Bayonne 2026: Basque ZFE Suspended, No Crit'Air Check
Bayonne, France · ZFE
No ZFE applies in Bayonne. The Pays Basque zone was suspended on 29 March 2025, before its 1 June start; no signs went up and nobody is fined, so no Crit'Air sticker is needed.
Bayonne, the capital of the French Basque Country, was due to join a Crit’Air low-emission zone on 1 June 2025, but the Communauté Pays Basque suspended it on 29 March 2025. No signs were installed and no driver is fined, so any car can drive in without a sticker. The old town, split by the river Nive into two quarters of tall shuttered houses, has made chocolate since the 17th century and gives its name to Bayonne ham. Park on the edge and walk the riverside lanes; the Basque coast and the Pyrenees lie beyond.
This page covers driving around Bayonne. For the zone status in detail, see the Bayonne ZFE details.
Park and walk the riverside old town
Park in a garage and walk the old town along the Nive, the cathedral and the chocolate shops. France’s limits: 50 km/h in town and 0.05% alcohol (0.02% on a probationary licence).
If the zone comes back
The suspended plan covered 11 communes west of the A63, Bayonne, Anglet and Biarritz among them, and would have barred only unclassified and Crit’Air 5 vehicles. The community describes it as paused rather than abandoned, so check the zone page before a future trip.
When the car helps
Keep it for the Basque coast, Biarritz and the surf beaches, the hill villages such as Espelette, the Pyrenees and the Spanish Basque Country.
Sources
- Communauté Pays Basque, suspension of the ZFE-m: communaute-paysbasque.fr
- Service-public.fr, French low-emission zones: service-public.gouv.fr
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Winter tyres in France — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in France whenever conditions are wintry — 1 Nov - 31 Mar (mountain law, designated departments).
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — France sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: 3PMSF on all four tyres, or snow chains / snow socks carried for two drive wheels; M+S alone no longer accepted (34 departments, signed communes only)
- Studded tyres: restricted
- Penalty: No sanction in force as of 17 Feb 2026 (penalty decree not yet published). Ignoring a B26 chain sign: 2nd-class fine, up to EUR 150. The obligation is enforceable only where B58/B59 signs are installed.
In French the rule is pneus hiver, and snow chains are chaînes à neige — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Checked against national legislation, 30 Sep 2026 · Full France tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Communauté Pays Basque suspended its planned ZFE on 29 March 2025, two months before it was due to start on 1 June 2025 across 11 coastal communes including Bayonne. No road signs were installed and drivers are not fined under it, so no sticker is checked here.
Bayonne is the cultural heart of the French Basque Country, known for its old town of tall shuttered houses along the river Nive, its Gothic cathedral and cloister, and its food: chocolate-making since the 17th century, brought by Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal, and the cured ham that carries the town's name. Its summer Fêtes de Bayonne are among the largest festivals in France.
Use an underground garage near the centre or a car park on the edge of the old town, then walk in. The historic centre, split by the Nive into the Grand Bayonne and Petit Bayonne quarters, is compact, and its narrow lanes are easier on foot.
Bayonne forms one conurbation with Biarritz and Anglet on the coast just to the west. Inland and south lie Basque hill villages such as Espelette, the Pyrenees, and the Spanish Basque Country across the border, with San Sebastián close by.
Not for the old town, which is walkable, and Bayonne is on the rail line and linked to Biarritz and Anglet by bus. A car helps for the surf beaches, the hill villages, the Pyrenees and the hop into Spain.
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