How to Distinguish
- The country-code domain is .fr
- Phone numbers appear as five pairs of digits
- Rural road plates are yellow and begin with the letter “D” such as “D653”
- You frequently see French characters like “â, î, û, ê, ô” and “é”
- Utility poles sometimes carry a blue plate(from 『Geoguessr Tips: Guide to European Utility Poles』)
- If a street sign says “Rue”, you are almost certainly in a French-speaking area
Signs you can find
Representative Companies
説明はページ下部。必ずしも道端で見つかるとは限りません。
French bollards are usually thick white cylinders with red reflectors . Some varieties change the cap or reflector color or look like an eraser . Identical bollards also appear on specific roads in Greece , so double-check the surroundings.
French phone numbers follow the format of five sets of two digits
and are usually separated by spaces or dots. The first pair of digits identifies the region (for example, Paris is 01), while the remaining pairs narrow it down further.
If a pole or pillar has a blue plate attached, there is a 99% chance you are somewhere in French territory (Left pole photo credit) . There are rare exceptions , but betting against the odds is risky.
Yellow road shields that start with “D” are scattered across France , though spotting them on the map can still be difficult.
Plates generally mimic the EU standard with a blue strip on the left, but you can also find plates with blue strips on both sides or fully yellow plates .
By Roger from Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A. - Marigot - St. Martin License Plates, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link
By Lefrancais - Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
- The North department features many red-brick row houses and narrow streets
- Wide mustard fields and flat landscapes are common
- The Somme department contains distinctive chalk cliffs
- Southern France has many sunlit stone houses and Mediterranean vegetation
- Expect coastal salt flats and densely vegetated cliffs
- Rue-style street signs remain common even in rural villages
- Paris arrondissements increase clockwise starting from the center
- Street plates often indicate the arrondissement number (e.g., “8e Arr”)
- Château de Versailles and surrounding boulevards have ornate street furniture
ThePromenader, user:yonidebest added the numbers - Image:Paris arr jms.gif, CC BY-SA 3.0 - Link
- Karst coves called Calanques dot the Mediterranean coast (参考文献 Calanque)
- The D64 across Col de la Bonette is often cited as the “highest road in Europe”
- A paved approach leads to Aiguille de la Grande Sassière (参考文献 Aiguille de la Grande Sassière)
- Paris arrondissements spiral clockwise(by now_and_jenn )
Karst inlets near Marseille often show rugged cliffs and blue water . Beware of hollow-core poles and Chile-style poles here.
By Tiia Monto - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
Paris arrondissements start at Louvre (1st) and increase clockwise.
ThePromenader, user:yonidebest added the numbers - Image:Paris arr jms.gif, CC BY-SA 3.0 - Link
Street plates near intersections display the arrondissement number along with the avenue name.