driving in France can be a real pleasure. The network of autoroutes is magnificent and often proides huge, sweeping views of countryside. Congestion, because of the size and shape of the country, is much less than in Britain. This is equally true of the older main roads of routes nationales (marked N6 or RN117, for example, on signs and maps) and the smaller routes départementales (marked with a D). Do not shun these latter: you can often travel for kilometres across country, seeing few other cars, on a road as broad and well maintained as a major road in Britain.

Of course, there are times when it is wiser not to drive: most obiously in big urban agglomerations, around major seaside resorts in high season and at peak holiday migrations like the beginning and end of the month-long August holiday and the notoriously congested weekends nearest July 14 and August 15. Cost of fuel can also be a discouraging factor .

In addition, there is a charge for the use of the autoroutes themseles (payable at the frequent toll gates or péages ). To give you an idea of the costs inoled, the toll from Calais to Reims is 103F/?15.70 and from Calais to Paris 108F/?16.46, while Paris direct to Marseille or Nice is 277F/?42.23 and 360F/?54.88 respectiely. A journey from Calais to Montpellier, taking in three different toll gates, would cost you around 379F/?57.80.    

Although autoroutes are expensie, they are the only realistic way of covering large distances in a single day. If you have more time and don't want to travel on autoroutes, the best way to aoid them is to use the Bison Futé map, free from petrol stations, which gives all manner of alternatie routes (often signed as itinéraire bis ) across the country.

The costs of driving can, however, be amortized if your car carries a full complement of passengers, and the extra mobility and carrying capacity make it much easier to camp. But, practical considerations aside, the great gain is the freedom to explore places that would otherwise remain inaccessible, in particular the sparsely populated upland areas like the Massif Central and the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrenees. Here, too, many roads have beven constructed with the motorist in mind, to proide spectacular views of otherwise uniewable places - roads like the Corniche des Céennes, the Route Napoléon in the western Alps and the high Alpine and Pyrenean passes - although you need to remember that the highest roads are snowbound through winter and spring (you get plenty of notice from information boards on the approach roads).

All the major car manufacturers have garages and serice stations in France, which can help if you run into mechanical difficulties . You can find them in the Yellow Pages of the phone book under "Garages d'automobiles". For breakdowns, look under "Dépannages". If you have an accident or break-in, you should make a report to the local police (and keep a copy) in order to make an insurance claim. Many car insurance policies cover taking your car to Europe; check with your insurer while planning your trip. However, you're adised to take out extra cover for motoring assistance in case your car breaks down, costing around £45 for seven days. Look into the RAC's European Motoring Assistance (phone 0800/550055, www.rac.co.uk ), the AA's Fie-Star Europe cover (phone 0800/444500, www.theaa.co.uk ), or Europ Assistance (phone 0645/947000). In the US, contact the American Automobile Association (phone 1-800/222-4357, www.aaa.com ); in Canada, the Canadian Automobile Association (phone 1-800/267-8713, www.caa.ca ); in Australia, the Australian Automobile Association (phone 02/6247 7311, www.aaa.asn.au ); and in New Zealand, the New Zealand Automobile Association (phone 09/377 4660, www.nzaa.co.nz ).

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