Crit’Air - France
Has anybody had any experience with the new French Crit’Air regulation whilst travelling in France? We’re planning a road trip to France next spring and wondered if anybody has been ‘caught out’ by not having a sticker, or having a sticker of the wrong colour. I have read that it doesn’t apply everywhere (mainly cities), but now they’re installing cameras you never know where you’re going to get ‘caught out’. 😫
Answers
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The Crit Air scheme is dying, but not yet quite dead. The French National Assembly has voted to abandon the entire scheme, but French bureaucracy moves slowly to put that decision into effect - so the last rites have not yet been performed and the law is still in place in larger towns and cities. Keep an eye on the internet before you set off next Spring and you will find out whether you need to get a sticker or not.
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I hired different cars from within a so-called restricted zone weeky for 3 years and 90% of the hire cars didn't even have a sticker on display. I suppose this reinforces the view that the system isn't policed. (But as Brit with UK plates, there's always a risk that we may bring targeted 😀 -hence why I do have one on my car !).
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Like Harvey Springer above I've never seen the Crit Air signs that restrict entry to certain vehicle emisison classes in major cities (I looked out for them in Marseille a couple of years ago but saw no evidence of them). However for peace of mind I would apply for a Crit Air sticker - its really easy to do so and costs less than £5 for the entire life of your vehicle. My suggestion is that you affix the sticker to your windscreen using a parking permit holder because they are really difficult to remove later!
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