Patricia Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 I have just returned from a 2000+ mile tour of France, most of which was on National or Departmental roads. The only peage motorway driving was done from Janville (Allaines)on the A10 to Saint Julien / Sancy on the A71 and A89. I used the same route for the return journey. My motorhome is a classe 2 but out of five payments three were overcharged, all at the un-manned booths. On two occasions I was charged as classe 3, the other as classe 4. Unfortunately, travelling on my own in a right-hand drive vehicle, un-manned peages are particularly difficult as I cannot reach properly and often have to leave the vehicle. Therefore I did not notice the charges (if they actually show on these machines) until checking my receipts. I have just written to Cofiroute to claim a total refund of 33,90 euros (£27+). So beware! Another warning: most of these un-manned peages do not have any facility to pay by cash, only credit cards are accepted. As I have a French bank account I always pay by this method but I know a lot of people prefer to pay in cash. Patricia PS Last weekend the price of diesel could be as high as 1.53 euros (the cheapest 1.42) with unleaded petrol much higher. Like in England prices are rising daily so you might want to shop around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 could you not back out and try an adjacent exit. you may or may not get a different result *-) last week, of motorway fuel was 1.42 -1.44. on motorway average 1.55 that is still 15 p a litre cheaper then here. but with toll charges on top probably the same if not more *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Patricia - 2008-06-05 3:36 PM So beware! Another warning: most of these un-manned peages do not have any facility to pay by cash, only credit cards are accepted. As I have a French bank account I always pay by this method but I know a lot of people prefer to pay in cash. Like in England prices are rising daily so you might want to shop around. The booths accept uk cards............. The prices are just as high in Scotland, wales and northern Ireland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 5, 2008 Author Share Posted June 5, 2008 JudgeMental - 2008-06-05 3:58 PM could you not back out and try an adjacent exit. you may or may not get a different result *-) Not sure what you mean by this question. Most of these peages are very small with only one lane open so you cannot try another exit. Sounds like you paid even more for fuel than me on the motorway. I travelled last weekend and took the ferry Monday. At 1.55 (roughly £1.24) that is only about 7p cheaper than diesel near where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Hi Patrica, I think you will find there's always a manned toll booth on the exit to the Peage. There's a reduction to be had for the Disabled Blue Badge holders and you can't get that atan automatic exit. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Hi We have come across these unmanned peages and yes they have accepted UK credit cards and some also take coins. Have also seen a massive belgium lorry stuck because he had insufficient coins!!! Don - Some of the exits on autoroute from Calais to St Omer are unmanned. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 5, 2008 Author Share Posted June 5, 2008 Don I travel extensively in France and more and more of the smaller exits are now un-manned. Some of these peages are definitely not manned at all now e.g. Saint Julien (although this one does take coins), others perhaps in the evening e.g. Vierzon-Est, whereas Janville was not manned on a Saturday morning. I have noticed more and more of them this year. I have forgotten where but at one of them, or at Bourges where I also exited, signs definitely said no coins accepted. Don't forget the French government has sold off interests in the autoroute system and the firms are economising. Anyway, maybe you are all missing the point which is that you may be grossly overcharged, perhaps even at a manned cabin, although it is easier to see the classe entered and the amount to pay. Tolls are expensive enough without paying 31 euros for 60 miles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Patricia - 2008-06-05 4:12 PM JudgeMental - 2008-06-05 3:58 PM could you not back out and try an adjacent exit. you may or may not get a different result *-) Not sure what you mean by this question. Most of these peages are very small with only one lane open so you cannot try another exit. Sounds like you paid even more for fuel than me on the motorway. I travelled last weekend and took the ferry Monday. At 1.55 (roughly £1.24) that is only about 7p cheaper than diesel near where I live. Its £1.30 in London *-) this time I avoided motorway fill ups, used the GPS POI (thanks W2G:-D) to visit supermarkets only..... on an economy drive *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Patricia - 2008-06-05 7:00 PM Don I travel extensively in France and more and more of the smaller exits are now un-manned. Some of these peages are definitely not manned at all now e.g. Saint Julien (although this one does take coins), others perhaps in the evening e.g. Vierzon-Est, whereas Janville was not manned on a Saturday morning. I have noticed more and more of them this year. I have forgotten where but at one of them, or at Bourges where I also exited, signs definitely said no coins accepted. Patrica, Thanks for the update. I must admit I've not used the Peage lately. I've spent very little time in France in the last year. I had three weeks in Brittany in Feb and that's about it. