Winter tyres and snow chains in France and Italy, winter 2026-27
Short answer: in France the winter equipment rule for mountain areas starts on Sunday 1 November 2026 and runs to 31 March 2027. In Italy, many roads with the winter sign require winter tyres or chains on board, usually from 15 November to 15 April. Both rules apply only on certain roads, so check your route. General information: check the official links before you travel.
France startsSun 1 Nov 2026Italy usually15 Nov - 15 AprLast checked26 Oct 2026
France: the rule from 1 November 2026
Who and where
All vehicles with four or more wheels are covered: cars, vans, motorhomes, coaches, buses and lorries. The prefects of 34 departments in mountain ranges (Alps, Corsica, Massif Central, Jura, Pyrenees, Vosges) list the communes where the equipment is required from 1 November to 31 March.
Which equipment counts
For cars, vans and motorhomes in those communes: either carry removable anti-skid devices for at least two driven wheels (metal chains, or textile snow socks), or have four winter tyres. The rule does not apply to vehicles fitted with studded tyres.
Only tyres with the 3PMSF marking (three-peak mountain snowflake) count as equivalent to chains. You may still use other snow tyres, such as M+S-only tyres, but then you must also carry removable anti-skid devices.
Check that the chains or socks fit the size of your wheels and the space between wheel and bodywork.
Heavy goods vehicles with a trailer or semi-trailer must carry removable anti-skid devices even if they have winter tyres.
France: signs and how to check a commune
Road signs mark the entrance and exit of the mountain areas where the rule applies, and a sign states the winter period. The official page says signage is needed for the measure to be enforceable.
Each prefecture publishes its order. Use the official list of departments and communes: Sécurité routière: départements et communes. The service-public page also links the prefectural orders.
If your route crosses mountain departments between 1 November and 31 March, check the list for every commune you will drive through, not only your destination.
France: what about fines?
The service-public page (20 Oct 2026) states the equipment rules but does not state a fine.
In a reply published on 12 Feb 2026, the Ministry of the Interior told the Senate that the measure has been applied "de manière pédagogique, sans sanction" since the start, that a sanction needs a decree, and that the sanctions decree could not be published in 2025. Read the reply.
We did not find a sanctions decree published since. Rules can change, so check service-public.gouv.fr before you travel. Whatever the fine position, the rule is there for safety and for keeping roads clear.
Italy: chains or winter tyres on signed roads
The Polizia di Stato says a Highway Code rule requires, on many Italian roads, winter tyres fitted or chains on board from 15 November to 15 April.
The obligation is set by ordinances of the body that manages each road (for example ANAS, regions, provinces, municipalities, motorway operators) and is shown by a sign that marks the section. It applies even if there is no snow.
Example of one ordinance: ANAS announced for Piedmont state roads that chains on board or winter tyres were required from 15 November 2025 to 15 April 2026 on listed sections. ANAS notice. We did not find the 2026-27 ordinances published yet, so check the road manager for your route.
The Polizia di Stato page also links a PDF list of ordinances. Polizia di Stato: when and where the obligation applies. The page is dated 8 Jan 2018, and fine amounts differ between sources, so we do not quote any. Ask the road manager or the Polizia Stradale.
Practical tips for newcomers
Decide your route first, then check each country: France by commune list, Italy by road manager ordinance and sign.
If you plan to carry chains or socks, check the size against your wheels and try fitting them once at home.
Rules differ between countries and can change by season. If you cross a border in winter, check both sides.
When does the French winter equipment rule start in 2026? It runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, in the communes listed by the prefects of 34 mountain departments.
Do winter tyres or chains count in France? Either. You can carry removable anti-skid devices for at least two driven wheels (chains or snow socks), or have four winter tyres. Only 3PMSF tyres count as equivalent to chains. The rule does not apply to vehicles with studded tyres.
Is there a fine in France? The service-public page does not state a fine. In February 2026 the Ministry of the Interior said the measure had been applied without sanction and that a decree is needed for a sanction. We found no sanctions decree since. Check service-public.gouv.fr before you travel.
When do winter tyre or chain rules apply in Italy? On many roads with the winter sign, usually from 15 November to 15 April. Each road manager sets its ordinance, so check the one for your route.
Does the Italian rule apply without snow? Yes. According to the Polizia di Stato, the obligation must be observed even if there is no snow, on the sections shown by the sign.
Last checked 26 October 2026. General information, not legal advice: check the official links before you travel. Rules differ by commune, road and season, and can change.
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