Advertising signs, billboards or banners announcing a festival or an organisation may not be erected on public land without having first been authorised by the National Roads Authority (Administration des ponts et chaussées) and by the Ministry of Culture.

Who is concerned

This information applies to any association or organiser of an event wishing to place signs on the public highway for advertising purposes

How to proceed

Permit application

Applications for roadworks permits should be sent:

• to the Ministry of Culture – National Sites and Monuments Service; and
• to the competent local office of the National Roads Authority for the commune in which the signs are to be erected. A template letter is available on the volunteering website (portail du Bénévolat).

If certain signs are expected to be mounted on land belonging to other regional offices, a copy of the direct roadworks permit must be sent for informational purposes to the officials of the relevant regional offices.

Number and type of signs

As a general rule, no more than 6 signs may be placed. They may be mounted at most 15 days prior to the event and must be removed no later than 3 days afterwards.

There are two types of signs:

• rigid boards mounted on supports anchored to the ground;
• banners suspended above the road.

The messages conveyed must be clear, precise and understandable at a glance. Particular care must be paid to the form and type of lettering, which must be chosen so as to be legible at ordinary vehicle speed.

Main recommendations

For signs placed along the side of the road, the following recommendations may be given to event organisers:

• to use pictograms and give signs distinguishable shapes, but avoid using pictograms and shapes that are too similar to those of road signs;
• to use as few words as possible, limiting the message to naming the event and giving its date and location;
• depending on the speed limit in the section of road alongside which the sign will be erected, to use the following minimum letter size:
  • 50 km/hour: 90 mm;
  • 70 km/hour: 130 mm;
  • 90 km/hour: 180 mm;
• not to use handwritten lettering, but to use lowercase print, except for the first letter in uppercase, if necessary.

Main prohibitions

Advertising signs must not be erected in the following locations:

• on the highway, as well as in the 25-metre no-build zone along both sides of the highway;
• less than 50 metres from crossroads, pedestrian and cycle crossings;
• on the central island of a roundabout.

It is prohibited to attach signs to trees lining the roadside or on road equipment, such as traffic sign poles and frames, works of art, or lighting columns; within residential areas, signs may be attached to ordinary galvanised steel street lamps, if done using stainless steel wire or strips of synthetic material, and in such as way that they do not interfere with maintenance of public lighting. Iron wire, even plasticised, must not be used to attach signs.

It is strictly prohibited to use these types of advertising signs to illegally advertise establishments such as bistros, restaurants, night clubs etc., where dances, parties, or other events are held at short intervals, for the main purpose of keeping the name of the establishment almost continuously in the public eye.

Forms / Online services

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