Mickydripin Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Hi I do not know if anyone else has had problems fueling up at unmand garages in France. I always have to ask someone for help, that is a problem as you have to put your card details in whilst they are there so I avoid them like the plague but it is not allways possible if that is the only one open. Is it possible if anyone going to France to take a photo of the machine and then put in the instructions I know I am asking a lot but I tried several times this year and when I pressed for diesel it did not tell me weather I was getting petrol or diesel and I gave up in the end and asked someone for help. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebeaches Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 We found a number of unmanned filling stations would only accept French-registered debit and credit cards. Not the case at all of them, but a source of some frustration at two or three places we pulled in to (and advertising competitive fuel prices too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elamessa Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Most fuel station are slowly renewing the automatic pumps you will know if they are up to date when you put your card in it will automatically change the language to English. Some of the older pumps will give you the option to change the language in use. I think they seem to work better if you have a recently issued card. Most Supermarket pumps are manned between 0900-1200 & 1400-1700 Monday to Friday (thats if they are open on Mondays) and all day on Saturdays. HTH Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 We have never come across a card machine that does not accept UK cards. The main thing you have to remember is that every time it asks you a question, when you answer you have to press the green button (validate/confirm). so: Put your card in and it will ask you what sort of fuel you want answer - gazole etc and then press the green button that has a V on it then it will ask you for your PIN, put that in and press the V again, it will say - code bon it will then say that you can have X amount of euros of fuel It may say at some point ask - do you want a receipt (recu) so press the button V again. I don't think I have missed anything but you must remember to press the V button after to confirm whatever it is asking you to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Never had a problem with the unmanned pumps in France they have accepted my Nationwide Visa Card, and I found them very straight forward to use all that I have used have had the option for change of language to English. Also a tip I was told if you are to fill up with more than 100 litres (I have an RV) there is usually a button on the fuel pump which allows virtually unlimited fuel without stopping every 100 litres. I used this function in August at a Le Clerc supermarket filling station just south of Orleans that had a seperate HGV lane. Regards Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Never had a problem with my Post Office credit card except last year when I managed to find a French service station specifically for truckers and they wanted cash regardless of card. It was a good price though :-) Edit: Date of issue nearly two years ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 elamessa - 2011-11-26 11:56 AM........................Most Supermarket pumps are manned between 0900-1200 & 1400-1700 Monday to Friday (thats if they are open on Mondays) and all day on Saturdays. Steve Mick, just do as above, and you'll generally find the fuel quite a bit cheaper as well. We usually need to shop more often than we need fuel, so just fill the van as we leave whichever supermarket we are at. If you are using sat nav, you can download POIs for supermarkets, nearly all of which have a set of fuel pumps. Only one caution. Quite a few of the supermarket filling stations have low canopies and tight exits, to discourage HGVs from using them. It pays to do a little recce before you go in! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Randonneur - 2011-11-26 1:45 PM We have never come across a card machine that does not accept UK cards. The main thing you have to remember is that every time it asks you a question, when you answer you have to press the green button (validate/confirm). so: Put your card in and it will ask you what sort of fuel you want answer - gazole etc and then press the green button that has a V on it then it will ask you for your PIN, put that in and press the V again, it will say - code bon it will then say that you can have X amount of euros of fuel It may say at some point ask - do you want a receipt (recu) so press the button V again. I don't think I have missed anything but you must remember to press the V button after to confirm whatever it is asking you to do. On our local unmanned station there is only one pay station therefore its necessary to enter the pump number you wish to be served from, usually when it asks you which carburante you want it will give a list 1 Essence 98, 2 essence 95 E10, 3 gazole etc, remember to press the number you want before validisee. a safety feature is that oncethe card has been accepted forN Euros then the m/c prompts to pick up the correct nozzle. Faciles? