UKC

Hi,

I'm about to take off to south of France by car.
I'm looking for some tips and advices about toll payments while driving in France.

Has anyone used systems like liber-t or https://www.saneftolling.co.uk ?
Does such system make any sense for 1-2 trips per year?

Could anyone give some comparison regarding driving comfort/times/traffic on toll motorways and toll free roads?

Cheers,
Mat

In reply to mloskot:

I've been tempted to get a Liber-T to speed up at queues but auto tolls which read your bank card are extremely quick (in/out - they don't ask for a pin) so no need really. If you're driving your British car over there then it makes sense then you can put the sensor on the passenger side and not have to keep leaning over, but if you hire a car over there that doesn't matter.

In reply to mloskot:

Is it true that if your timings indicate you must have been speeding between toll stations, you get charged more? Or is that an urban myth?

In reply to Fredt:

Urban myth.... the toll booths would have to have legally certified systems which they don't have.

On the question of buying the motorway pass, I live in France and use the motorways a fair bit but even so the last time I looked into it there was no real financial advantage for me so for the occasional use of a visitor I wouldn't have thought there would be either. Motorways are expensive but N roads are less and less convenient for long trips, speed bumps, chicanes in villages etc so if you want to get anywhere at a reasonable speed they are worth taking generally

In reply to Bruce Hooker:

Interesting that you say that

I don't live in france but think the liber-t system is wonderful
It only costs 1.5€ per month to use - and you only pay that in the months you use it

The first time you sail past a queue is well worth it

Order one from here http://www.aprr.fr/fr/souscrire_telepeage_liber_t/les-avantages

In reply to mloskot:

We drove through France in June in 2 cars, and didnt pay one single toll, thanks to great sat nav :0)

I much prefer that way as more to see, you can stop easier, not so boring, cheaper fuel as you can stop at a supermarket.

We are heading to the Southern Alps from Spain on Monday again we will not pay for any tolls!

Time wise is all relevant as depends how fast you go etc...

Sam

In reply to mloskot:

P.S The A10 now is nearly all motorway and is toll free!

Sam Orange

In reply to mloskot:

Definitely get a Libre T if you can. Makes things so much easier if you have a right hand drive car. And there's nothing better than driving towards the orange T and watching a local in the car behind shaking his head.

E

In reply to mloskot: If you don't already have one, I'd invest in a map which distinguishes toll roads from toll-free motorways. For example, the motorway going through the Massif Central from N - S is largely toll free, while the Autoroute de Soleil is very costly. The IGN map which covers the whole country on one sheet gives this info. Available from http://www.themapshop.co.uk/misc/aboutus.htm (fantastic service, btw, with knowledgeable people on the end of the phone!).

I agree to some extent about the frustrations of RN roads (we call them Route Gnash and Snarl) where speed bumps are a total pain. But this is just the result of years of dangerous and inconsiderate driving by the French -something had to be done. My advice is to have a road atlas with enough detail to see how many settlements your proposed route has to pass through and base your decision on that. And don't forget many of the D (departemental) roads are very straight, direct, empty of traffic and less affected by town speed limits than the RNs. A bit like driving in the UK in the 1950s!
But ultimately, only you know how relatively important speed of journey and expenditure are.

In reply to Carless:

You're not sounding so carless these days. ;O)

In reply to mloskot:
Out of interest do toll charges depend on the vehicle?

We are considering taking out Vito Van (not a campervan conversion) over to the Continent, but wondered if it would (like in many places in the UK) double the toll charges.

In reply to yorkshireman:
I'll be driving my car from UK, but with my better half, who is willing to act as my extended left arm

Thanks!

In reply to Fredt:
I don't really know, will be driving there for first time.
Here is related thread http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=469704

In reply to Jenny C:

Yes, it does:

http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/vehicle-classification.htm

Thanks all for the great tips. Yes, I've got a good atlas as well as I've got up to date SatNav. I'm planning route to away of Paris, through Orleans, and skip not-so-interesting areas quickly. Then I'll head to Millau and of course I will pass the cool viaduct Then heading to Spain.
Climbing here and there on my way there and back.

Cheers and have great trips too!

In reply to mloskot: all i can suggest is, unless the drive is part of your holiday, don't work on the assumption that N roads save you money - the added cost of petrol and wear and tear on your car is pretty signifcant. stick to the autoroutes...

In reply to mloskot:

If you are driving a RHD car, don't forget to reverse through the toll gates so you can easily reach the payment points.

In reply to mloskot: I had an up to date satnav but it went bonkers around Rheims in April where they have just created a major new series of roads and junctions.

Al

In reply to deepsoup:

I've actually still never owned a car - they've always been in my partner's name

Enty - know what you mean: I get the same

In reply to Jenny C:

I think the price is a bit higher above 2 m height, which is why quite a few vans are available just a little lower

In reply to mloskot:

cheers - any idea if the same applies elsewhere in Europe?