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 14, 2008 Author Share Posted June 14, 2008 Just an update for anyone who is interested. I e-mailed Cofiroute and had very nice replies and today I have received a cheque for 20€. They say to check the cost before paying and if there is a problem to press the "Aide" button and someone will help. Obviously this might be difficult for some people if they don't speak French. The third incorrect charge was by another company SAPPR. Fortunately Cofiroute gave me their contact address as although I searched their website I could find no e-mail address. I have written to this company but I await their reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted June 15, 2008 Share Posted June 15, 2008 Patrica, I to travel a lot in France but this year avoided the peage. I have never come across an unmaned one, how do they work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 15, 2008 Author Share Posted June 15, 2008 There is no toll booth, just a machine which is a bit like a parking machine. The payment slots are very low down so as I travel alone it means getting out of the cab and walking round the front of the m/home. I have a French bank card so I always pay by that but I think they all take English cards too. With some you can pay in cash but the new ones seem to only accept cards, no cash at all. Presumably this is for security reasons as although they all have CCTV by the time the police arrived the thieves would be long gone. So you enter your autoroute card, then payment card and press a button if you want a receipt. I must admit I have never looked to see the actual charge, if the machine shows it, as I am always conscious of keeping other motorists waiting so I get back in as soon as possible. Also many of these peages are in very lonely places so I feel vulnerable and if I stopped to lock the van I would probably be lynched if someone was behind! Stupidly I also always worry that the barrier will come down again! If you have a passenger then remember not to park as close as usual otherwise they won't be able to get out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 How does the machine know you are a motorhome and what length you are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 They must have sensors to detect the height and weight I presume - length isn't important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 WE have found many with high and low ticket and card positions, and we have allways had a ticket come out of the top one so we can reach from the cab easily as its about head hieght, must be some type of sensor to measure the hieght of the vehicle, possibly so it knows what to charge, ? PS.. just back from another month of pleasure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 From my experience I don't think it matters whether you take the ticket from the top or the bottom (sometimes the bottom is easier to reach) because I think the measuring etc. is carried out as you exit the autoroute. One more tip is to be careful not to go through the exit dedicated to lorries (usually on exits with lots of lanes) which has a blue triangle over it. This one definitely charges you as classe 4 - been there, done it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Patricia - 2008-06-17 9:31 PM From my experience I don't think it matters whether you take the ticket from the top or the bottom (sometimes the bottom is easier to reach) because I think the measuring etc. is carried out as you exit the autoroute. One more tip is to be careful not to go through the exit dedicated to lorries (usually on exits with lots of lanes) which has a blue triangle over it. This one definitely charges you as classe 4 - been there, done it! Still do not understand all this. I always thought French Autoroutes charged on weight, how the hell do they know. I have always been charged group two but no one has ever asked me how much does the van weigh, I have never seen any sign of a weighbridge it seems it is all guess work but the automatic type remain a complete mystery to me. Incidently on the few UK toll bridges and tunnels, including Dartford and Seven crossing I have always been charged standard car rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 The classes are calculated by weight, height and number of axles. How do they work it out? Who knows? Once when towing a car over the new bridge (as was) near Le Havre, the toll keeper insisted on charging for two vehicles, the combined price was more than that for a lorry. I argued forcefully with him but he would not raise the barrier until we paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 And dont forget if you use your disability badge at tolls its charged at a lower rate again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 Fortunately I don't have one but I have recently learned that they apply in England. Can you use them in France then? If so, I think you would have to press the "Aide" button and explain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Well I never knew that you could after years of paying full and good old Don posted something and now because of the children we use them as and when we are allowed if the kids are with us . last trip two weeks ago we were class 1 at the barrier . If doing a long trip top to bottom thats a massive savings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 I wish I had known as my late mother had one. She lived with us for 13 years and we always took her on holiday with u, always did even before she lived with us. I am glad to hear that you are benefitting though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Are the unmanned stations truly unmanned? I ask the question because at an apparently unmanned peage last month we had a problem - the indicated charge was inserted but the barrier did not rise. After about 3/4 minutes (a long time to hold up French drivers!) of pressing various buttons and becoming increasingly frustrated, a voice emerged from the ether to which my, by now quite fraught wife loudly protested (in English) and the barrier lifted. There must have been a human there somewhere! Regards Cattwg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 The letter I received from Cofiroute said that they watched these automatic peages through cameras from a distance so that they could advise. Presumably they can press a button and raise the barrier from a distance too. PS Do you remember if it seemed rather dark? I found the last one I went through a bit spooky and was glad to get back into the cab! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 patricia dont get out ..just pull up close enough to the left and climb over the seat . safer that way . If you do get out take your keys with you . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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