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 In all our times trundling around France, I've never had a problem with them..........and I've used them quite a lot. They've all accepted my UK Visa and UK Mastercards, and my Spanish Visa card. Usually you can alter the language to English; but if not the instructions are pretty understandable in French. Remember also that even if someone helping you sees you putting your PIN number into the pump screen, there's nothing they can do to later clone your card and nick all yer dosh.........without the actual card the PIN number is useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 In all our times trundling around France, I've never had a problem with them..........and I've used them quite a lot. They've all accepted my UK Visa and UK Mastercards, and my Spanish Visa card. Usually you can alter the language to English; but if not the instructions are pretty understandable in French. Remember also that even if someone helping you sees you putting your PIN number into the pump screen, there's nothing they can do to later clone your card and nick all yer dosh.........without the actual card the PIN number is useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 While we are on the subject (NOT) autogas is only dispensed by an assistant or under supervision so on Sundays when you need gas and the card diesel pumps are operating, the gas pumps are not. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Found this thought it may be of some Help to you,There are 24-hour petrol stations on motorways, and some other stations have automatic pumps accepting debit or credit cards, which can be used when the station is open (to save queuing) or closed. Insert your card (you may need to lift a flap – Soulevez le volet) and you will receive the following instructions, sometimes on an LCD display, sometimes by recorded message. (Some automatic pumps have instructions in English as well as French.) Sélectionnez votre carburant: ‘Choose your fuel.’ Press the button corresponding to the type of fuel you require. Validez ou choix autre carburant: ‘Confirm or choose other fuel.’ Press the button marked ‘ Val’ or change your choice of fuel. Composez votre code confidentiel et validez: ‘Enter your PIN and confirm.’ Enter the four-digit PIN for your card and press ‘ Val’. Impression ticket?: ‘Do you want a receipt?’ Press ‘ Oui’ or ‘Non’. Servez-vous jusqu’à € ...: ‘Serve yourself to a maximum value of €...’ Remove the nozzle and fill up without exceeding the value indicated. Replace the nozzle and your card will be returned to you. If you’ve requested a receipt, this will be printed automatically; you don’t need to reinsert your card.You may see Veuillez patienter between instructions, which means ‘Please wait’. You may also be asked Avez-vous une carte client?, which means ‘Do you have a customer loyalty card?’. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Hi Mke, We have just returned home from Spain via France. We used one card only fuel station in France and from memory the procedure is: Insert card. Press V to eventually obtain a receipt. Type in PIN. Press V to validate the PIN. Serve yourself the required amount of fuel. (I could have bought up to €100 worth. I only bought €90!!!) Remove your card and take the receipt. Again from memory, the fuel that is pumped is determined by the gun that you select, the same as if you were going to pay at a shop counter. i. e. you do not have to select diesel using the keypad. I used a Tesco Mastercard. Hope this helps. I’m sure that if my memory is awry someone will be able to correct me. Cattwg :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Didn't have any problems this year although I have in the past,. Have found some pumps that change to English when you put you card in, some you have to select the language & some in French only. Also some where you have to select the fuel type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickydripin Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 Thanks everyone where I must have been going wrong was I did not press the v (validate) button after each instruction. When you ask someone and they do it for you they do it so quick you do not notice how it is done and you are so greatfull to be able to get fuel then the next time you have to fill up you think OMG here we go again I will copy posts and take them with me to read for when I go over the water next time. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postnote Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Never had a problem with my cards in France, maybe your card was bombed out :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 It used to be the case that no French card-operated fuel-pump would accept non-French debit/credit cards. This was because the French had adopted a unique micro-chip system for their cards well before the rest of the world and, if your card had no micro-chip, the fuel dispenser rejected it. Unfortunately, when other countries moved to cards with micro-chips the system they chose differed from the French one. This meant that, even though your (non-French) card now had a micro-chip, French fuel dispensers still wouldn't accept it. Then began an extended conversion exercise as French card-providers fell into line with other countries regarding their card micro-chip system and automatic machines like fuel dispensers were gradually modified to comply with the revised standard. When I brought my Hobby back from Germany in mid-2005, French fuel dispensers were still not accepting UK cards, but I think the conversion exercise had been completed not too long after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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