USA to France driving license problem

[Manon]

I wonder if anyone can help with this unforeseen problem.

Friends moved here permanently from the USA in early September with a long stay visa while they apply for permanent residency.

They hired a car and had started the process of buying one when a problem with insurance raised its head. Their driving licences were issued in a state which does NOT have a reciprocal arrangement with France and I’m told that they will therefore never be able to exchange them for French licences. They can hire a car for a maximum 185 days at the end of which they will need to have taken and passed the French driving Test ! My French is okay but I would be very nervous about this ( we are all in our 60s ) but their French is very, very basic. Is it possible to use an interpreter ? Can anyone offer any other possible solutions ? 

[ssomon]

I seem to remember people exchanging a licence in one state for one in another, but this needs a short stay in the other state.

 

[Harnser]

2 hours ago, Manon said:

I wonder if anyone can help with this unforeseen problem.

Friends moved here permanently from the USA in early September with a long stay visa while they apply for permanent residency.

They hired a car and had started the process of buying one when a problem with insurance raised its head. Their driving licences were issued in a state which does NOT have a reciprocal arrangement with France and I’m told that they will therefore never be able to exchange them for French licences. They can hire a car for a maximum 185 days at the end of which they will need to have taken and passed the French driving Test ! My French is okay but I would be very nervous about this ( we are all in our 60s ) but their French is very, very basic. Is it possible to use an interpreter ? Can anyone offer any other possible solutions ? 

If no other solution is available there is a driving school in Paris that specialises in coaching US citizens for the French test.

www.frenchlicence.eu

and 

https://www.frenchlicense.eu/about-us/

I know about them because I bought their Code de la Route book in english some years ago.

[Judith]

We have american friends here, she has just had to go through the same palaver.  I think she found a diriving school reasonably locally who was prepared to teach in English (obviously they are not like beginners but there are differecnes in teh highway codes of each country) but I know she went to Paris for possibly the test (possibly the written bit nor sure).  I can find out more, if you wish.  Just let me know.

[Manon]

Thank you all - very helpful !