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The 48 hours after the practical test is fairly recent. The reason is to protect the examiners from the rage of those who fail. It was a serious problem when they told the prospective driver s/he'd failed.
I didn't think that hearing about the French driver's license system could be so entertaining -- but you did that thing! You look great Jay, rested and well. Hope you enjoy the holidays
The question where the Vitesse or speed limit is the largest factor of lives lost, is because the specific mention of Autoroute. On highways speed is the largest factor and on normal roads and agglomeration alcohol is the largest factor. I was myself confused with this question, while revising for my Code De La Route, which I passed last week on my first try (it was just luck). But yeah saw your video for pure production quality, and info for the final driving test. Good luck mate.
I immediately reached for my volume button, to turn off the music I thought was playing on my computer, I almost fell off my chair! Thanks, Jay for playing the song! And of course huge congrats on getting the license! I worked as a coursier (scooter courier) in Paris for a company called Reels On Wheels delivering English language videos, oh so many years ago... 🔥🧨💪🏽🤠👍🏽🧨🔥
We really enjoyed the story telling/narration style of this video. You made it a lot of fun to watch with the little comments regarding the French system of obtaining a license.
I wasn't even this intrigued by getting my own license, but here I am, 30 minutes deep on your adventure. That was highly entertaining, Jay. I've said it before, but long-form storytelling Jay videos are the best videos. Congrats on getting your license.
Love this vlog. What a bureacratic fuddle this France is. I salute you for muddling thru it and persevering. And now you're officially a driver. Looking forward to your new adventures! We will happily ride along.
Good for you. Honestly the signage would have had me stumped for sure and the whole process seems very intimidating. Which explains the horror stories you had been hearing. Your efforts and determination really paid off. Now you have the freedom to explore! Congratulations 👏
OMG! So glad you finally got it. Looking forward to Travels With Jay around France. Parallel parking almost did me in as well. You would think there would be fewer drivers after all the hoops you had to go through. But, no, c’est la vie.
Canadian living in London here. The moment I was eligible I swapped my Ontario licence for a UK one. Other than getting an automatic only licence, I don't regret it one bit... except that it's terrifying to drive here. Tons of weird signs, lane signs that don't match the markings on the road, etc. Every drive is an adventure!
@@JaySwanson Definitely a good point. To prepare myself I downloaded several theory test practice apps and repeatedly failed over irrelevant things (like questions about changing gears, mechanical questions, etc.). But I've got the signs down now, and I'm confident driving my usual routes, it's just when Google Maps decides to take me an alternate route that things get scary.
@Léopold van Aubel Sure, but that probably has a lot to do with drivers' reactions to perceived risk... and of course the drives are more territorial in North America.
I'm Canadian living in Scotland and I decided it's not for me. Driving in Glasgow is seriously messed. I've driven all over the world and this is the worst. Even as a passenger I can't even spot the traffic lights. Lol. Bus lanes....and stupid sign placements. Ppl parking on the road when there's only one lane. 🙄 pulling over to let the other car pass etc... I HATE it. Now I just Walk!! Haha. I miss Canadian driving.
I live in London, we have zip-car, which is great for people who want to occasionally use a car but don't want the expense/hassle of owning one. But youre right, there are still places you need a car to get to, sadly.
P.S. The right of way thing is how it is here in Sweden too. . . .as far as I know, all of Scandinavia actually has what we call höger regel and the round abouts are the same. I'm in the same boat you've been in so I've only ever driven in Norway :p If somebody drives me to the border I can drive on the other side but Sweden is a no no. My Swedish DL is my next thing to tackle actually.
Jay. Congrats 🎉 on passing and getting your French Driver's license. What a nightmare to get it. I thought using our DMV and driving in NYC was a pain. Looking forward to your road trips !!!!
Congratulations! The French red tape is LONG and STICKY! 🤣 48 hours? Crazy! At least they didn't constantly say, "Pas possible!" Ugh! I'm excited to see what new adventures you take us on. We rented a car in Avignon and drove around Provence to Arles. It was great getting to stop at little wineries, visit Les Beaux and all the windmills. Cool stuff you only see by car. ENJOY!!! 😊👍
FYI they used to tell you right away if you passed, but after some 'violent reactions' of some candidates who I bet didn't pass, they changed the system to protect the inspector. In my case, the guy told my instructor, which I believe is a common thing because they all know each other, so I just had to work her a little to get my answer.
Haha, at least they cracked for you. Definitely don't think it's a good solution personally, but it's what we get to live with (and what's another 48hrs of unnecessary stress in France?😆)
Congratulations Jay! I'm so happy for you! All the adventures we are gonna have 😁😁😁😍😍😍. Can I just say you are looking beautiful,all that self care and exercise you look incredible! Sending you much love 😘😘😘
LOL poor Lindsey 🤣 she looked like she was having flashbacks to getting her license the first time in the US! Can't wait to see all the new towns and villages you'll get to visit!
