chislenko

Hello all, hope that an interloper from the Portugal forum can get an answer here.
We will be driving down from Cherbourg down the west coast en route to Portugal soon. Done it many times before but pre Crit Air.

The only big city we will really pass through will be Bordeaux and that is only on the ring road. Are there more and more Crit Air zones now or is it still confined to a few city centres?

Thanks in advance.

dmu

https://www.crit-air.fr/nc/fr/inform...zone-zpad.html
Hi, according to this link, it isn't just Bordeaux but the whole of the Gironde Département which is concerned by the Crit'Air Regulations.
If your French isn't up to it, the gist is that you would have a 68€ fine for not displaying the Vignette, and a reduction in speed if a peak is officially announced just before you pass through.
Boa viagem!

Tweedpipe

Hi,
Welcome. No problem in getting an answer here, especially as I'm occasionally a neck-stretcher on the Portugal forum.
I'm not aware that you'll need any specific vignette for your motoring trip proposed route. However take a read of THIS which gives general ZPA limits for the Gironde/Bordeaux region.
You may well find some speed reductions on the Bordeaux ring-road in the event of peak air polution. This is occasionaly the case on the Toulouse inner and outer ring-roads in the summer where the speed limit is reduced from 90kph to 70/50kph when conditions are bad. Generaly the local news media given prior notification.
Enjoy your trip!

Zut!......DMU pipped me to the post by minutes. My link is in English.
My understanding of the above is that a purchased vignette to display would only be required in specifically defined inner city zones. Don't think you'd need one on the ring-road - although I stand to be corrected.

dmu

I imagine the absence would only be noticed if there was a spot check by the gendarmes for some reason, anywhere in the Gironde. If the OP hasn't infringed the law, the Gendarmes might wave a foreign-registered car on if they're in a good mood....

chislenko

Thanks for your help, I think for the cost I will get one anyway. According to the calculator on the official site we would be in band two having a Euro 6 diesel.

Are the lower speeds flashed up on electronic signs or is it something you come to know with experience?

Tweedpipe

I'd expect them to be indicated electronically. Also several times on the TLS ring-road they have temporarily shown the restricted speed on the roadside signs themselves.

notgrampa

Based on recent experience you wont get anywhere near the speed limit on the Bordeaux Rocade due to traffic congestion ! Unless your passing through between 1 am and 4 am.

chislenko

Yes been held up on it a few times in the past. Strangely though when we came for a football match at Euro 2016, when you would expect it to be busy, it was totally clear and we breezed our way to the ground.

Anyway I have ordered the Crit Air Cert from the French Gov Site, for 4 euros it is not worth the risk of not having it.