A French road trip is a wonderful thing — until a tyre lets you down on a hot motorway far from home. Ten minutes of checks before you leave can save you hours at the roadside. Here is a straightforward checklist any driver can run through the weekend before departure.
Check your pressures — cold
Always check pressures when the tyres are cold, meaning the car has not been driven for a couple of hours. Find the correct figures on the sticker inside the driver's door jamb or in the handbook, and remember there is usually a higher figure for a fully loaded car.
- A French holiday means a loaded car — passengers, luggage, maybe a roof box — so use the laden pressures, not the everyday ones.
- Underinflated tyres run hot, and heat plus a long motorway run is the classic recipe for a blowout, especially in a Provençal summer.
- Don't forget the spare, if you have one — a flat spare is no use to anyone.
Look at the tread
The UK and French legal minimum is 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre, but for a long trip in mixed weather you really want more than the bare minimum.
- Use the tread wear indicators — the small raised bars in the grooves. If the tread is level with them, the tyre is finished.
- Check for uneven wear, which can point to alignment or pressure problems worth sorting before you go.
- If a tyre is borderline, replace it now rather than risk it abroad. Bear in mind tyres are fitted in pairs, so plan for two.
Inspect the sidewalls
Run your hand around each sidewall and look for cuts, cracks or bulges. A bulge means the internal structure has failed and the tyre could let go without warning — it must be replaced before any long journey. Fine cracking in the rubber is a sign of age.
Consider the age of your tyres
Tyres degrade with time as well as mileage. Find the four-digit DOT date stamped on the sidewall — the first two digits are the week, the last two the year. Tyres more than a few years old, even with good tread, can be hardened and less safe, so factor age into your decision.
Pack the compulsory kit
France requires certain items by law, and it is easier to sort them at home than at a French service station:
- A high-visibility vest for the driver, stored in the cabin within reach — ideally one for every passenger.
- A warning triangle.
- Headlamp beam deflectors if your car needs them, so you don't dazzle oncoming traffic.
Know your spare situation
Open the boot and check what you actually have: a full-size spare, a space-saver, or just a sealant kit. If it is only a kit, understand that it handles small tread punctures and nothing more. Either way, have a plan for who to call if a tyre fails badly while you are away.
If you've forgotten something or run into trouble
Even with the best preparation, French roads serve up potholes, debris and brutal summer heat. If you do pick up a puncture or a blowout around Lyon or anywhere along the Var coast, you don't have to limp to a garage — we bring the tyres to you and fit them where you have safely stopped. Call +33 9 72 16 29 07, talk to English-speaking staff, and get back on the road with the least possible fuss.