Driving in France can be a real pleasure. The system of roads is magnificent and often provides huge, sweeping views of countryside. Congestion, because of the size and shape of the country, is much less than in many other western countries or the U.S. Do not shun the older national roads or departmental routes: you can often travel for miles across country, seeing few other cars, on a road as broad and well-maintained as any major road in Britain or the U.S.