Félicitations, Jay!🎉 A lesson in perseverance! The greater the obstacle, the greater the glory in overcoming it! Honestly, it sounds like the constant 48hr waiting period was the most trying!😆 Congrats again! Vroom, vroom!
Toutes mes félicitations pour cette belle réussite !! L'épreuve la plus difficile finalement aura été de surmonter la lenteur administrative française... Prochaine destination pour les vacances = Massy !! (Ton copilote en Mini de la rue des belles feuilles) 😉
Congratulations on getting your 🇫🇷 license! Fortunately, I was able to use my CA license this past August and September when I drove to Charost and to Normandy. For some reason I didn't mind the roundabouts in France; I hate them here, maybe because none of us are used to them and I've seen many near misses. It was great to drive in the countryside. In Paris, EEK, UGH, CRAZY! I disagree about the bus. We loved them. In Paris we took the Metro only once (in 8 days) so we could hurry back to the hotel. We took the bus or walked so we could see the sights. I highly recommend the bus, at least for tourists.
I have the same book code de la route 2020 :) Got my first driving license in Washington DC at the age of 16. Then exchanged it for an Algerian one at 18. And now, I have a French one. Without hassle :)
Congratulations Jay! You’ve definitely earned that. French bureaucracy! Aaaargh!! It’s definitely so much easier over here in the Uk. Loved the video. Great to see Mssrs Taylor and Assal too ! Here’s to some fab road trips next year! 👍
years ago inspectors used to tell you the result of the driving test and even gave you a "permis provisoire" (before getting the definitive one at prefecture) so you can drive right away after passed the test but because of agressions of inspectors when people failled, the result is now known days after. I got my driving license in 15 days : 2 days for learning "code" : nearly 1000 photos in 48h (5s to answer instead of 30s during test - dreaming about it when sleeping because it was so intensive), got 0 errors and the other days to learn practical driving , first on a circuit and after in real cities.
As a German living in the states the sign with the black cross that you call “free for all” makes me laugh. It’s a easy rule. If there is no stop or yield sign, the car of your right has the right away. Once you get used to that it makes sense. What i can’t get used to is all way stop signs in the USA. That’s a full blown Mexican stand off! How do you determine who was at the stop first if a crash happens and people cut in front of me a bunch of times. Or people sat around and confused the heck out of each other. I hope you enjoy driving in Europe my friend. Keep up the content. Happy to see you develop and hope you are doing well. Going to Paris with my wife in august!
Lol. In August 2019, my last trip to France, I traveled by train to Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris via Granville and from there went to Normandy, Very enjoyable train trips and at that time, everyone had to take a bus to the Mont-Saint-Michel -- it wasn't possible to drive there. I guess that's another thing that has changed over the last 2 years. Good to know.
You do have to take a bus the last mile to Mont Saint Michel, but I don't think there's a train that gets you that close. All we saw were parking lots at least 😆
I've bought (and am driving) a car in france, with a US license (with the international license rider, which is a notarized paper addendum that you can get by stopping by an AAA in the US before you leave for france). I did have to have a residence here, however. My home insurance company was fine with it, too...but I am required to get my french license faster than I would otherwise have to.
Interesting. At 16:04 you show the warning sign with the cross roads, in Germany we place those at intersection where the right of way is not signed (so defaults to right-most first), where the crossroads might not be easy to spot, or when accidents have been more frequent there. Edit: Finished the video now. In Germany you even get handed your drivers license the moment your test is over, if you pass the age requirement and it has actually been already produced and shipped to the examiners office beforehand.
my French license was stolen on vacation in Italy. When I returned home to Germany I told the government office ….and without proof of ever having a license, they gave me a German license . Even they knew how bad it would be to go thru French administration ! I already had to replace my French license once. I ended up having to say I lived with the pastor of the church I went to when I lived in France…but that is another story.
Hello Jay, congratulation! I laughed a lot while watching this video, especially with the road signs. I'm 54 yrs old but, surprising as it may seem, I don't have the Drive license. I passed it 25 years ago. I got the code at the first time, making a single error. From my third driving lesson, the instructor took me through the humming point of the Place de l'Etoile at the top of the Champs Élysée. Surely that doesn't mean much to an American who doesn't know this roundabout. But those in the know can tell how creepy it can be for someone passing his third driving lesson. I had only driven three hours in my life before this ordeal. 😂 Yet, I did very well, the instructor told me. But, having missed the driving test, I gave up. I intended to try it again of course, but pushed back each time and the years went by. Yet even though it has been so long ago, I have correctly identified all the signs you have shown without any hesitation. Have a friendly day and .
I am a huge fan of Jay's and enjoy his videos very much. Do others that watch these videos upon the opening few seconds go to make a cup of coffee? Due to Jay's love of coffee, I have a Pavlovian response and a need for coffee whenever I watch.
They stopped giving the result right after the driving test because in some "hot suburbs" some angry candidates who failed were becoming aggressive and some examiners got assaulted...
