So if you know you are set to be driving a long distance, or filling up before heading back to the UK, head towards supermarket petrol stations where you will usually find the best prices.

Emergency telephone numbers

If the worst comes to the worst and you need to call for emergency assistance here are the numbers to use:

112 – European Emergency Number, available in English, for fire services, an ambulance or the police
18 – For the fire brigade, or Sapeurs Pompiers, who are often based out of larger villages in the Dordogne and can deal with medical problems and have the necessary equipment for road accidents
17 – Police and gendarmes if you are the victim of a crime such as robbery or assault
15 – Samu for non-urgent medical issues