Driving to the Mountains in a French Winter
Check your tyres and chains, read the road conditions, and get help when the car won't start or gets stuck in the snow.
Under the loi Montagne, in France's mountain areas you must have winter tyres or carry snow chains or snow socks from 1 November to 31 March, wherever local signs say so. Check road conditions and closed passes on Bison Futé before you set off, and on motorways tune in to 107.7 FM for live traffic news. Keep antifreeze screenwash and an ice scraper in the car, and note your insurer's breakdown assistance number.
- 1
Ce sont des pneus hiver ?
Are these winter tyres?
- 2
Il faut des chaînes ?
Do I need chains?
- 3
Vous pouvez me montrer comment mettre les chaînes ?
Could you show me how to put the chains on?
- 4
Il y a du verglas sur la route.
There's black ice on the road.
- 5
Roulez doucement, ça glisse.
Drive slowly, it's slippery.
- 6
Le col est fermé.
The pass is closed.
- 7
La route est dégagée ?
Is the road clear?
- 8
Le chasse-neige est passé.
The snowplough has been through.
- 9
Mon pare-brise est gelé.
My windscreen is frozen.
- 10
Vous avez un grattoir ?
Do you have an ice scraper?
- 11
Il me faut du lave-glace antigel.
I need antifreeze screenwash.
- 12
La voiture ne démarre pas.
The car won't start.
- 13
Je crois que la batterie est à plat.
I think the battery's flat.
- 14
Je suis bloqué dans la neige.
I'm stuck in the snow.
Tip: Use the feminine ending if you're a woman.
- 15
Vous pouvez envoyer une dépanneuse ?
Can you send a tow truck?
- 16
On ne voit rien avec ce brouillard.
You can't see a thing in this fog.
- 17
Allumez vos feux de croisement.
Put your dipped headlights on.
- 18
Gardez bien vos distances.
Keep your distance.
- 19
On regarde le trafic sur Bison Futé.
Let's check the traffic on Bison Futé.
Tip: France's official road traffic service.
- 20
Ici, il faut des pneus hiver ou des chaînes à partir de novembre.
Here you need winter tyres or chains from November.