Merci bien! This tragic-comedy brings back some memories. There was the drive from Nice to Aix where I exited the autoroute, stopped at the stop sign at the end of the exit & was promptly rear ended. The diver of the other car was having a rage attack & wanted to know why I stopped. I pointed to the stop sign & he exploded while explainig to me that everybody knows to ignore the sign & forge ahead into the traffic on the road at the end of the exit. Round-abouts? Don't t even get me started. French bureaucracy? Don't get me started. And yet in spite of all that I LOVE France--most of the time ;->
Passed my driving licence in 2004 and it was the year we started to have to wait 48h for the results. Before that it used to be known on the spot, but too many people who failed the test got mad and hurt the exam officers, so now we have to wait 48h to know if you passed.
Since you were in France did you expect it to be easy or make sense? Way to go and a great vlog. Looking forward to more car adventures around Europe. May I suggest a drive through downtown Napoli?
Thank YOu for the Christmas Sticker,I was SURPRISED Thank you. Thank You for this video. This is a VIP video for me. I am NOT certain which country I'm Moving to, France is still there. It's between France The Netherlands and Andorra. I haven't driven my whole life and I'm very tired of living like you've been living except I'm not in Paris. IDK where my life is going ...all in all I just have a PERMIT ...My LIFE IS IN LIMBO. I am just in baby language learning stage. Thank You.
It's ironic that I am allowed to drive in France with a US license, but the French have to jump through hoops. It should probably be the other way around. It wasn't until my fourth trip that I learned: no right on red, max speed on highways is 10% less the posted limit during wet conditions, etc. At the beginning of each trip I seem to forget about the reduce to 50 when entering a town until when one of those reminder signs pops up or the speed measuring sign flashes red with a frowny face. I had no idea the right priority could apply to round-abouts. No wonder ... For the most part I'm usually driving the smallest car possible, paying attention to my speed and the changing limit displayed on my dash with hands clenched on the steering wheel trying make sure my tires don't slip into the meter deep trench on the side of the road as a giant semi passes me head-on on a country road which feels more like someone's winding driveway. It's amazing I made it this far without an accident or ticket.
Wow. What a PITA!!!..... LOL Just a small taste of what REAL life in France can be like! ;-) Congrats on getting your license! Looking forward to road tripping with you!... maybe in 48 hours...
Your confusion with the road signs made me laugh, I think a lot of them are standardised across Europe so things like No Through Road are very familiar. And roundabouts. At least you were familiar with driving on the right & LH drive cars. What puts me off driving a French car in France is that everything would be back to front. Have driven my GB car here - trickiest thing is remembering speeds are in kms, not miles, and looking at the speedometer correctly. But well done at passing (relatively) quickly & easily.
Driving on the opposite side of the road is always intimidating at first, and flipping seats too. I did for a while in South Africa, you'd be surprised how quickly you get used to it
That’s the best view of Mont St. Michel. Up close it’s tacky and busy and it loses its mystical look when you get closer. There’s even a plastic cow on the approach. Then most of the shops are obviously tourist tat. Oh, and if visiting in the summer use mosquito repellent when visiting. Even the car park hosts a whole mass of mozis.
I'm surprised that more US states don't have reciprocity agreement with France (I had to look it up) FLORIDA is listed? the last thing France needs is Floridians driving in their country. "Persons with valid driver's licenses, issued prior to their first entry into France as a resident, from the states of Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Hampshire, Kansas, Michigan, South Carolina and Kentucky may directly 'exchange' their state driver's licenses for French permits."
Have you watched the recently released Gran Tour episode? It's all about French cars and driving in France. Quite funny. Not sure if this video is a segue to it or vice versa!
€720 to take a Driver's License test? Yikes! That's insane. I couldn't live in a place where I couldn't drive. Do they charge the same for people with disabilities? That's crazy! Thank you for sharing! Important stuff for many people. My grandson has wanted to study in France, so this is good to know!
Bad news for you: since last year, you now have to pas a different writing test for your motocycle licence. And the driving tests (yes, plural) are insanely hard, especially the first one, the dreaded "Plateau". The second one, the "circu" is much easier.
Hmmmm, I rented an Audi which was the only automatic vehicle available in Paris, and drove all over France, for a whole month. And yes, Mont Saint-Michel was one of the visiting sights. Having my husband next to me helped with the signage. Other than that , I had no problems. Driving with US driver's license, that is. Thank goodness didn't have to deal with all that joy:/
I have passed the general theory test the first try. It took me about two months, going to a driving school 3 times a week and taking practice tests. Now comes the in the car driving test. My instructor yells at me because I don't stop for cars entering on the right. One time, the car, on the right, was about a half a block from the intersection and I thought I had time to pass. He Yelled "You have to stop!" Okay.
I'm shocked at the amount of hurdles you have to jump to get a license there considering how bad the drivers are in Paris. I saw three accidents in just one week.
