Air Quality Certificate France

[agbucks]

We are off to Angouleme next week in our ‘69 911S. I have checked the eligibility for an AQC from the French authorities web site and the car is not eligible for a certificate (AQC). Upon further email exchanges the French authorities have responded advising to contact the town hall of ‘your municipality in order to know the traffic directives put in place’!
Anyone of this forum any experience of driving a vehicle over 40 years old in France?

 

[T8Turbo]

You only need a clean air sticker in zones that require them. Avoid those areas and you'll be fine.

More details here -> Crit'Air clean air stickers - need to know for driving in France | RAC Drive

This website is useful too -> Bath (urbanaccessregulations.eu)

 

[Robin]

I drove my '73 911S to Le Mans Classic this year without a Crit-air sticker and drove through Rouen and Le Mans and other towns and villages and did not encounter any problems at all. Last September drove the 1964 356C through Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and France again without any Umwelt or Crit-Air screen stickers. Again no problems.
I was led to understand that the cars are exempt from the various environmental air pollution rules or regulations.
Enjoy your drive and don't get caught for speeding (as-if)

 

[NeilH]

Hi all,

Resurrecting the thread (can't see a more recent one) - as off to France (Le Mans Classic) in couple of weeks and see potential for changes in legislation since your experiences!

- 1981 911 on Historic register (UK)
- Route, Caen to LM plus some touring south of Le Mans, hopefully no restricted zones

I'm seeing from below French government website I can't apply for a vignette - car too old and it blocks me!
There's no mention of "historic" exemption, unlike the UK
Assume I can't therefore drive through ZCR and ZPA permanent/temp zones? Friend mentioned Le Mans maybe one - but can't see it listed!

Odd thing is, there's also mention you get fined if not displaying a vignette! I assume this means when within a Zone, as opposed to the open roads, as I'm blocked from buying one and therefore contradictory?

Le site officiel de la vignette Crit'Air (certificat qualité de l'air) - Ministère de la Transition écologique

Le seul site officiel à délivrer la vignette Crit'Air (certificat qualité de l'air), établie en fonction des émissions polluantes du véhicule.

www.certificat-air.gouv.fr

Thanks in advance
Neil

 

[Scrounger]

Just doing some Googling, it appears that if your car is older than 1997 you cannot apply for a vignette and should not drive in clean air zones.

I'd try and plan your route well away of the zones if you can.

Dan

 

[pitchinginaporsche]

I have no experience of driving a car older than 97 in France. However, I have resided in Paris off and on for years with work and have never seen or heard of anyone being fined or even checked for the vignette. It appears to be somewhat less stringently enforced than our joyous London dictate. Its fair to say that if you get pulled over for some other reason, then maybe the vignette would be an issue as part of that examination.

I do now have a vignette but happily drove around Paris in various post 97 Boxsters, my 2013 Yeti and 2002 911 for a long time without one.

Maybe though with a pre-97 car the only definite solution is to stay out of the clean air zones if possible?

 

[supersport]

I have no experience of driving a car older than 97 in France. However, I have resided in Paris off and on for years with work and have never seen or heard of anyone being fined or even checked for the vignette. It appears to be somewhat less stringently enforced than our joyous London dictate. Its fair to say that if you get pulled over for some other reason, then maybe the vignette would be an issue as part of that examination.

I do now have a vignette but happily drove around Paris in various post 97 Boxsters, my 2013 Yeti and 2002 911 for a long time without one.

Maybe though with a pre-97 car the only definite solution is to stay out of the clean air zones if possible?

This was also my understanding, I got the sense it was largely ignored. My car 1987 isn't eligible either.

En route to the Classic we just go around Rouen, which is a good idea anyway as it can be busy.

 

[NeilH]

Thanks all for replies. Sorry I've been slow!

Seems you all arrive at the same, though I possibly found a bit more via Google and its AI replies (not sure I totally trust it)

- French registered cars over 30 years of age are apparently exempt from needing a Vignette and can enter all CRIT air zones (like UK Historic (40 years) status and ULEZ)

- Unluckily, there's no way to link/register a UK Historic registration to a French equivalent exemption!

- Is/was left to the discretion of the Gendarme in such a case! Though, I've been told more ANPR cameras are/will/may automatically clock you.


All clear then!

Hopefully as you say it's not being enforced that much!

Best regards