World City Guide

Getting There By Road

Motorways (autoroutes) bear the prefix ‘A’, national roads ‘N’ and minor roads (départementales) 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 if the driver is at a roundabout indicating ‘Vous n’avez pas la priorité’. Tolls (péages) are enforced. Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) on motorways (110kph (68mph) when raining), 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. Seatbelts must be worn by all passengers (front and rear). Children under 10 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. All headlamp beams must be adjusted for right-side driving, by use of beam deflectors or by tilting the headlamp bulb-holder. The French police fine motorists on the spot for driving offences. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%. 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.

Autoroutes du Sud de la France – ASF (tel: (04) 9032 9005; website: www.asf.fr) is responsible for the southern France motorway network and produces free maps with information in English. The motorway network number (tel: (04) 91 78 78 78) provides information on traffic conditions and driving regulations in southeastern France. Information is also available from Autoroutel (tel: (08) 92 70 70 01). Traffic conditions are broadcast on RadioTrafic 107.7FM. Emergency telephones linked up to the police are located every 2km (1.2 miles) on each side of the motorway.

Emergency breakdown service:
Garage du Pharo (04) 91 59 40 40 (24hours/day, seven days a week)

If you need an ambulance, use the orange SOS phones which are situated every 2km on motorways and every 4km on dual carriageways and other major roads. Or dial 15 from a normal phone. You must also call the police (dial 17).

Routes to the city: Three motorways connecting Spain, Italy and Northern Europe come together at Marseilles: the A7 goes to the north (for Aix and Lyon), the A55 to the west (for Fos, Martigues, Monpellier and Barcelona) and the A50 to the east (for Cassis, Toulon, Nice and Genoa). The Prado Carénage Tunnel connects the north coastline motorway (A55) to the east motorway (A50).

Approximate driving times to Marseilles: From Avignon – 1 hour; Barcelona – 4 hours; Paris – 7 hours.

Coach services: The Coach Station, place Victor Hugo, 3e (tel: (04) 91 08 16 40) is located right by the train station.