UKC

Oops somehow I missed this, knowing only about the Paris situation. I'm travelling around the Écrins region in less than 2 weeks so it's too later to get a sticker sent out.

I can't quite work out from all the reports -- so does anyone know:

Do you need a sticker on your windscreen when travelling around the Grenoble region AT ANY TIME? Or is it only during a pollution controlled event that you are breaking the law without one?

Cheers

In reply to BruceM:

Think its only when there's an alert, as last week in Paris. Up until then, although we had a sticker we hadn't got round to putting it on the windscreen, and although we don't go into central Paris much by car, had never had a problem. We drove past Grenoble on Sunday morning & no signs indicating that they are needed at the moment.

Stormy in the Ecrins today (we are in the Champsaur), with a two hour heavy downpour just finished, luckily we got back just as the rain started

In reply to Doug:
Cheers Doug. Bad news about the rain.

It seems there was an event in Grenoble last week

http://urbanaccessregulations.eu/news-and-press/grenoble-emergency-lez-june...

So I guess it's tricky to know the times of operation on the ground, especially if you're up in the hills.

I'll put in an app for a sticker, but it's not going to get here in a week and a bit.

In reply to BruceM:

Depends indeed on the pollution level, would recommend to just order the sticker. it's really cheap, so why not? Mine arrived in just a few days.

The website is horrible as it keeps switching back to French...

In reply to tjin:
Cheers. A few days delivery would be great. I'll cross fingers.

In reply to BruceM:

As others have said it depends on the conditions. I live south of Grenoble and went up to Chamonix and back at the weekend and the motorway ringroads were all limited to 70kph and the overhead gantries stated that no cars over 20 years old were allowed in town. It didn't say which Crit'air sticker numbers were allowed though. The air was hazy and smoggy so it was obviously bad.

I would get one anyway - two weeks should be fine - I think mine arrived in a week (although if you're not in france it might take longer).

If you're not actually going into town, and just using the ring roads you should be OK.

In reply to BruceM:

Go online and register.It is only a few euros. You are then ok as you can print off a paper copy of the sticker. Our sticker arrived a few weeks later

In reply to PGD:

Yes, I've put an order in. Don't think it will arrive in the UK by next Friday though. But...

I don't think that simulation thing you can print out is a valid sticker. It doesn't have any details on about your vehicle and clearly says it is a simulation only. Not sure what for.

In reply to BruceM:

I got an e-mail with a PDF attachment a day or so after the order went in. The attachment shows you've paid and what classification your vehicle has. It is linked to your order and the vehicle and it says this can be used as temporary validation of your vehicle classification until the sticker arrives in the post. My sticker arrived a week or two later.

Cheers
Mark

In reply to MCass:

Oh, cool. Thanks for that.

In reply to BruceM:

Thanks for flagging this up. I was unaware of this scheme.

Can anyone tell me where the Grenoble Crit-Air applies ? We may be passing on the motorway in a few weeks time.

Does it also apply in the Vercours ?

A map on the Crit-Air website would be useful !

Is the French Crit-Air sticker applicable Europe wide or do you need a separate for Germany, Italy etc ?

In reply to IPPurewater:

Hi

The Grenoble zone is marked on this map:

https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/de/map/frankreichgrenoblezpa_146981#11/45.154...

and covers the main route down the Grenoble valley from Voreppe toll station south.

Given what the others have said, it sounds as if you might have enough time to get one sorted before your trip.

I agree that info is hard to find! Traveled down around the region at Christmas and didn't notice anything either. Mind you I am just a bumbly French learner.

In reply to BruceM:

Thanks very much Bruce.

In reply to BruceM:

Interesting, that map seemed to be much larger than my experience of driving round the city and seeing the warning signs but it seems you're right - so my previous comment about sticking on the ring road is invalid. Much more information in English here too.

https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-critair-vignette/french-en...

After five consecutive days of pollution peak, only the vehicles with the Crit’Air categories 1 to 5 will be allowed to drive.
From the 7th day of pollution peak, only the vehicles with the Crit’Air categories 1 to 3 will be allowed to drive. The Crit’Air categories 4 and 5 will not be allowed to drive at all.
Furthermore, the Prefect of the Department can decide to apply the rules planed for the 5th day already on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd day of pollution peak if the values limits of air pollutants are exceeded. That is why conductors should preferably get a vignette Crit’Air in any case to avoid such unplanned circumstances.

Furthermore, from the 2nd day of pollution peak, the traffic speed will be lowered by 20 km/h on country roads, expressways and highways (normal speed limit 90/110/130).
In parallel, the prices of the public transport services will be reduced on these days as well as the prices for the car parks P+R. From the 7th day of pollution peak, public transport will be free in the conurbation of Grenoble.

In reply to yorkshireman:
Thanks for the info. Nothing gets easier does it!
It does look like another tax as well.

In reply to yorkshireman:

There were no restrictions or speed reductions yesterday on autoroute/rocade sud around Grenoble. Surely if they tried to enforce having a vignette for autoroute trafic it'd lead t the most monumental snarl up! It's bad enough as it is...!

In reply to Fruit:
The air in Paris last week was really bad, the worst I've known it in some 15 years and previous measures of banning vehicles with odd/even number plates on alternative days didn't work too well as they allowed very polluting vehicles to drive in the city centre. The new system which at least attempts to control vehicles by their impact is a step in the right direction & the cost is pretty low - I suspect the cost barely covers the administration. I wish they would try & get more folk not to drive in the city centre as other than a few specific groups (eg handicapped, those who need to carry tools/materials, deliveries but not mothers with one kid in large 4 wheel drive cars) there is no need as public transport is good but the motoring lobby fight every little change - ever wondered why Paris has so few pedestrian only areas ?

Here's a good one:

Which side of the windscreen do you stick the vignette on a UK RH drive vehicle?

Do you keep to the instructions, and place it on the RHS of the screen as per EU vehicles (potentially in the line of vision in a UK car).

Or more sensibly for UK vehicles, will they accept it if you stick it on the LHS of the screen.

Detail, detail, I know...but aren't these little things quite important en France?

In reply to yorkshireman:

The link from the website posted where you order the vignett from says 29.95 whereas this one says 4.80 inc delivery, not sure what the difference is.
https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/demande-ext/cgu

In reply to Fruit:


I'm not sure but I used the same link you posted (actually was given to us by our HR department for our company cars but also used it for our private car)

In reply to Jon:


I drive round and into Grenoble a lot and have never ever seen a check. I don't think they check moving autoroute traffic but guess parking enforcement will check vignettes on parked cars. The last couple of days have got windier and cooler with a little bit of rain overnight yesterday so I guess the air has been moved around a bit which helped.

In reply to Fruit:

For those looking to buy a vignette, definitely go via this official site:

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

It costs €4.80 (incl postage to UK). There are warnings about buying from other sites at 4-5 times the price. [Maybe I should start up one of those ]