In reply to Tobias at Home:
Yes, indeed. I will use motorways for most of the transfer. I'll avoid motorways where I want to enjoy some scenery or do climbing, of course.

In reply to Jenny C:
I'm not sure, but AFAIR, but in countries where the vignette system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vignette_(road_tax)
is used, car and van (up to 3.5t) cost the same.
In Germany motorways are free, only trucks pay.

In reply to Jenny C:

You'll be ok in a Vito - I have a Vivaro and just scrape under the 2m limit. I hired a high-top transit last month and the payments were about 30% higher which is considerable over 800km!!

E

In reply to Tobias at Home:

Sorry Tobias I dont agree with that comment at all. As I mentioned we drove 2 cars over a few months ago and it really depends on how fast you drive and which free roads you drive on!

Sam

In reply to Sam Mayfield: I drive up to speed limit. At times up to speed limit + 5% (of the limit).

In reply to mloskot:

Join the lorry and caravan queues, you'll get through quicker.

In reply to mloskot:

We drive at 50mph which when you work out average speed doesnt change much if you are on a large A road or a motorway! Fuel is too expensive to travel everywhere at 70 these days!

Sam

In reply to Sam Mayfield: not really sam - repeatedly slowing down, accelerating as you go through towns and villages uses up a lot more fuel than putting the cruise control on.

if you have the time, the non-peage route definitely wins for the soul though....

In reply to Tobias at Home:

As I said earlier much of the route we take is now motorway and toll free, The A10 is miles and miles of empty road. Also depends how you drive and how slowly you get back up to 50mph for your fuel consumption ( I don't care if I piss off the cat behind me)!

I have been doing these journeys for the past 12 years every few months so have fuel bills to prove which is cheaper. Then add on the price of the tolls and we win hands down.

Sam Orange

In reply to mloskot:

Accelerate to about 150 kmh and zip through shouting 'Cheese eating surrender monkeys'?

In reply to Sam Mayfield: My main concern is safety, that's the reason I don't drive more than the limit. I'd fix with bare hands all idiots who believe they are immortal and driving 170 km/h are potential murders of me and my relatives.

In reply to mloskot:

Just remember that every centime you pay at the peage goes directly into Sarko's back pocket - or so my (French) father-in-law tells me.

Found a few interesting tips:

http://about-france.com/travel.htm

with explanation of best routes for driving to the south and west of France

http://about-france.com/routes-from-calais.htm
http://about-france.com/tourism/routes-to-spain.htm

Perhaps someone will find it useful.

In reply to Bingers:

The motorways are run by private companies, it goes to the maintenance of the roads and, like in all private companies, the share holders. The president of France doesn't get a backhander on everything A lot of French people have a rather emotional relationship with the present president though, he isn't "gentlemanly" enough and actually thinks he should try and "do things", unlike the previous two over-aged villains!

In reply to Bruce Hooker: If you do use the motorway frequently on the same stretch (We do A6 heading to Paris) then you can nominate it when you get your telepayage, then you get a discount on the toll price for the stretch you use frequently, think it's about 10% but it made it financially worth it.

Also the faff of having RHD cars and having to get out all the time for the barriers and sailing past all the queues does give it plus points as well.

In reply to Sam Mayfield:

Do you mean the N10, not A10?

In reply to mloskot:

The ViaMichelin website is good for routes/costs etc. http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/

In reply to Enty:


Cheers,

Still undecided over taking the car (more fuel efficient and has air con) or Vito (loads of space and sat nav).

If the only extra cost will be fuel the van will probably win.

In reply to Jenny C: Vito vs car may cost differently if you are going to stay at campsites. Vito may count as a usually more expansive camper van, I think.

But...if I were you and going for climbing trip, 2+ people, I'd go for the van. Actually, if not high insurance premium for myself driving bigger/newer car, I'd be already driving Vito or VW

In reply to Bob kate bob:


I mostly use the A1 to Calais so maybe I should check it out again, thanks.

In reply to Bruce Hooker:

Down here with ASF, If you do the same journey often, for journeys up to 50km you get the 6th journey free and for journeys between 50 and 100km you get the 12th journey free.

E

In reply to mloskot:

Yes planning to camp (in a nice comfy tent), might sleep in the van en-route for overnights but certainly not once we get down there - it's a "proper" van with no conversion to make it suitable to sleep in.

In reply to Kipper:

You would think so, wouldn't you as "The majority of the A10 is a toll road; it is only free north of the N104 near Paris, between exits 20 and 22 in Tours, and south of the N10 (exit 39) near Bordeaux."

By the way, this site (in French) is very useful for all kinds of info on the French road system from facilities at the 'aires' (such as where you can get Wifi, where you can empty your campervan toilet cassette etc) to the tolls for any given section http://routes.wikia.com/wiki/Accueil

In reply to dinkypen:

Whats in a letter eh!

:0)