kedavi Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I'm off to the Black Forest area of Germany at half term in a couple of weeks. Due to time constraints our intention is to pass through northern France as quickly as possible using main roads. Our route planner suggests using the A26/E15 for 163 miles and the A4/E50 for 122 miles. These are described as 'partial toll roads'. Does anyone have any experience of what tolls I can expect to pay on these roads for my 4 tonne Autotrail? Can the tolls be paid by visa debit card? Does anyone know of a web site (in English) that has the answers? Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 http://www.beyond.fr/travel/autoroutes.html Have found this which might provide some information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 Thanks Brambles - an excellent site but bad news for us! There was another link in that site: http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/preparatives/vehicle-classification.html This site indicates that motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes (like ours) are classified as HGVs. I think the costs will therefore be rather high! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 There is a chart on this PDF. http://www.shell.com/static/global/downloads/euroshell/french_etoll_faqs.pdf Depending on number of axles a MH over 3.5 tonnes is either Class 3 or Class 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinfrier Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Yes tolls can be paid by credit card but unless Nationwide or similar you can find youself paying a £1 charge every time used some times for just 2 or 3 euros.I use my Nationwide on most tolls over say 6 euros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Kedavi, The route I take is Via south of Brussels and then head south through Luxembourg. I find the French Autoroutes extremely boring. Not a toll road in sight the way go and more scenic. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 I have a Nationwide Visa card so it will no doubt be taking a good battering. It looks like my 4005kg GVW MH is going to be class 3, and from what I understand from the websites I can expect to pay about double the cost of class 1. Expensive, but then it will hopefully get us to where we want to be in Germany without too much hassle. Brambles - just read your last post - I might well have a look at other routes but I want to be sure I don't end up crawling along in traffic and taking 3 days to get there. Any chance you could PM me your route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Brambles - just read your last post - I might well have a look at other routes but I want to be sure I don't end up crawling along in traffic and taking 3 days to get there. Any chance you could PM me your route? We never use toll roads and get from Valencia to Dunkerque in three comfortable days. Occasionally there is a traffic jam, but not enough to have me spending money on toll roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Calais E40 Dunkerque E42/A25 Lille E42/A16 Mons E42/A15 Namur E41/A4 Luxembourg (you could also do the E40 all the way from Calais to Brussels, then 411 then pick up E41/A4 to luxembourg E29/A13 Saarbruken At Saarbruken you have a choice, head to French Autoroute and pay toll, or the way I go which is fairly fast via Biche on N62 and then on to Strasbourg and on into Germany. Saves a fortune in tolls, does take a bit longer but is a much nicer route and got plenty of nice places you can stop off at along the way and it becomes part of the holiday rather than just drive you want out of the way. As long as you keep rest stops short it is suprising how quickly it can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Saves a fortune in tolls, does take a bit longer but is a much nicer route and got plenty of nice places you can stop off at along the way and it becomes part of the holiday rather than just drive you want out of the way. Saves on diesel too. I get the best MPG at about 55-60mph. It's too easy to put your foot down to keep up with the general traffic flow on autoroutes and therefore increase consumption. Also, diesel is cheaper in the supermarkets on the non toll road routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Derek, our experience of MPG on toll roads is quite the opposite of yours. No stop starting, (apart from an odd toll booth obviously), no traffic lights, roundabouts, equals for us an higher MPG figure. I cannot see how doing 50-60 MPH on non toll would beat MPG on a toll road. Other than as you say a temptation to drive faster on a toll road, which we don't. Please, anyone, don't mention the cost of tolls factor - not interested, it's not what the reply is about 8-) Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 kedavi - 2009-03-14 6:56 AM I'm off to the Black Forest area of Germany at half term in a couple of weeks. Due to time constraints our intention is to pass through northern France as quickly as possible using main roads. Our route planner suggests using the A26/E15 for 163 miles and the A4/E50 for 122 miles. These are described as 'partial toll roads'. Does anyone have any experience of what tolls I can expect to pay on these roads for my 4 tonne Autotrail? Can the tolls be paid by visa debit card? Does anyone know of a web site (in English) that has the answers? Thanks, Hi kedavi I have just looked up the French SANEF site which is the operator for the A26 and A4 autoroutes. According to their tariff your m/home will be classed as either classe 3 or classe 4 depending on how many axles you have. Classe 2 only covers up to 3m high, two axles and 3.5 tonnes or under. Classe 3 covers 2 axles only, 3m or more high OR more than 3.5 tonnes. Classe 4 covers more than 2 axles, 3m or more OR more than 3.5 tonnes. For Calais to Strasbourg: cl 1 - 44.20€; cl 2 - 67.00€; cl 3 - 98.30€; cl 4 - 131.20€. Hope these figures help. At some of the automatic toll booths (and the number is increasing rapidly) you can only pay by credit card - no other choice. I pay with a French card so no charges but I think Nationwide and Abbey have cards where they do not charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 Thanks Patricia and everyone else. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that due to the size of our MH the cost of the tolls is not going to be worth it - likely to be at least €200 for the round trip - ouch! I'm looking forward already to getting a smaller <3500kg MH when the kids leave home in about 10 years!