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European '''France''' is a member state part of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]]. It is usually a great country for hitchhiking. There are many friendly car and truck drivers. Drivers have to pay toll on motorways (except in [[Bretagne|Brittany]]and at some other places), and you can get a ride quite easily at some ''[[Péage|barrières de péage]]'' (toll stations). When hitchhiking on local roads, you might face some difficulties sometimes, though. One of the commonly known barriers for traveling in France (as in many foreign countries) is the language - you might wanna want to learn some basic phrases before you off on the road in France.

Like everywhere in Europe, walking on the motorways is illegal and thus it's also illegal just legal to hitchhike thereon service areas and at the beginning of on-ramps before the highway sign. If you are picked up Hitchhiking at the police you may be fined, however the Gendarmerie are likely to simply give you a lift péage next to the next toll stop. Use service areasbarrier is forbidden, peages but police and on-rampshighway staff mostly turn a blind eye if you stand there. Moreover some experience shows that French people will more often stop in a place where it is not normally allowed than in other countries. It may also be helpful to write '''S.V.P.''' on your sign with a destination name - it is short for ''s'il vous plaît'' (sih-voo-play) which means ''please'' in French.

== Asking people ==If you want to ask for rides, you can say sentences like: "''AutoroutesExcusez-moi, je vais à [name of the city] en stop. Allez-vous dans cette direction ?''" and if you get a positive answer, just ask "''Pourrais-je venir avec vous ?''péages". It may be also good not to tell a city but the direction you want to go: "'' and Excusez-moi, je fais du stop vers le sud. Allez-vous dans cette direction ?''" == Autoroutes, péages and barrières de péage'' ==

In France, most of the motorways are toll roads (''autoroute'') which are the fastest way to hitch across the country. There are two types of toll stations on péages. First, there are big ones where all traffic has to stop to pay a fee (or to get a ticket) - these are ''barrières de péage'' and usually they are excellent spots to get a long-distance ride and make it really easy to hitchhike during the night. They are often located near big cities on the autoroute. Another type is a side barrier situated on all exits in the toll part of the motorway. On latter ones traffic is much smaller, therefore one can expect a longer waiting time, although sometimes congested toll stations of the first type can be difficult to hitch from due to heavy traffic.

To reach the ''barrière de péage'', you may need to walk along the motorway; with a help of a proper map check if the distance needed to be walked is not too long. It is illegal to walk on a side lane of the motorway (same is valid for some parts of national roads (''voie express'' or ''voie rapide'') in France); if police sees you, you will may be driven somewhere safe and may be fined for 11 to 40€. Péage toll stations are considered a part of the motorway, and legally you do not have the right to solicit rides there. You may be asked to wait in the parking area which is after each ''barrière de péage''. In practice, this is rarely enforced (maybe 5% of the time), most toll station employees simply want to make sure you're not endangering yourself or others.

* If you prefer a direct approach you can dash across the lanes one at a time until you're at a busy lane, stand next to the toll machine and talk to the drivers when they stop to pay (usually it is not allowed to hitch from the toll machines but it is often tolerated). Just say "''Bonjour, je vais à [name of the city]''".

== [[License plates|Number plates]] Personal Experiences ==French number plates end with a number of the ''départementIn my experience it'' the car is registered s pretty much impossible to go hungry inFrance. For exampleWhile hitching I almost ALWAYS get 10 or 5 euros thrown my way, [[Paris]]ian cars end with numbers 75, 78, 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95once even 60 euro! The key is to imply you have no money (helps the guilt if you actually don't have any like I did). See Wikipedia articles on[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_vehicle_registration_plates French vehicle registration plates] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_arrondissements_of_France Arrondissements of France]. New number plates are in Ask where you can use since mid-2009. They have an optional reference to the department on the blue stripe at the right sideinternet or a phone, but they technically are not part of the plateWITHOUT PAYING, and do not necessarily refer to 90% of the ownertime they'll tell you "I's address - one may for example choose to put ll drop you off at the number of the department where hestation/road/she was born. Cars that belong to companiestown with 10 euros, including rental ones usually bear "60alright?" It's not really possible without having a good standard of communication though, so either hope they know English or learn some French! I also wouldn't recommend doing "76it" since tax on corporate vehicles is if you have no money or already had access to the lowest thereinternet or a phone, solely because of guilt. The existing old plates will be still Even though I was genuine in use for a while.my requests I didn't feel happy taking their money, but food is food!'' - Aaronishappy

* The '''Police Nationale''' are tasked with policing urban areas with more than 20France is great because it has roundabouts,000 inhabitants, and which makes for slow traffic on the surrounding highway infrastructuresmaller roads. As suchOf course, you will probably rarely encounter them while thumbing.* The '''Gendarmerie''' is a military agency tasked with policing all of the French Republic where the population is lower than 20big highways are off-limits in many cases,000. They are the enforcement agency you will have the most chance to encounter while on the road.* The but that'''Douanes''' are the customs agency for the French Republics alright. They mostly patrol close to bordersBeautiful countryside, looking for suspicious activity, but can operate anywheregood people. They are often active on highways and péages going south from [[Belgium]] For me I enjoyed eating lots of cheese and [[Luxembourg]], looking for people transporting large amounts lots of tobacco or looking for hitchhikers from the [[Netherlands]] who may be carrying cannabisbaguettes, as well cliche as near the border with that may sound.'' - [[SpainUser:Chael777|Chael]]. It is said of them, that they care about goods, not persons, which is basically true, but they are allowed to check your ID and the contents of your luggage.

