Planning a road-camping trip in France?
Awesome! but before you hit the road, make sure you check whether your chosen route leads through one of the newly established environmental zones, as the French “Crit Air” eco-friendly sticker has also become mandatory for vehicles from other European and non-European countries since 2017.
Find out here all the details about how it works, where do you need it and where you can buy it in advance!
Are Crit Air badges mandatory on French motorways??
The emissions badge, also known as the Crit Air vignette, has been mandatory for vehicles registered in France since 2016. From February 2017, the purchase of such environmental badges (which are different colored stickers according to the air pollutant emissions) have also become mandatory for foreign vehicles. Violations have been punished with fines since April 2017. The environmental badge is valid in all established environmental zones of the country. But, you do not need it for journeys outside the environmental zone.
The Crit Air vignette is required for all vehicles registered for road traffic after 31st December 1996. Trucks and buses registered after 01.10.2001 also require an environmental vignette on the windshield. Keep in mind, motorhomes with a total weight of up to 3.5 tons are treated like automobiles. On the other hand, heavier motorhomes are treated equally as trucks and buses. Vehicles registered before 31.12.1996 are not issued with a Crit Air vignette. Therefore you are not allowed to enter French environmental zones with these vehicles at all.
Now, where are you driving on your camping trip?
In many rural areas there are still no environmental zones. However, as soon as you get closer to well-known cities, it is possible that motorways are also located in the environmental zone and there you will need a Crit Air vignette. For example, in Paris, there is an additional low emission zone that affects the entire Paris metropolitan area. In addition to the Paris districts, this area also includes all suburbs and the A86 motorway ring.
In France, you can identify additional environmental zones by looking out for the signs with the inscription “ZPA”. You should pay attention to these signs throughout your journey if you are travelling without a sticker.
In which cities do I need an environmental badge?
You currently require a Crit Air vignette in Paris, as well as in Lyon, Grenoble, Lille, Toulouse and Strasbourg. So you can only enter these cities with the Crit Air sticker. We are expecting to see these green zones extend to other cities in the coming years. Therefore, we advise you to check the website of the French Ministry of the Environment on the subject of “green zones in France” before your trip. It lists all the current environmental zones.
The site is available in different languages. Of course, the respective cities also inform about newly established environmental zones. Road signs with the inscription “Zone à Circulation Restrainte”, or ZCR for short, indicate the entry into an environmental zone. In addition, environmental zones are set up sporadically in France if measured values indicate increased air pollution. Drivers are then made aware of the problem in digital display boards on the roadside. These zones are subject to the same rules as fixed zones for a certain period of time… So always keep your eyes open!
What happens if I violate the regulations?
Violations of the established environmental zones will be punished with fines. At present, the penalty for automobiles, motorcycles and camper vans is 68.00 euros. The fine is slightly higher for trucks and buses as 135.00 euros are due per offence for these vehicles. Also, each country has its own vignette, if there are rules concerning environmental zones. Vignettes from other countries are therefore not valid! So you have to order a French Crit Air vignette before your camping holiday. Your vignette is valid permanently – unless you buy a new motorhome. Then you have to order a new vignette after registration.
How do I get my Crit Air environmental badge?
You can order the vignette online at www.certificat-air.gouv.fr before your camping trip to France. All you need for this is a valid credit card and a pdf document of your registration certificate. Part 1. To issue the environmental badge, you must truthfully state the details of your car or motorhome. The program will then automatically determine the appropriate badge for your vehicle. There are six different coloured stickers. Which one your vehicle receives depends not only on the date of first registration, but also on the EU pollutant standard and the respective vehicle type. You will then have to upload your registration certificate, wich is the Part 2.
The file must not be larger than 400 KB. If necessary, edit the file in advance with an image editing program. After you have answered all questions about the vehicle type and have uploaded the registration certificate properly, you must leave your private data such as full name and address. At the end, the program will show you the price of the vignette.
Now you are one step closer!
They will debit the invoice amount from your credit card. And you will receive the Crit Air sticker by post within 15 days. Take note of the reference number of your order! It is important if you have any questions about your order and need to contact the authorities. A vignette for vehicles registered in Germany currently costs 4.21 Euro including shipping. There are also other providers on the Internet that issue environmental badges. However, many of them charge an additional service fee, which increases the total price. So be careful!
In order to prevent your French camping adventure from becoming an expensive nightmare, you should obtain one of these environmental stickers for the windshield of your motorhome or vehicle before you leave for France. Stick the vignette clearly visible on the right edge of the windshield – then you don’t have to worry and will be able to fully enjoy yur camping holiday. We wish you a lots of fun camping!
Camping by the Sea: Ten Most Beautiful Beaches in France!
