World City Guide

Getting There By Road

Motorways bear the prefix ‘A’, national roads ‘N’ and minor roads are classed as ‘D’ roads. Traffic drives on the right and drivers must give way to the right, unless the route is marked with Passage Protégé signs – a broad arrow, a yellow diamond or an ‘X’ on a triangular background – or the driver is at a roundabout indicating vous n’avez pas la priorité. Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) on motorways, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, 90kph (46mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. Visitors who have held a driving licence for less than two years face tighter speed restrictions. The French police fine motorists on the spot for driving offences such as speeding. The legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05% and random breath tests for drinking and driving are common.

The minimum age for driving is 18 years. All front- and rear-seat passengers must wear seatbelts and children under ten years may not travel in the front seat. A national driving licence, the car’s registration document and a red warning triangle must be carried at all times or the driver may be fined. All headlamp beams must be adjusted for right-side driving, by use of beam deflectors or by tilting the headlamp bulb-holder. EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card, without which insurance cover is limited to the minimum legal cover in France. The Green Card tops this up to the level of cover provided by the car owner’s domestic policy.

The Regional Motorway Network (tel: (04) 9178 7878) provides information on traffic conditions and driving regulations.

Emergency breakdown service (toll free):
Inter-Mutuelles Assistance (0800) 757 575.
Free emergency telephones are situated every one kilometre (0.6 miles) along the motorways.

Routes to the city: The Côte d’Azur is linked to the European network of motorways. The A8 Estérel motorway links Paris to Cannes. From Nice, Exit 42 (Cannes Est) leads to Cannes.

Approximate driving times to the city: From Paris – 8 hours; from Nice – 30 minutes.

Coach services: The Gare Routière de Nice (tel: (04) 9385 9260) is Nice’s international coach station, located at Promenade du Paillon. Agence Intercars-Eurolines (tel: (04) 9380 0870; fax: (04) 9380 4220) and Agence Phoceens Cars, 2 place Masséna, Nice (tel: (04) 9385 6661; fax: (04) 0313 8201), both provide regular services to major European centres.

There are two domestic coach stations (gares routières) in Cannes. The main one, at place Cornut-Gentille (tel: (04) 9339 1871), serves coastal destinations, while the other, located at place de l’Hôtel de Ville, provides an inland service. Companies operating from both stations include Rapides Côte d’Azur (tel: (04) 9339 1139), which links Cannes to Nice (city centre and airport), and CTM (tel: (04) 9390 9292), which links Cannes to Grasse and Mandelieu.