FORUM

Anybody planning a stop in Paris when driving back, be aware that every car now needs to have a Crit'Air sticker which determines what class of pollution your car belongs to. This applies to all cars, no matter which country they are registered.

I had read about it a while ago but forgot to check whether it had become active. Luckily, my experience is that it all goes rather quick, you can apply and pay online and you will get an email confirmation within a couple of days which you can already use while waiting for your sticker. I also read that Strasbourg has just adopted the same scheme and other cities are considering it to.

Thanks Sus. Will mention that in the next P-O Life mag.

Kate wrote:Thanks Sus. Will mention that in the next P-O Life mag.

It might be worth adding that there’s a site in English specifically for applicants outside France (the postage costs a bit more than for applicants here): you have to attach a copy of your registration document, so check that the address is up to date, because I think that’s where they insist on sending it.

https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

They don’t seem to give any links to the restrictions which might actually apply to you on high pollution days (or where, apart from Paris, inside the periph): I guess they are at the websites of the relevant mairies, whichever they are by the time you get there.

martyn94 wrote:

Kate wrote:Thanks Sus. Will mention that in the next P-O Life mag.

It might be worth adding that there’s a site in English specifically for applicants outside France (the postage costs a bit more than for applicants here): you have to attach a copy of your registration document, so check that the address is up to date, because I think that’s where they insist on sending it.

https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

They don’t seem to give any links to the restrictions which might actually apply to you on high pollution days (or where, apart from Paris, inside the periph): I guess they are at the websites of the relevant mairies, whichever they are by the time you get there.

Incidentally, I didn’t point the moral that the restrictions in Paris don’t apply to the periph itself, if you are just passing through and getting no closer. That’s understandable: it would an utter shambles if they tried to enforce it: but the air can be filthy there if you get stuck in a traffic jam particularly under the covered bits. And you probably will get stuck in a traffic jam.

I’ve also read about driving and parking advantages to some sticker holders, presumably the most ‘green’ ones, with reserved parking spaces and special lanes in heavy traffic- but I can’t find any more details.

There doesn't seem to be much real world correlation between the EURO designation (based on lab tests) and on the road pollution.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt ... ar_exhaust

Russell

Sus wrote:Anybody planning a stop in Paris when driving back, be aware that every car now needs to have a Crit'Air sticker which determines what class of pollution your car belongs to. This applies to all cars, no matter which country they are registered.

I had read about it a while ago but forgot to check whether it had become active. Luckily, my experience is that it all goes rather quick, you can apply and pay online and you will get an email confirmation within a couple of days which you can already use while waiting for your sticker. I also read that Strasbourg has just adopted the same scheme and other cities are considering it to.

To add to my previous post, we received the actual sticker within a week, so all together it was a straight forward and quick process