Bonjour, fellow signage detectives. If you’ve ever pedaled past an octagon in Provence and thought, “Mon dieu… is that English on a French road sign?”, you’re not alone. Here’s the punchline: France writes STOP because international treaties literally turned “STOP” into a symbol, not an English word to be translated. And Paris? It famously had (almost) zero stop signs for years—by design. Buckle up; this is our curated nerd-joy ride through treaties, French law, and a dash of linguistic drama.
The big reason in one sentence
Since 1968, the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals standardized the stop sign as a red octagon with the legend “STOP” (model B,2a). Europe doubled-down via a supplementary agreement. France ratified and implements it as the AB4 sign. Result: it says STOP—everywhere. (UNECE)
How we got here (the treaty trail)
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Vienna, 1968. Countries agreed to harmonize road signs so travelers wouldn’t have to decode local quirks at 80 km/h. The stop sign was codified as sign B,2 with two models; Europe mandates the octagonal B,2a and explicitly treats “STOP” as the symbol. (UNECE)
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France signs on. France signed in 1968 and ratified in 1971, aligning national rules to the Convention. That’s why your French stop sign looks like the one in, say, Italy or Germany. (Wikipedia)
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In French law. The stop sign appears as panneau AB4—“Arrêt à l’intersection”—in the Instruction interministérielle and related arrêtés. It’s a priority sign; you must stop and yield. (If you’re exam-curious, that’s codified under R.415-6 obligations.) (Équipements des routes & des rues)
Fun spec detail: French rules even require the thick 50 cm transverse stop line on the pavement when AB4 is installed—once you see it, you can’t unsee it. (girod-signalisation.com)
“But isn’t that English?” (Linguistics vs. traffic safety)
Short answer: on the sign, STOP functions as an international symbol. The treaty text frames it that way, and the European annex locks in the B,2a octagon with STOP as the graphic legend. Translation would break recognition for visiting drivers. (UNECE)
For the linguistically curious: stop has been used in French for a century (sports, everyday speech), and in Québec the language office explicitly notes that both ARRÊT and STOP are acceptable in French signage—local rules pick one or the other. (Most of Québec uses ARRÊT, while some places use STOP.) (Vitrine Linguistique)
The Paris twist: practically no stop signs
You’ve heard the legend, and it’s basically true. For years, Paris had essentially zero stop signs, leaning instead on signals, roundabouts, and priority rules; the last famous “only one” on quai Saint-Exupéry disappeared years ago. City and media pieces have explained this oddity multiple times. (Paris)
Nerd corner: models, numbers, acronyms (for the sign geeks)
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Treaty model: B,2a = red octagon, STOP legend. (B,2b—circular—exists in the Convention but the European annex chooses B,2a.) (UNECE)
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France’s code: AB4 (Stop) and AB5 (advance warning of a stop). You’ll often see AB5 before AB4 in rural settings; in towns, the advance sign can be omitted. (Wikipedia)
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Markings: Expect that bold white stop line with AB4; it’s not optional except where technically impossible. (UNECE)
Myth-busting
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“EU forced English on France.” Not quite. The UNECE (UN) convention—not the EU—standardized the legend; the European agreement then selected the octagon model. (UNECE)
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“France couldn’t write ARRÊT.” France could have, historically, under the general idea of a legend—but the European supplement and France’s implementation treat STOP as the symbol. That’s the point: instant recognition across borders. (UNECE)
Practical vocab & scripts (FR ⇄ EN)
Le panneau AB4 (STOP) — the stop sign
Marquer un arrêt / marquer le stop — to come to a full stop
Cédez-le-passage (AB3a) — yield
Priorité à droite — priority to the right
Marquage au sol / ligne d’arrêt — road marking / stop line
Feux tricolores — traffic lights
Mini-script at a driving school in Aix
– Moniteur: « Ici, tu marques le stop bien avant le passage piéton, d’accord ? »
– Élève: « D’accord, je m’arrête à la ligne d’arrêt. Après, je cède le passage. »
– Moniteur: « Parfait. Regarde à gauche, à droite, encore à gauche… et on y va. »
Local eyes: spotting AB4 around Aix
Outside dense centers you’ll see AB5 (the advance triangle with a “STOP 150 m”) before AB4 near tricky visibility or fast rural approaches. In town, priority is more often managed by lights, roundabouts, and give-way signs. Once you notice the 50 cm line, you’ll start rating stop-line paint jobs like a true signage snob. (It’s okay. We’re among friends.) (Wikipedia)
Sources & rabbit holes
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UN/UNECE official text (consolidated): Convention + European Agreement (models B,2a/B,2b; advance warning rules; pavement markings). (UNECE)
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France’s national rules: Instruction interministérielle; Arrêté 1967 (AB4 defined; implementation). (Équipements des routes & des rues)
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France signed/ratified dates: Overview of French road signs & Vienna Convention. (Wikipedia)
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Paris stop-sign oddity: City/press explainers. (Paris)
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Québec language note on STOP/ARRÊT: OQLF’s terminology entry. (Vitrine Linguistique)
Learning tips by level
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A1: Learn the core trio: STOP, CÉDEZ-LE-PASSAGE, PRIORITÉ À DROITE. On a walk, point and say them aloud.
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A2: Practice a two-sentence rule: « À ce panneau, je m’arrête complètement. Ensuite, je cède le passage. »
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B1: Explain the Paris quirk to a classmate in French (2–3 sentences). Use priorité and carrefour.
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B2: Summarize why treaties standardize signage. Try connectors: d’abord, ensuite, par conséquent.
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Advanced: Debate: Is a word-symbol like STOP better than a pictogram? Argue both sides using lisibilité, sécurité routière, interopérabilité.
Your turn 👇
Spot a quirky AB4 in Provence? Know an intersection where AB5 is a lifesaver? Post a comment with a photo tip (street name/corner), a mini-script you use while driving, or your favorite “I learned this the hard way” story. Team Signage awaits your wisdom!
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