Most, if not all, road markings in France use inverted letters and solid symbols. They all look pre-prepared in comparison to the UK who predominantly use single thickness lines and construct words and symbols as required.

Does the use of inverted letters make the words easier to read? or are they simply easier to apply given the wide use of large cobblestones on side streets in France. Personally I feel they are harder to read as the letters are indistinguishable from each other at a glance as it is the negative space in letterforms the quick queue points for reading and when blocked out the eye has to locate the letterform in each stencil.

It uses more paint too.

Note the two different styles of cycle lane, the one with less lines is in Paris, the other in Falaise, Normandy.

I am not offering a set of comparative shots from the UK nor a particularly large set but there we go. Oh this post is obviously a sweeping generalisation as I only visited a small number of places in the north west of France!