You arrive at a stop sign, you can see for miles, you KNOW that there is no traffic around…so you breeze across that solid white line. We’ve all done it.

However, the gendarmes take this offence very seriously! You must be seen to stop for 3 seconds, even if nothing is coming or they will fine you €80 with great pleasure!

And whilst we’re on the subject of fines, did you know that, in theory, if you are caught sitting in a stationary car with the engine running, but without your seatbelt on, you can be fined 90€ and lose 3 points on your licence?

The same applies to the use of your mobile phone.