To make a long story short''Don't be afraid to approach people at service stations just because your French is weak (or, in Francelike me, it is expected that any person can prove its identity when requested by an agent of these agenciesnon-existent). The easiest and most common way to do it is to show them an official ID ; however it can also be done by having someone else testify that you are indeed the person you say you are. Agents on patrol After a quick 'bonjour', especially Gendramesor 'vous allez ou?', can stop people were happy to ask you questionshelp. Most of the time Many people didn't speak English, they will ask you where are you headedwith some I got by in Spanish, maybe a few other vague questions, remind you that hitchhiking is illegal on the highways (even if you are not on a highway and with 3 or 4 we had no language in common at the moment)all. Nevertheless, wish you a nice day people were still kind and drive awaywilling to help. If they ask you for a proof of identity, the best thing would be to show them an official ID ; however if you cooperate somewhat they probably won't go even that far.' - [[User:Justunein|Justunein]]

== Personal Experiences ==''In my experience it's pretty much impossible to go hungry My Hitch in France. While hitching went marvellously! Check this, I almost ALWAYS get 10 or 5 euros thrown was walking along the street in Nimes, minding my wayown business, and once even 60 euroa woman pulled up in a car and asked me if I wanted to hitch to Marseille! The key is to imply you have no money She asked me!! When we got there, she showed me around and I slept on her sofa (helps the guilt if whenever I tell French men about this they invariably respond 'Did you actually don't have any like I did'fork'' her?'). Ask where you can use the internet or a phoneThe next day, but WITHOUT PAYINGI got 5 hitches from Marseille to Limans, and 90% for 3 of them all I had to do was hold up a cardboard sign and the time they'll tell you "first car that came picked me up. Iwas going to write that it'll drop you off at s like taking the station/road/town with 10 eurosbus, alright?" It's not really possible without having a good standard of communication though, so either hope they know English or learn some French! I also wouldn't recommend doing "it" if but you have no money or already had access to wait for busses!'' As a bonus, the internet or a phonepeople who I hitched with were really nice, solely because so much so that one of guilt. Even though I was genuine in them lied and said that my requests I didnFrench wasn't feel happy taking their moneyso bad! Oh yeah, but food and the bit about French bakeries is foodincomplete. They have pastries round the back too!!'' - Aaronishappy 

"Don't be afraid to approach people at service stations just because your 'I started my first hitchhike tour in France and found out that most French is weak (or, like me, non-existent). After a quick 'bonjour', or 'vous allez ou?', people were are very kind and in most cases they are happy to helptake you with them. Many But I think it's really helpful to speak even a little bit French so you can say want you want and where you want to go because most of French people didndon't like to speak English, with some I got english or maybee they are not able to. Espacally in the south of france it's also possible to travel short distances by in Spanishtrain for free, because most of them are not controlled. In case of controlling you can say that you're out of money and with 3 or 4 we had no language in common at allmost cases they will not send you a bill because it is to complicated for them to find you in your home country. Nevertheless, people were still kind And even if you are in bad luck and willing to helpthey will find you the price is not even higher than the ticket for the train." - [[User:Justunein|Justunein]]''

"My Hitch in Hitchhikernick - hitched several times through France went marvellously! Check this, I was walking along over the years with the street in Nimes, minding my own business, and a woman pulled up in a car and asked me if I wanted latest being January 2024 from Chamonix to hitch to Marseille! She asked me!! When we got there, she showed me around and I slept on her sofa (whenever I tell French men about this they invariably respond 'Did you ''fork'' her?')Andorra whilst the farmers protests were happening. The next dayprotests slowed things down a bit, I got 5 hitches from Marseille but still managed to Limans, and for 3 of them all I had get to do was hold up a cardboard sign and the first car that came picked me upAndorra in just over 2 days. Very rarely given any money or bought food. Average waiting time 1.5hrs. I was going to write that it's like taking the bus, ''but you have to wait for busses!'' As a bonus, the people who I hitched with were really nice, so much so that one Mixture of them lied and said that my French wasn't so bad! Oh yeah, highways and the bit about French bakeries is incompletenational roads. They have pastries round the back too!!"

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