Great content and congrats on getting your French license bro, however I wonder how you get to drive a rather powerful vehicle like ds7 since new drivers can’t insure anything above 6 cv. I’m currently stuck with a weak Peugeot 508…
=hello 8 I just watch your video. The 48 hrs wait after passing the practical test is fairly new. Before they would give you the answer right away. But too many driving inspectors got violently beaten or harrassed after falling the test. So they had to put that in place to avoid violence. So that's why !!
Is there a way to get a good Code de la Route while I am still living in the US so I can be prepared and also enhance my understanding of French. You flashed a book very quickly and I could not tell who published it. Much appreciated if you can tell me any good options that might be available here in the United States on Amazon or elsewhere. I enjoyed the video too
You're sure you need one? Depending on what state you're in, you might have a year to transfer your license once you arrive. Many states have this option, but most people don't realize it that that window closes after a year. Worth looking into! There are lots of different code de la routes, and I know someone who used Ornikar (the website) for their online training for the code as well (and they passed)
Very helpful info, one question - For a person who's lived over a year in France with a foreign driving license - assuming I do not get a French driving license soon - can one still drive in other EU countries with my valid non EU country license + IDP?
How did you get the practical test within a week? I past my Code and now have to do 14 lessons starting in June and than they will decide when I can do my practical test!
Most people: "Uergh, the French are ruuuuuude! 🙄" Me, going to Paris in 2018 with barely passable French skills: "YOU GET OUT OF IT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT!" French people in Paris, Versailles, and Mont Saint Michel: *Chill af human beings.* Don't know who Puxan is/was but they're right! Also, your videos were great prep for my French trip! Surf Wisely.
Des inspecteurs de permis de conduire étaient souvent agressés quand ils annonçaient la mauvaise nouvelle alors l'Etat a décidé que la réponse serait donnée 48h heures plus tard. Voilà la raison.
I wanted to contact the driving school to determine how many lessons / hours you need before doing the driving test, however the school (La Maison Du Conducteur) is now closed. Anyone know how this is determined?
Want to join in on the Members-Only roadtrip planning for 2022? I'll drop my research and ideas as I go over at patreon.com/jayswanson for my delightful Patrons! Become a Member today!
The 48 hours after the practical test is fairly recent. The reason is to protect the examiners from the rage of those who fail. It was a serious problem when they told the prospective driver s/he'd failed.
"The rage of those who fail". Wahahaha
I didn't think that hearing about the French driver's license system could be so entertaining -- but you did that thing!
You look great Jay, rested and well. Hope you enjoy the holidays
Thank you! Happy holidays to you too!
The question where the Vitesse or speed limit is the largest factor of lives lost, is because the specific mention of Autoroute. On highways speed is the largest factor and on normal roads and agglomeration alcohol is the largest factor. I was myself confused with this question, while revising for my Code De La Route, which I passed last week on my first try (it was just luck). But yeah saw your video for pure production quality, and info for the final driving test. Good luck mate.
I immediately reached for my volume button, to turn off the music I thought was playing on my computer, I almost fell off my chair! Thanks, Jay for playing the song! And of course huge congrats on getting the license! I worked as a coursier (scooter courier) in Paris for a company called Reels On Wheels delivering English language videos, oh so many years ago... 🔥🧨💪🏽🤠👍🏽🧨🔥
Awesome Jay had your music!
@@PaulYeghouchian I know! To say I'm proud would be an understatement! ☘💪🏽👀👍🏽☘
We really enjoyed the story telling/narration style of this video. You made it a lot of fun to watch with the little comments regarding the French system of obtaining a license.
I wasn't even this intrigued by getting my own license, but here I am, 30 minutes deep on your adventure. That was highly entertaining, Jay. I've said it before, but long-form storytelling Jay videos are the best videos. Congrats on getting your license.
Thanks so much Ryan!
The cool thing about the rural Midwest is that I started driving at 13 😎
Brilliantly edited and put together story Jay. Good to see it like usual.
Thanks!
Love this vlog. What a bureacratic fuddle this France is. I salute you for muddling thru it and persevering. And now you're officially a driver. Looking forward to your new adventures! We will happily ride along.
Thank you!
Wow this video was amazing. Totally amazing edited.
Thank you!
OMG! What a freaking adventure. Well played professor. Thanks for sharing.
Good luck with your Driving license, Jay & have lots of fun in 2022.
Thanks!
Good for you. Honestly the signage would have had me stumped for sure and the whole process seems very intimidating. Which explains the horror stories you had been hearing. Your efforts and determination really paid off. Now you have the freedom to explore! Congratulations 👏
So happy to have it behind me!
OMG! So glad you finally got it. Looking forward to Travels With Jay around France. Parallel parking almost did me in as well. You would think there would be fewer drivers after all the hoops you had to go through. But, no, c’est la vie.
