In France, the maximum motorway speed for cars in normal conditions is 130 km/h.
This national limit applies on autoroutes unless a lower limit is posted. French rules reduce the motorway maximum to 110 km/h in wet weather, and newly qualified drivers face a lower maximum under their probationary licensing rules. Local signs can impose further reductions for tunnels, urban approaches, roadworks, or difficult conditions.
France introduced general national speed limits during the 1970s, following European concern about road safety and fuel use. The motorway limit remained comparatively high because controlled-access roads separate opposing traffic and remove many junction conflicts.
Drivers sometimes remember 130 km/h as an unconditional limit, but weather and driver status matter. The posted limit is always controlling, and drivers must also reduce speed when conditions make the statutory maximum unsafe.