Tires. Be careful, now you absolutely must be equipped to cross Lozère

See my news
Follow Occitanie News

Remember, it was in 2021. The prefectures published the list of municipalities where winter equipment would now be necessary to drive from November 1 to March 31 in a third of French departments. There Lozere was part of it. Logic…

Except that at the time, it was just a question of teaching. But three years later, tolerance was over. The time for fines has come. Snow tires will be truly mandatory from November 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

The time for fines has come

In the event of non-compliance with this obligation, it’s a 135 euro fine for offenders (4th class fine). And that's not the only change…

Vehicles (all those with four or more wheels) circulating, even occasionally, in certain municipalities, must therefore be equipped with winter tires (snow tires) or chains. Light vehicles (category M1 and N1), utility vehicles (category M2 and M3), buses and heavy goods vehicles (category N2 and N3) are concerned.

Chains or socks?

As for equipment, you will need to have on hand or equip your vehicle with, as desired, “removable anti-slip devices (chains and socks)” or winter tires, reminds Road Safety.

The regulations allow you to choose between metal chains and “textile chains” commonly called “snow socks”. You need at least two to equip the drive wheels. Chains or socks must be stored on board the vehicle, and ready to use, as long as the journey takes a route in the areas affected by the new regulations.

Only “3PMSF”

And regarding snow tires, they must be tires falling under the “3PMSF” designation. Until now, 4S “4 seasons” tires could be considered winter tires provided they were stamped “3PMSF”. Likewise, vehicles “wearing studded tires [étaient] exempt from equipment obligations.

From 1^is November 2024, only 3PMSF tires will be accepted as equivalent to the chains. The purchase and use of other “snow tires” will remain possible, but in this case users will also have to have chains to travel from 1^is November to March 31 in the areas affected by the measure.

The highest department in France

And in Lozère, this is valid throughout the department, either in the 152 communes. It is the department of Occitanie in this case. In the other departments concerned (Ariège, Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Tarn, Aveyron, Lot, Aude and Gard) only part of the municipalities is affected by this regulation.

For what ? Quite simply because Lozère, with an average altitude of 979 m, is well the highest department in the country. The proof? Its 185 municipalities are all classified as “mountain zones”. The territory of its prefecture, Mende, is also located between 691 and 1,236 m above sea level. It is much more than a town like Annecy, however, in Haute-Savoie, in the heart of the highest massif in France.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.