Egypt on a French Licence — Why Your EU Licence Still Needs an IDP Here

A French driver crossing Europe rarely thinks about a permit — the EU licence is accepted everywhere, end of story. Egypt breaks that habit, and it is the single thing most likely to catch you out.

The EU licence is not enough here. Egypt requires an International Driving Permit carried alongside your French licence. This is not the situation you are used to within the Union; it is a hard requirement, and rental desks and checkpoints will ask for it. Sort it before you leave France — it takes minutes at home and cannot be obtained in Egypt. The IDP and licence together cover stays of up to 3 months.

The orientation is the easy part. Egypt drives on the right, just like France, so there is no side switch to manage. What you do have to manage is a traffic culture rated Very Challenging: in Cairo and Alexandria lane markings are advisory, vehicles merge by feel, and the horn replaces the indicator. It is closer to organised improvisation than to the structured flow of Paris ring roads. Read other drivers early, hold a predictable line, and do your first day somewhere calm — a Red Sea resort rather than the capital.

Alcohol is zero, not 0.05. Egypt enforces a flat 0.0 BAC, with none of the small French allowance and considerably harsher consequences. If you are driving, do not drink.

Speed limits are low — 60 km/h urban, 90 rural, 100 on highways — but the genuine hazards are pedestrians, animals and unlit vehicles after dark, not the posted figure. Minor speeding costs roughly EGP 300-500. The compensation is fuel: about $0.35/litre, a fraction of French pump prices, so distance barely registers as a cost. Emergency services answer on 122. Read the full rules on our Egypt driving guide, and confirm the permit requirement for yourself with the Driving Permit Checker before you book.