That should always give us hope when pretty much anyone can do it with enough effort haha
Canadian living in London here. The moment I was eligible I swapped my Ontario licence for a UK one. Other than getting an automatic only licence, I don't regret it one bit... except that it's terrifying to drive here. Tons of weird signs, lane signs that don't match the markings on the road, etc. Every drive is an adventure!
I found that to be one major perk to being forced to take the test, now I understand all the crazy signs (even if I'm annoyed by half haha)
@@JaySwanson Definitely a good point. To prepare myself I downloaded several theory test practice apps and repeatedly failed over irrelevant things (like questions about changing gears, mechanical questions, etc.). But I've got the signs down now, and I'm confident driving my usual routes, it's just when Google Maps decides to take me an alternate route that things get scary.
@Léopold van Aubel Sure, but that probably has a lot to do with drivers' reactions to perceived risk... and of course the drives are more territorial in North America.
I'm Canadian living in Scotland and I decided it's not for me. Driving in Glasgow is seriously messed. I've driven all over the world and this is the worst. Even as a passenger I can't even spot the traffic lights. Lol. Bus lanes....and stupid sign placements. Ppl parking on the road when there's only one lane. 🙄 pulling over to let the other car pass etc... I HATE it. Now I just Walk!! Haha. I miss Canadian driving.
My first car was a 1970 Pontiac LeMans, very similar to your Malibu. I loved that car so much that I bought another one around the time I turn 50
I'd love to get another Chevelle
All right…well prepared video…professional and we enjoyed it. You look great and told a good story. Keep it up, man.!😃
Thanks Paul!
I live in London, we have zip-car, which is great for people who want to occasionally use a car but don't want the expense/hassle of owning one. But youre right, there are still places you need a car to get to, sadly.
There are some cool services like that here in Paris too. Thankfully I rarely if ever need a car here but if I do... I'll be ready!
Awesome! Thanks for making this and congrats on the license!
P.S. The right of way thing is how it is here in Sweden too. . . .as far as I know, all of Scandinavia actually has what we call höger regel and the round abouts are the same. I'm in the same boat you've been in so I've only ever driven in Norway :p If somebody drives me to the border I can drive on the other side but Sweden is a no no. My Swedish DL is my next thing to tackle actually.
It's a great one to tackle, definitely feels like a relief to have it behind me
Congratulations and happy motoring!
Thank you!
Jay. Congrats 🎉 on passing and getting your French Driver's license. What a nightmare to get it. I thought using our DMV and driving in NYC was a pain.
Looking forward to your road trips !!!!
Haha, glad I could survive and hope the adventures that follow make it all worthwhile
Congratulations! The French red tape is LONG and STICKY! 🤣 48 hours? Crazy! At least they didn't constantly say, "Pas possible!" Ugh! I'm excited to see what new adventures you take us on. We rented a car in Avignon and drove around Provence to Arles. It was great getting to stop at little wineries, visit Les Beaux and all the windmills. Cool stuff you only see by car. ENJOY!!! 😊👍
Great stuff Jay.
What a great story.
Thank you!
FYI they used to tell you right away if you passed, but after some 'violent reactions' of some candidates who I bet didn't pass, they changed the system to protect the inspector. In my case, the guy told my instructor, which I believe is a common thing because they all know each other, so I just had to work her a little to get my answer.
Haha, at least they cracked for you. Definitely don't think it's a good solution personally, but it's what we get to live with (and what's another 48hrs of unnecessary stress in France?😆)
Bravo!! Congratulations! That was a very informative video and really well done. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thanks Karin!
I like how logically you say all the things. Great man!
I appreciate that!
Congrats Jay, heroic job!!
Thank you!
Congratulations Jay! I'm so happy for you! All the adventures we are gonna have 😁😁😁😍😍😍.
Can I just say you are looking beautiful,all that self care and exercise you look incredible! Sending you much love 😘😘😘
Thank you so much Maiko 🥰
LOL poor Lindsey 🤣 she looked like she was having flashbacks to getting her license the first time in the US! Can't wait to see all the new towns and villages you'll get to visit!
I can't wait to gooooooo
C'est incroyable les obstacles qui peuvent être franchis quand on a de l'énergie et une vue précises. Bravo!
Congrats, Jay!!!
Thank you!
Félicitations, Jay!🎉 A lesson in perseverance! The greater the obstacle, the greater the glory in overcoming it! Honestly, it sounds like the constant 48hr waiting period was the most trying!😆 Congrats again! Vroom, vroom!
Always 48 more hours 😆
Ooh I'm excited to see more travel!
Me too! 🥳
Toutes mes félicitations pour cette belle réussite !! L'épreuve la plus difficile finalement aura été de surmonter la lenteur administrative française... Prochaine destination pour les vacances = Massy !!
