The Challenges of Driving in Brittany

Driving a car in Brittany can be a real pleasure and a nightmare dependent on how confident you are as a driver and whether you are driving an expensive car. The first thing to understand is the French do not place the same value on their cars as the English, for the majority it is simply a way to get from A to B. In complete contrast to the majority of English owners who have a passionate love of their cars and value them as an important status symbol to be cherished as a member of the family.

 

Once you understand this contrast of values you can begin to prepare for the driving standards to be found on the roads of France and in particular Brittany. I should say in defence of the French drivers that over the years there have been a number of changes to the driving rules which tends to split the drivers into two groups, those that have been tutored in the existing rules and those that insist the old rules are still applicable. This adds to the challenge and excitement of driving on Brittany’s roads as you have to anticipate the next move.

 

Fuel consumption is clearly a major issue which explains why the average French driver clings to your rear bumper to absorb the maximum drag and thereby fuel efficiency. The best time to use your car is between twelve and two o’clock, ‘l’heure pour le repas principal‘ the roads are deserted and you can travel to your destination without the company of other drivers.

 

For years the French driving rules required drivers to give way to their right which was a major hazard on busy roads, however the rules have changed and now you must give way to the left at most roundabouts and junctions. Unfortunately there are exceptions to this rule, e.g. in some rural areas you will come across a triangular sign with a black cross on a white background, you must give way to the right at the next junction. To your amazement the next junction is a T junction with a small lane emerging onto the road! 

 

In villages, you have to apply the same legacy rules at junctions, but just to make things more exciting there are no warning signs. You can anticipate when the use of this rule applies by road surface changes, usually a paved area either side of the junction. I have a theory that some of the older drivers like to plunge out of these junctions into the path of unsuspecting tourist with a view to replacing their old car, but of course this is just part of my vivid imagination.

 

Before driving in France I had believed that the use of indicators was obligatory and essential when changing a vehicles direction, how wrong could I be! The other day I was taking some French friends into town in my car, having traversed a roundabout using my indicators as appropriate I was severely chastised. “Non, non, non, ne mettez pas ses clignotants au rond-point” I was reliably informed it would confuse other drivers! This is clearly not in compliance with the French rules of the road, but explains the general driver’s philosophy on the subject of indicator use. My only advice, never try and anticipate the future direction of the car in front, you will probably be wrong.

 

The majority of driving in Brittany takes place on rural roads and it can be a real pleasure cruising along the winding roads with little or no traffic other than the occasional slow moving tractor. It is on these roads that you have to be prepared for another skill which has been developed by the Breton driver. It is very easy on narrow roads to let yourself be drawn too close to the grass verge and find yourself dragged into the ditch (fosse) by the momentum of the vehicle. This is an acceptable hazard for most Breton drivers and you can see the scars of regular visits to the ditches on the cars and roadside verges. To avoid this happening Breton drivers have adopted a defensive mode of driving which involves driving down the centre of the road and only returning to your side when another vehicle comes the other way. This can be terrifying for the uninitiated driver and often results in lost wing mirrors.

 

Our neighbour’s son visits the fosse quite regularly on his way home from work. We observed Daniel the farmer retrieving his car from the fosse the other day with his tractor and asked why he thought the neighbours son kept having this problem, “It is only to be expected, he gets very tired after a day at work”

 

I feel very sorry for the few French car owners who do cherish their car as you eventually have to accept that your car will be the subject of casual abuse both on and of the road. In fact I have a theory that most of the damage to cars takes place in supermarket car parks. When my car was new I took to parking it on the empty side of the car park in order to offer some protection from opening car doors and the odd knock during adjacent parking. The strange thing is this seemed only to attract the company of other cars like flies attracted to fresh meat. Eventually, when you car is riddled with small indentations along both sides you have to admit defeat and begin to relax and take it in your stride, it is only a car!

 

My apologies if I have put you off driving in Brittany as a result of my observations, in reality I am sure I could easily make similar observations about the English driving skills. Having driven here for the past seven years, I can honestly say I am more relaxed behind the wheel in Brittany than the UK and the reduction in traffic means you can actually enjoy driving.

 

Tony

 

 

Comments

[Defensive Driving]

Hi,

In my opinion, Driving in rural areas is little bit dangerous. Because roads are not well. So it may causes road accidents. Please take care in that kind of places.

- Kate.