Are Snow Tyres becoming compulsory in France?

I have been advised by a number of ski friends that Snow Tyres are to be made compulsory in France for the next winter season. However, I can find no evidence to prove that this is the case.

Do any of you know anything about this or point me to where i can validate this rumour? This will seriously impact on my travel plans for 2013 as have relied on Snow Chains to date.

Thanks

Tracey

busymum wrote:I can find no evidence to prove that this is the case.

Me neither. Can you ask your friends where they heard this? You could try emailing the French Tourist Office if in doubt.

busymum wrote:This will seriously impact on my travel plans for 2013 as have relied on Snow Chains to date.

No need for it to impact your travel plans even if they are made compulsory.

Winter tyres are a good idea for a whole bunch of reasons (massively reduced stopping distances, and much better grip in cold weather being the most important) and any extra cost is marginal as you save wear on your "summer set".

Be good to know if they are to become mandatory though?

Thanks for your reply. I know I could buy winter tyres and swap them over but don't really want to have to buy a spare set of tyres and have the faff of changing them over on my car. I will see what else I can find out.

Cheers

I can't find anything about winter tyres being compulsary in France. They are compulsary in Germany and I'm pretty sure that an article I read was saying that they are either going to be compulsary in Luxembourg from October 2012 - this could impact anyone driving through Luxembourg to Austria for example.

Nothing appearing on a google search in french more recent than 2010 when a minister said that there were no plans to make winter tyres compulsary as they are in Germany.

Need to keep an eye on any changes. This French alcohol/breathalyser thingy will catch some people out for example.

busymum wrote:Thanks for your reply. I know I could buy winter tyres and swap them over but don't really want to have to buy a spare set of tyres and have the faff of changing them over on my car. I will see what else I can find out.

Cheers

No real faff busymum, get a cheap set of wheels as well when you buy the tyres. Then it is a fairly simple job to swap them over twice a year. Plus you get the benefits of having tyres which are better suited to the conditions even in the UK.

A certain chain, who use "fitters" who you can't get better than, were even offering a deal last year where they would store the wheels not on your car at the time for you. Obviously there was a small charge for this, but they also did the swapping of the wheel for you.

We have two sets of wheels/tyres for our Audi. Other than purchasing another set of alloys or steel wheels, the cost is no greater over time. Our local garage charges £15 to swap over and balance at the beginning and end of each winter season.

The additional grip from winter tyres is phenomenal in icy/snowy conditions.

Don't forget the breathalysers, law for this year, apart from jackets, spare bulbs, triangles, GB sticker & headlight deflectors.

I agree, I use winter tyres and have a separate set of wheels. Unless they have been banged there is no need to get them balanced each year. So you can just swap them over on your drive. Your normal tyres performance drops off when the temperature drops below +7 degrees, and you will defiantly feel the difference. I didn't even have to use chains last year when others around me were!! Therefore saving the phaff and cold hands..