

So what does the law actually say?
A French urban legend says you must halt for three seconds at a Stop sign, but that isn't quite true. There is nothing in the law that identifies a specific duration. That said, the law states you have to come to an actual stop before the big thick white line on the road, meaning your wheels must not be moving forward.
Article Art R 415-6 in the Code de la Route specifically says: “At certain intersections indicated by a so-called Stop sign, all drivers must make a stop at the junction.
I say one gendarme, two gendarmes, three gendarmes before proceeding if clear ???
Please note that you also have to physically ‘stop’ on entry to a roundabout if the entry point on your carriageway is a solid white line; if there is a broken white line at your entry point, then you may roll through into the roundabout. Note that different entry points may have different solid/broken lines at the same roundabout.