(Ton copilote en Mini de la rue des belles feuilles) 😉
Tous mes road trips dans le futur traverseront Massy, c'est clair ! 🚗
Congratulations on getting your 🇫🇷 license! Fortunately, I was able to use my CA license this past August and September when I drove to Charost and to Normandy. For some reason I didn't mind the roundabouts in France; I hate them here, maybe because none of us are used to them and I've seen many near misses. It was great to drive in the countryside. In Paris, EEK, UGH, CRAZY!
I disagree about the bus. We loved them. In Paris we took the Metro only once (in 8 days) so we could hurry back to the hotel. We took the bus or walked so we could see the sights. I highly recommend the bus, at least for tourists.
So happy for you! I can’t wait to watch your new adventures. Merry Christmas Jay!
Thank you!
Great video and valuable information. Good job. You did it.
Thank you!
Congratulations!!!
Thank you!
I have the same book code de la route 2020 :)
Got my first driving license in Washington DC at the age of 16. Then exchanged it for an Algerian one at 18. And now, I have a French one. Without hassle :)
You've jumped through many hoops in your driving journey
So proud of you Jay! What an amazing accomplishment!
Great Action ... waiting what happend next .. going by car in France and Europe. . Enjoy it .
Can't wait to get out there!
Congratulations Jay! You’ve definitely earned that. French bureaucracy! Aaaargh!! It’s definitely so much easier over here in the Uk. Loved the video. Great to see Mssrs Taylor and Assal too ! Here’s to some fab road trips next year! 👍
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Thanks Jay.
I like this video format, or at least your tone of voice narrating
Thank you! It's fun to switch it up a bit
Great tips! Very helpful information. Thank you!
My pleasure!
years ago inspectors used to tell you the result of the driving test and even gave you a "permis provisoire" (before getting the definitive one at prefecture) so you can drive right away after passed the test but because of agressions of inspectors when people failled, the result is now known days after.
I got my driving license in 15 days : 2 days for learning "code" : nearly 1000 photos in 48h (5s to answer instead of 30s during test - dreaming about it when sleeping because it was so intensive), got 0 errors and the other days to learn practical driving , first on a circuit and after in real cities.
Congratulations xx
As a German living in the states the sign with the black cross that you call “free for all” makes me laugh. It’s a easy rule. If there is no stop or yield sign, the car of your right has the right away. Once you get used to that it makes sense. What i can’t get used to is all way stop signs in the USA. That’s a full blown Mexican stand off! How do you determine who was at the stop first if a crash happens and people cut in front of me a bunch of times. Or people sat around and confused the heck out of each other. I hope you enjoy driving in Europe my friend. Keep up the content. Happy to see you develop and hope you are doing well. Going to Paris with my wife in august!
Lol. In August 2019, my last trip to France, I traveled by train to Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris via Granville and from there went to Normandy, Very enjoyable train trips and at that time, everyone had to take a bus to the Mont-Saint-Michel -- it wasn't possible to drive there. I guess that's another thing that has changed over the last 2 years. Good to know.
You do have to take a bus the last mile to Mont Saint Michel, but I don't think there's a train that gets you that close. All we saw were parking lots at least 😆
I've bought (and am driving) a car in france, with a US license (with the international license rider, which is a notarized paper addendum that you can get by stopping by an AAA in the US before you leave for france). I did have to have a residence here, however. My home insurance company was fine with it, too...but I am required to get my french license faster than I would otherwise have to.
Wow Jay, I am so happy for you! This can only help with your quest for citizenship, non? Looking forward to your enhanced adventures😉
Here's hoping!🥳
This tale shall be told for generations, and your name shall be sung: Jay, the driver!
Haha, finally, my song!
Bravo! I'll not be getting a license in France I guess. Great job you!
Haha, it's a trip to be sure. Thank you!
Interesting. At 16:04 you show the warning sign with the cross roads, in Germany we place those at intersection where the right of way is not signed (so defaults to right-most first), where the crossroads might not be easy to spot, or when accidents have been more frequent there.
Edit: Finished the video now. In Germany you even get handed your drivers license the moment your test is over, if you pass the age requirement and it has actually been already produced and shipped to the examiners office beforehand.
Oh wow, German efficiency in ACTION.
my French license was stolen on vacation in Italy. When I returned home to Germany I told the government office ….and without proof of ever having a license, they gave me a German license . Even they knew how bad it would be to go thru French administration ! I already had to replace my French license once. I ended up having to say I lived with the pastor of the church I went to when I lived in France…but that is another story.
Haha, the Germans keep coming up as champions in the comments here
Tres bien, Jay!!!! Would say 'BRAVADO' instead of Bravo. You survived to tell the tale..... 👍
Thank you! And survive I did 🥳
Hello Jay, congratulation!
I laughed a lot while watching this video, especially with the road signs.
I'm 54 yrs old but, surprising as it may seem, I don't have the Drive license.
I passed it 25 years ago. I got the code at the first time, making a single error.
From my third driving lesson, the instructor took me through the humming point of the Place de l'Etoile at the top of the Champs Élysée.
