Carolmonkey Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Oops! Can anyone help me we are going to France on Wednesday and wondering how to pay for fuel when stations aren't,t manned. Do you use a credit or debit card or is there an easier way without incurring incredible charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Losos Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 I didn't know there were 'un-manned' petrol stations! How do you know the card readers haven't been tampered with? In Germany I just carry Euros, I decide how much I want and it's so simple to pay, my German is not all that good ha ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 UK cards appear to work on most French filling stations these days, over the last few years not come across any unmanned pumps that won't accept our nationwide CC. In supermarket filling stations I always use the pay at pump ones save an embarrassing situation when you can't get the Motorhome past the cash booth because of there silly stick of payment bits. I once got a caravan stuck in one at a busy time very embarrassing. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wills Wagon Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 We use UK mastercard and visa credit cards from Nationwide/M&S and Santander in automatic pumps in France and have had no problems. Usually have to specify the fuel you want, stick in your pin and the pump will tell you the maximum amount it will accept. Put in fuel and press the button for the receipt. We use Auchan, Leclerc and SuperU but some SuperU's are not high enough for 3 metre high vans. If a pump doesn't like your card it will reject it so you shouldn't lose it! NB you may need to make sure your card is authorised for use in France before you go by phoning or emailing your bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Use my Nationwide card with no problems. Operates the same as in UK in that enter card first and then PIN and remove card. Take fuel and get receipt, no problems. You will be asked language first so no problems with instructions. I always go over virtually on air as fuel is a good bit cheaper and fill up in SuperU or wherever in Calais. Whatever do not worry and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolmonkey Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Thanks for that, we are hoping to pay cash where possible. What does everyone do about the cash and passports etc in the motorhome, we have a safe but unfortunately it,s not screwed down, so were thinking just to leave it under the bed. Monkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Hi, You need to check with your card comapny whether they charge for use when you are out of the country, some do and some don't, you also need to understand the differnce between charges for purchases e.g. buying something like petrol of a loaf of bread etc. and charges for getting getting cash out ? as some don't charge when you make a purchase but they will charge if you withdraw cash. Here's a link to a web site where you should be able to check which ones are the best, ? http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money hope that helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Probably too late now but get a Halifax Clarity Credit card and pay for everything on that. Just make sure you set up a DD to pay it off from your current account each month and you will pay no charges and get the full commercial exchange rate. Its the best option available. The unmanned stations are great. Just pull in, put your card in, enter your pin and fill up. Have had the odd one that hasnt worked. They are starting to get pay at pump stations in the UK now but people avoid them for some reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolmonkey Posted June 17, 2013 Author Share Posted June 17, 2013 Does anyone know if you are on a site and go out for the day do you leave a motorhome using this pitch sign behind like we do in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 If you are on a "site" then you will have reserved that site with the site owner. If you mean aires, then no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Use only your debit card for taking cash out, not your credit card. Use your credit card for purchasing fuel or anything else, and like the earlier poster make sure you let your bank know when you will be in mainland Europe, they will also want to know which countries you will be visiting. I haven't come across a pump or an ATM yet that does not give you instructions in English, that said, I may have been lucky. Reserved pitch or not, I had a reserve sign which I always left on my pitch and it was in French and German beside English but always asked the site warden or manager if it was ok to display it, the request was never refused. Have a nice holiday :-D Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 The Halifax Clarity card is a Credit Card and to the best of my knowledge its proberbly the cheapest card including Debit cards to use to get actual cash ? You really must check with the link I gave earlier or directly with your back or credit card campany as there is no fixed rule, most of the Debit Cards now charge for using them abroad I think there are only one or two companies that don't, so you need to check. nowtelse2do - 2013-06-17 11:03 PM Use only your debit card for taking cash out, not your credit card. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Sundays can be problematic as many garages close..make sure you fill on a Saturday. and have cash as a few times (in the past) we have had to offer cash to helpful french people, so we could fill up as cards would not work. this more or less a thing of the past now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 France is the most card friendly country in Europe, just take minimal cash & use CC which gives you the best exchange rate. A recent 10 day trip to France in cash we took the 160€ we had at home and came back with 80€. Never have enough cash with us to worry about, it stays in our wallets/purses if we do need cash plenty of ATM's. Passports & documents we don't worry about them tend to leave them in the glove box, we have copies on line we can access in emergency (Google drive or Cloud). