Road safety: what tires in winter?

The studded or stud tires can be used until Sunday, March 28, 2021. If weather conditions so require, the prefects may change this date.

The use of contact tires or snow tires, which have a sculpted structure and notches designed for maximum adhesion, is not regulated.

For their part, chains are allowed on snow-covered roads, whatever the time of year. They are mandatory (at least on both-wheel drive) on sections of roads with sign B26 compulsory special equipment.

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On the road sections defined by the panel B26, the use of snow tires nevertheless remains allowed provided that the snow tires allowed is explicitly mentioned. If this is not specified, the driver shall use chains.

And if you are traveling in Europe, the European Consumer Center France reminds you of the rules for using winter tires in different europeans:

• mandatory in Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Slovenia;
• Compulsory under certain conditions in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania and Slovakia;
• not compulsory unless signposting is in Spain, France and Italy;
• not compulsory in Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.