Surely that doesn't mean much to an American who doesn't know this roundabout. But those in the know can tell how creepy it can be for someone passing his third driving lesson. I had only driven three hours in my life before this ordeal. 😂
Yet, I did very well, the instructor told me.
But, having missed the driving test, I gave up. I intended to try it again of course, but pushed back each time and the years went by.
Yet even though it has been so long ago, I have correctly identified all the signs you have shown without any hesitation.
Have a friendly day and .
At least you gave it a solid effort! Your literacy carries on
I am a huge fan of Jay's and enjoy his videos very much. Do others that watch these videos upon the opening few seconds go to make a cup of coffee? Due to Jay's love of coffee, I have a Pavlovian response and a need for coffee whenever I watch.
☕☕🤗☕☕
They stopped giving the result right after the driving test because in some "hot suburbs" some angry candidates who failed were becoming aggressive and some examiners got assaulted...
C’est ça 😆
Merci bien! This tragic-comedy brings back some memories. There was the drive from Nice to Aix where I exited the autoroute, stopped at the stop sign at the end of the exit & was promptly rear ended. The diver of the other car was having a rage attack & wanted to know why I stopped. I pointed to the stop sign & he exploded while explainig to me that everybody knows to ignore the sign & forge ahead into the traffic on the road at the end of the exit. Round-abouts? Don't t even get me started. French bureaucracy? Don't get me started. And yet in spite of all that I LOVE France--most of the time ;->
Glad you're ok!
Congratulations!
I am glad that is I decided to exchange my American license for a Canadian one it looks a lot easier than what you had to do.
In all fairness, the signs are applied throughout entire Europe. We all suffer through these signs regardless of which European country 😂
Passed my driving licence in 2004 and it was the year we started to have to wait 48h for the results. Before that it used to be known on the spot, but too many people who failed the test got mad and hurt the exam officers, so now we have to wait 48h to know if you passed.
Since you were in France did you expect it to be easy or make sense? Way to go and a great vlog. Looking forward to more car adventures around Europe. May I suggest a drive through downtown Napoli?
I would love some road tripping in Italy
Thank YOu for the Christmas Sticker,I was SURPRISED Thank you. Thank You for this video. This is a VIP video for me. I am NOT certain which country I'm Moving to, France is still there. It's between France The Netherlands and Andorra. I haven't driven my whole life and I'm very tired of living like you've been living except I'm not in Paris. IDK where my life is going ...all in all I just have a PERMIT ...My LIFE IS IN LIMBO. I am just in baby language learning stage. Thank You.
Language learning is a great start! Best of luck
Love from Massy
😆🥂
They wait 48h to give you the result so people dont mug their practor. ofc they have the result immediately
Yep. Still feels silly
It's ironic that I am allowed to drive in France with a US license, but the French have to jump through hoops. It should probably be the other way around. It wasn't until my fourth trip that I learned: no right on red, max speed on highways is 10% less the posted limit during wet conditions, etc. At the beginning of each trip I seem to forget about the reduce to 50 when entering a town until when one of those reminder signs pops up or the speed measuring sign flashes red with a frowny face. I had no idea the right priority could apply to round-abouts. No wonder ... For the most part I'm usually driving the smallest car possible, paying attention to my speed and the changing limit displayed on my dash with hands clenched on the steering wheel trying make sure my tires don't slip into the meter deep trench on the side of the road as a giant semi passes me head-on on a country road which feels more like someone's winding driveway. It's amazing I made it this far without an accident or ticket.
I'm glad you're accident and ticket free! But it definitely seems like there should be at least a one hour crash course (no pun intended)
Wow. What a PITA!!!..... LOL Just a small taste of what REAL life in France can be like! ;-) Congrats on getting your license! Looking forward to road tripping with you!... maybe in 48 hours...
I'll let you know in about 48hrs
Your confusion with the road signs made me laugh, I think a lot of them are standardised across Europe so things like No Through Road are very familiar. And roundabouts. At least you were familiar with driving on the right & LH drive cars. What puts me off driving a French car in France is that everything would be back to front. Have driven my GB car here - trickiest thing is remembering speeds are in kms, not miles, and looking at the speedometer correctly. But well done at passing (relatively) quickly & easily.
Driving on the opposite side of the road is always intimidating at first, and flipping seats too. I did for a while in South Africa, you'd be surprised how quickly you get used to it
You drive a Déesse. You can't choose better. For no french poeple the brand car name is DS, it means déesse in french = godess.
I was told the presidents used to ride in them
I've actually got to take an eye exam to renew my license here in the states. I've got about two months to do it so it should be no big deal.
I forgot to mention this, but one of the crazy things was how there were no eye exams or other physical tests
That’s the best view of Mont St. Michel. Up close it’s tacky and busy and it loses its mystical look when you get closer. There’s even a plastic cow on the approach. Then most of the shops are obviously tourist tat. Oh, and if visiting in the summer use mosquito repellent when visiting. Even the car park hosts a whole mass of mozis.
