Driving From London to Paris: What to Buy, What It Costs, What to Watch
Checked 24 October 2026 from this site's rule pages and the official sources below · skynomad
Verdict
Before you go: Crit'Air sticker for France (allow 14 days).
418 km, about 5 h 35 on the motorway plus LeShuttle through the Channel Tunnel, through United Kingdom → France. One way: fuel €215–€255 or charging €215–€235, including the tolls and crossing below. Arriving in Paris: ZFE of the Métropole du Grand Paris, Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 for cars, vans and motorcycles; free at night, at weekends and on public holidays. Rules for a car registered in the UK; other plates: the route checklist.
Before You Drive From London to Paris
Tickets first (vignettes, stickers, registrations), then what to carry and check. The rules of the UK are left out: they are the ones you already drive with.
FranceCrit'Air stickerNeeded in every ZFE that restricts cars, foreign plates included (Nice and Saint-Étienne now restrict only heavier vehicles). €5.11 posted outside France, about 10 working days by post, only from certificat-air.gouv.fr.Allow 14 days. About 10 working days by post (Service-Public)Buy before you go
FranceHi-vis vest and warning triangleA CE-marked vest within reach inside the cabin, not in the boot, and a warning triangle. Not using them after a breakdown usually costs €135.Allow 7 days. Our suggestion for an online order; no official lead timeBuy before you go
6 more things to check on the way
FranceMotorway tollsBarriers, charged by distance: take the ticket, pick a lane with a card symbol. On the A13, A14, A79 and the Boulay interchange there is no barrier, and you pay online within 72 hours.Pay as you go
FranceWinter kit1 November to 31 March in designated mountain communes: four snowflake tyres, or chains or snow socks in the boot.Allow 7 days. Our suggestion for an online order; no official lead timeCheck in winter
FranceDriving licenceEU, EEA or UK photocard licence: nothing to do. A US licence needs an International Driving Permit or an official French translation.Check before you go
FranceRegistration and insurance papersThe registration certificate (V5C in a UK car, VE103 for a hire or leased car) and your insurance details. UK drivers do not need a green card.Pack
FranceChild seatsChildren under 10 must use a seat suited to their size and must not sit in the front, with a few exceptions. On a hire car, book the seats with the car.Check before you go
FranceRadar detectorLeave it at home: owning or carrying one in France can cost up to €1,500, and it is confiscated.Leave at home
One way, at each country's average fuel price (5 to 8 litres per 100 km) or typical fast-charging price without a subscription, with the cheapest vignette for one motorway day. Double it for the way back, and check the vignette: a longer one may cover both drives.
A city that charges by the hour, by the zone and by the kilo. Come on a Sunday.
Best bet
Sundays and public holidays: all street parking is free. On weekdays, a Saemes garage costs €39–45 for 24 hours; the Bois de Vincennes sells a €3 three-hour ticket Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri.
Watch out
Unpaid parking costs €75 (zone 1) or €50 (zone 2); €225 / €150 for heavy cars. Max 6 hours per spot. August is not free. Crit'Air sticker needed inside the A86.
418 km on the fastest motorway route, about 5 h 35 without stops or traffic, plus LeShuttle through the Channel Tunnel (about 0 h 35): 112 km in United Kingdom, 306 km in France. Over 4½ hours: plan a break, or split the drive over two days.