All French road signs
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Learn every sign of the French highway code and its exact meaning. Essential to pass the theory exam: signs are the most tested topic.
The sign categories
Danger (triangle)
Red triangle: warns of a hazard ahead - bend, crossing, works, slippery road. Slow down.
Prohibition & obligation
Round signs: prohibition (red border) or obligation (blue background).
Priority & information
Priority signs (give way, stop, priority road) and information signs (blue).
Read the shape before the pictogram
French road signs are grouped into families, and each family has its own shape and colour. Learning that grid first means you can classify a sign - and often answer the question - before you have looked at the drawing in the middle.
| Family | Function | Shape and colour | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danger | Warning | Triangle, red border | Dangerous bend, level crossing |
| Intersection & priority | Priority | Inverted triangle, octagon, diamond | Give way, stop, priority road |
| Prohibition | Bans | Circle, red border | No entry, no overtaking |
| Obligation | Mandatory | Solid blue circle | Compulsory direction, compulsory cycle lane |
| Indication | Information | Blue square or rectangle | Built-up area, 30 zone, motorway |
| Temporary | Roadworks | Yellow background | Diversion, works ahead |
Prohibition versus obligation: the mistake that costs most
A red-bordered circle forbids. A solid blue circle requires. The two are visually close and logically opposite, and confusing them turns easy questions into lost points.
The clearest example: a blue circle with a bicycle does not mean "cyclists allowed", it means cyclists must use this lane. A red-bordered circle with a bicycle means cyclists are forbidden. Same drawing, opposite instruction.
The lookalike pairs that decide exam results
It is never the rare signs that cost marks - it is the pairs that differ by a single stroke.
| Pair | What differs | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| No parking / no stopping | One stroke versus two crossed strokes | Stopping stays allowed, or does not |
| Give way / stop | Inverted triangle versus octagon | Slowing is enough, or a full stop is required |
| Priority road / end of priority road | Diamond, plain or struck through | Priority to the right resumes |
| Prohibition / obligation | Red border versus solid blue | Forbidden or compulsory - the opposite |
The exam rarely asks what a sign means. It asks what you must do - which is why knowing the family is not enough on its own.
How far a sign applies
This is the second most common source of mistakes after prohibition versus obligation. As a rule, a sign applies until the next junction, unless an end sign cancels it earlier or a supplementary panel states a distance.
Zone signs behave differently: a sign marked "zone" covers the entire area up to its matching end sign, junctions included. So a 30 zone does not stop at the first side street - and that is exactly what the exam question is checking.
- Ordinary sign: applies to the next junction.
- With an end sign: applies until that end sign.
- With a "… m" panel: applies over the stated distance.
- Zone sign: applies to the whole zone, junctions included.
Signs that set a speed without showing a number
Several indication signs change the limit with no figure on them. The built-up area sign imposes 50 km/h from the moment you pass it. A 30 zone covers the whole area. A zone de rencontre means 20 km/h with pedestrians entitled to the full width of the road. The motorway sign opens 130 km/h and simultaneously excludes pedestrians, cyclists and mopeds.
Exam questions show one of these and ask for the maximum permitted speed. Without the sign-to-speed link, the answer is simply unreachable.
French signage in numbers
- 6 — families of signs
- 10–15 — exam questions
- 1/3 — of the available marks
- 40 — questions in total
Frequently asked questions
How many signs must you know for the exam?
The main signs of each category: danger, prohibition, obligation, priority and information. Practise with the full gallery.
How many road signs are there in France?
Several hundred across the main families, but roughly thirty come up regularly in the theory exam. Learning the shape-and-colour grid first covers far more ground than memorising individual signs.
How do I recognise a prohibition sign?
It is round with a red border on a white background. A solid blue circle is not a prohibition - it is an obligation, which is the opposite.
What is the difference between no parking and no stopping?
The no-parking sign, with one diagonal stroke, still allows you to stop to let someone in or out. The no-stopping sign, with two crossed strokes, forbids both.
Are French road signs the same as in Spain, Germany or Italy?
Most follow the Vienna Convention and look similar, but several signs and, more importantly, several underlying rules differ - priority to the right, zones de rencontre, and some cycle lane obligations. Do not transpose habits from one country to another.
How far does a road sign apply?
Usually to the next junction, or to its end sign. A supplementary panel can set a distance or a time window. A zone sign applies to the entire zone, junctions included.