Nice accomplishment 👍🏽
Thanks!
I'm surprised that more US states don't have reciprocity agreement with France (I had to look it up) FLORIDA is listed? the last thing France needs is Floridians driving in their country.
"Persons with valid driver's licenses, issued prior to their first entry into France as a resident, from the states of Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Hampshire, Kansas, Michigan, South Carolina and Kentucky may directly 'exchange' their state driver's licenses for French permits."
Have you watched the recently released Gran Tour episode? It's all about French cars and driving in France. Quite funny. Not sure if this video is a segue to it or vice versa!
In Portugal you don't know straight away. I took my exam a long time ago, but I still remember we don't get the results at the time.
Thanks for posting that! I think you're the first with a similar experience
€720 to take a Driver's License test? Yikes! That's insane. I couldn't live in a place where I couldn't drive.
Do they charge the same for people with disabilities? That's crazy!
Thank you for sharing! Important stuff for many people. My grandson has wanted to study in France, so this is good to know!
It included the lessons, but yes, it's a big expense!
Bad news for you: since last year, you now have to pas a different writing test for your motocycle licence. And the driving tests (yes, plural) are insanely hard, especially the first one, the dreaded "Plateau". The second one, the "circu" is much easier.
Hmmmm, I rented an Audi which was the only automatic vehicle available in Paris, and drove all over France, for a whole month. And yes, Mont Saint-Michel was one of the visiting sights. Having my husband next to me helped with the signage. Other than that , I had no problems. Driving with US driver's license, that is. Thank goodness didn't have to deal with all that joy:/
I have passed the general theory test the first try. It took me about two months, going to a driving school 3 times a week and taking practice tests. Now comes the in the car driving test. My instructor yells at me because I don't stop for cars entering on the right. One time, the car, on the right, was about a half a block from the intersection and I thought I had time to pass. He Yelled "You have to stop!" Okay.
I'm shocked at the amount of hurdles you have to jump to get a license there considering how bad the drivers are in Paris. I saw three accidents in just one week.
😆
Great content and congrats on getting your French license bro, however I wonder how you get to drive a rather powerful vehicle like ds7 since new drivers can’t insure anything above 6 cv. I’m currently stuck with a weak Peugeot 508…
great video
Thank you!
=hello 8 I just watch your video. The 48 hrs wait after passing the practical test is fairly new. Before they would give you the answer right away. But too many driving inspectors got violently beaten or harrassed after falling the test. So they had to put that in place to avoid violence. So that's why !!
Im sitting in Paris as I write this and I can’t believe it takes that long to get a driver’s license. I thought they just handed them out.
Good golly, your driving instructor is good lookin'! Do they all come like that?? 🤣
Exclusive perk to this school 😆
Is there a way to get a good Code de la Route while I am still living in the US so I can be prepared and also enhance my understanding of French. You flashed a book very quickly and I could not tell who published it. Much appreciated if you can tell me any good options that might be available here in the United States on Amazon or elsewhere. I enjoyed the video too
You're sure you need one? Depending on what state you're in, you might have a year to transfer your license once you arrive. Many states have this option, but most people don't realize it that that window closes after a year. Worth looking into! There are lots of different code de la routes, and I know someone who used Ornikar (the website) for their online training for the code as well (and they passed)
Congratulations! So freakin' grueling. It's like you passed the bar exam 😆
Haha, if only it left me as qualified
39/40 ! Wowzers !
🥳
Very helpful info, one question - For a person who's lived over a year in France with a foreign driving license - assuming I do not get a French driving license soon - can one still drive in other EU countries with my valid non EU country license + IDP?
you could make a business on coaching people to take the test
How did you get the practical test within a week? I past my Code and now have to do 14 lessons starting in June and than they will decide when I can do my practical test!
Most people: "Uergh, the French are ruuuuuude! 🙄"
Me, going to Paris in 2018 with barely passable French skills: "YOU GET OUT OF IT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT!"
French people in Paris, Versailles, and Mont Saint Michel: *Chill af human beings.*
Don't know who Puxan is/was but they're right!
Also, your videos were great prep for my French trip!
Surf Wisely.
Des inspecteurs de permis de conduire étaient souvent agressés quand ils annonçaient la mauvaise nouvelle alors l'Etat a décidé que la réponse serait donnée 48h heures plus tard. Voilà la raison.
C'est ça que j'ai pensé, mais même ce n'est pas une bonne note sur les français ou peut-être la système si le reste du monde n'ont pas ce problème la.
@@JaySwanson En tout cas, félicitation à toi pour ton permis. Tu vas pouvoir revenir dans la région.
I wanted to contact the driving school to determine how many lessons / hours you need before doing the driving test, however the school (La Maison Du Conducteur) is now closed. Anyone know how this is determined?
In Mexico you can skip the written exam and get pass the test by paying $50 bucks.
Convenient !
How do you even find parking?
With much patience 😆