France rolls out 'flash free' speed cameras
It's a common experience for drivers - you see a bright flash and realise with horror that you have been exceeding the speed limit, and it's likely that a speeding ticket will soon be arriving in the mail.
However France is increasingly switching to 'flash free' cameras, so you might be entirely oblivious until the ticket arrives.
The first Fusion 2 Mesta turret radar cameras were deployed on French roads in 2019, but in recent months the rollout has been accelerated, and now there are around 400 of them around the country.
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The plan is for them to gradually replace the older cameras, and be used for new camera sites, until they eventually represent around 75 percent of France's fixed speed cameras.
The country currently has 4,000 fixed speed cameras in operation, and this year the number is expected to rise to 4,160, according to
Capital France
.
You can see a map of where they are located on the
Securité Routière website.
This is in addition to mobile cameras and to police officers carrying out roadside speed checks.
When you are entering a stretch of road where cameras are deployed, you should see the below sign.
A French road sign warning drivers of speed cameras ahead. Photo by PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP
Speeding in France is usually punishable by a fine and/or points being added to the driver's licence, although in cases of very excessive speed - or when speeding is combined with another type of traffic offence such as dangerous driving - it can result in the loss of the licence.
Radars, fines and points: France's speeding laws explained
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