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I shall try to avoid the autoroutes, except the toll-free ones, this year if I can as last year I had quite a lot of trouble with over-charging on some of them. My m/home is classe 2 but at times I was charged classe 3 and even classe 4. After protest I managed to get some refunded but not all of it, about £30+ which is quite a sum. I only looked quickly this morning but it seems that they are changing the category rules for the tariffs and I think many people with three axles will be unprepared for the classe 4 shock! Seems to be about 3 times more expensive than a car or car and small trailer. I still fail to see what height has got to do with the charging structure anyway - weight yes but why height? Possibly with lorries of course because they can pack in more weight but not m/homes and caravans. Also why can a car and caravan with 6 or 8 wheels on the road be cheaper than a 4-wheel m/home? Does that make sense? I suspect that the m/home fraternity in France will be protesting this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Brambles - 2009-03-14 9:45 AM Calais E40 Dunkerque E42/A25 Lille E42/A16 Mons E42/A15 Namur E41/A4 Luxembourg (you could also do the E40 all the way from Calais to Brussels, then 411 then pick up E41/A4 to luxembourg E29/A13 Saarbruken At Saarbruken you have a choice, head to French Autoroute and pay toll, or the way I go which is fairly fast via Biche on N62 and then on to Strasbourg and on into Germany. Saves a fortune in tolls, does take a bit longer but is a much nicer route and got plenty of nice places you can stop off at along the way and it becomes part of the holiday rather than just drive you want out of the way. As long as you keep rest stops short it is suprising how quickly it can be done. This is the favoured route by many. It is virtually toll free all the way to Switzerland. It is fast and pleasant, with cheap fuel on route in Luxemburg....... and best of all it avoids those ghastly French! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Hi, Most of the French toll roads have been updated ie the toll charging system, and I am informed much fairer so far this year. As Patrica pointed out its by HEIGHT and NO of AXLES is the way the charge not so much weight with motorhomes. Classe 2 Check out (Tolls towing trailer in France). This may give you an insight to the problems on the motorway toll booths. Regards, Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 No one has mentioned the Via mitchelin site for routeing. Worth 5 mins wonderaround for information, tolls and speed cameras included in pace notes http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm (use options {little link at the bottom of the route choice}] Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Hi, Judge is right on one point (makes a change!) the route given is good and one we have used in the past. Can not let the comment regarding French people go however, given the hospitality that France provides for us motorhomers. When planning our routes in the future just hope we avoid the gastly Judge. Jean and Robert JudgeMental - 2009-03-14 1:41 PM Brambles - 2009-03-14 9:45 AM Calais E40 Dunkerque E42/A25 Lille E42/A16 Mons E42/A15 Namur E41/A4 Luxembourg (you could also do the E40 all the way from Calais to Brussels, then 411 then pick up E41/A4 to luxembourg E29/A13 Saarbruken At Saarbruken you have a choice, head to French Autoroute and pay toll, or the way I go which is fairly fast via Biche on N62 and then on to Strasbourg and on into Germany. Saves a fortune in tolls, does take a bit longer but is a much nicer route and got plenty of nice places you can stop off at along the way and it becomes part of the holiday rather than just drive you want out of the way. As long as you keep rest stops short it is suprising how quickly it can be done. This is the favoured route by many. It is virtually toll free all the way to Switzerland. It is fast and pleasant, with cheap fuel on route in Luxemburg....... and best of all it avoids those ghastly French! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Going off thread slightly. We have never been charged for using our Credit Card abroad. No its not Nationwide. We cant get a Nationwide account as we are not able to input into it each month to the tune they want, we are quite happy with our Bank as it is. We have found that when we have used the Autoroutes MPG is much better as long as the right foot is kept light. Also not the holdups at t lights, rounda bouts etc. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Tonyishuk - thanks for mentioning the Viamichelin site - its brilliant . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 robertandjean - 2009-03-14 5:48 PM Get a life and a sense of humour for God's sake.....if you had been around a while you would realise this is a long running joke...... hence the smiley! *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirage Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 My last motorhome was an "A" Class 3.85T and have never paid for more than Class 2 on any of the French Autoroutes. I have seen that you can be caught out by automatc height sensors ours was 2.96m. Someone might be able to shed some light on the height aspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 mirage - 2009-03-14 7:36 PM My last motorhome was an "A" Class 3.85T and have never paid for more than Class 2 on any of the French Autoroutes. I have seen that you can be caught out by automatc height sensors ours was 2.96m. Someone might be able to shed some light on the height aspect. You will be OK on main motorway tolls and normally motorhomes are classified as Cat 2. The problem arises when you exit at unmanned automatic exits and higher charges can occur probably based on height........If you keep the receipt you can claim back th difference but its a bit of a pain I beieve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Taken from our local french newspaper last week, Tolls on major motorways linking Paris with other parts of France are to rise by 1.89% on April 1st . Those concerned are Autoroutes Paris-Rhine-Rhone and Autoroutes Rhone-Alpes (linking with Lyon).This follows a 3% rise on Autoroutes du Sud de la France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 JudgeMental - 2009-03-14 7:13 PM robertandjean - 2009-03-14 5:48 PM Get a life and a sense of humour for God's sake.....if you had been around a while you would realise this is a long running joke...... hence the smiley! *-) Calm down Judge. Nothing wrong with our sense of humour, just don't think that "jokes" which make reference to nationality or race are in anyway funny or appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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