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 47 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Enodreven is right - the Halifax Clarity Card charges less than any Debit Card (as do some other Credit Cards if you pay them off it time) for cash withdrawals. As for using 24 hour unmanned fuel stations in France or anywhere else, we have never had any problem - first with a nationwide Debit Card (when they didn't charge) and now with the Clarity Card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Carolmonkey - 2013-06-17 10:22 PM Thanks for that, we are hoping to pay cash where possible. Problem with paying cash is the cheapest garages are almost invariably supermarkets and they have a pay booth on exiting. Quite often, I've found it very tight exiting and on one occasion caught the rear corner of my MH on the overhead canopy of the booth. Luckily, every garage now seems to accept CCs and 'pay at pump' which makes life a lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 lennyhb - 2013-06-18 9:31 AM France is the most card friendly country in Europe, just take minimal cash & use CC which gives you the best exchange rate. A recent 10 day trip to France in cash we took the 160€ we had at home and came back with 80€. Never have enough cash with us to worry about, it stays in our wallets/purses if we do need cash plenty of ATM's. Passports & documents we don't worry about them tend to leave them in the glove box, we have copies on line we can access in emergency (Google drive or Cloud). Agreed. Also, fill when half empty. Then you will always have half a tank or better in hand, so if you hit a filling station desert you won't worry. Most French supermarkets have fuel pumps, and they are by far the best place to buy. Most have a pay booth, and I always use that side in preference to the pay at pump side. Be aware that quite a lot of the pay booths are not manned between 12:00 and 14:00, after 18:00, or on Sunday, when many of the supers will, in any case, be closed, or will close at 12:00. So, planning to shop-mid morning, weekdays, is the most fail-safe ploy. It pays to suss out the exit before getting in, as many are deliberately made tight to dissuade trucks from taking advantage of the low prices, and they can also be a bit tight fpr larger motorhomes. Also, check carefully for low canopies over the pumps, this is another means to keep the trucks at bay. However, if one set of pumps is inaccessible, there will be another super down the road, and it is almost certain its pumps will be OK. There are, literally, thousands of supers around France. But, if you are fans of Aldi and Lidl, they do not so often have fuel pumps. Easiest way is to combine a shopping trip with a re-fuel. There is no point in taking much cash. France runs on plastic. All we use cash for is tips, visits to places, tolls (not often!) and occasional small purchases. I would say do not leave passports in your van when going out. AFAIK, it is still French law that you must be able to identify yourselves properly to the authorities when so requested. For the French, this means carrying their ID cards. As a non ID card carrying visitor your passport is the accepted means of identification. You might get away with a photocard driving licence but, depending on circumstances, you might not. So, take them with you at all times - you then know where they are. The obvious exception is trips to the beach, where leaving a passport, or anything else of value, in your duds is a complete no-no. Be careful crossing roads, the traffic comes the other way! Oh yes, and if a policeman is directing traffic (rare!), don't start crossing the road until he says you can. You'll get yelled at in no uncertain terms if you do, and you may then be asked for your papers! If you've got your passport, you'll be OK when they see you're British - as we're generally expected to be mad! Have fun, drive on the right, be careful at roundabouts, and stop worrying. You'll be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolmonkey Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 How do you access copies on line, I have never heard of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 To do that, you would have to have internet access - which you may not have at a critical moment. Easier, IMO, is to scan all your documents, EHICs, passports, driving licences, any critical drugs prescriptions, optical prescriptions, vehicle log-book (V5C), and health and vehicle insurance certificates, onto a flash memory stick or SD card, and tuck it away somewhere in the van. When you go out you'll be carrying the originals (otherwise why take them at all?), which are what is valuable, so the flash stick or SD are you back ups if you lose anything while out. If the van is robbed or stolen (very unlikely, but it can happen), you will have the originals on you when you discover what has happened, so will at least be able to get in touch with your insurer. I assume you know about mobile 'phone roaming rates when outside UK and, more especially, roaming data charges? The best way to communicate will be text, which is quite reasonable cost-wise, or WiFi internet, which is free in many places and will allow you to access your e-mails via webmail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyreman Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Just used my ordinary switch card when we were away for a month earlier in the year,just inform your bank before you go that it's going to be used abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 We've just come back from France, we usually prefer to use cash but we found this time that here were fa fewer manned pumps so used nationwide card. We only found one place where it wouldn't accept the card. Incidentally we rarely use toll motorways but on the 3 or 4 short stretches we did, they were all unmanned now. Obviously a lot of job cutting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 As a matter of interest disel at super U in Brittany is presently 128.7 Euros. Better news than the weather at present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Brown Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 I pre-load my Santander Zero card (used to be Abbey card) No charges, no problems, fuel never been a problem in France, Spain or Portugal. Good exchange rates. What more can you want. If you leave things late, like low fuel level etc then you can expect problems as you would in this country. Sods law rules. There are other cards you can pre-load but I do not know which ones. Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Ms Monkey, don't sweat it, at least 700,000,000,000 foreigners have 'done' France in motorhomes before you and virtually all have found it to be absurdly easy to get on with the business of motorhoming. Because it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolmonkey Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Thank you all for your replies and useful comments. We shall be fine !!! Monkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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