paying tolls in france?....

[AdrianC]

I would agree normally but it was more the fact we have just 6 days to get to Spain and aren't planning on driving more than 5/6 hours at a time whilst squeezing in as much as we can. We have a wedding to go to so we don't have an open ended timescale.

If you were trying to do it in one day, mebbe. But 36 hours of driving? It ain't THAT far...

[Ian Hulley]

Back in the 80's me and Jack ... now The Present Mrs Hulley (God Bless Her !) drove from Derbyshire down to Port Grimaud non-stop ... 1,000 miles exactly 24 hours inc the time difference and Dover-Calais ferry.

It can be done BUT why would you want to do that in a camper ? We took 3 days to drive back from St.Trop 2 years ago, a 3 or 4 hour drive up to a France Passion in the Ardeche, a 6 hour hard drive up to an Aire near Auxerre (via Lyon ) and a 4 hour drive up round western Paris to a campsite near Abbeville which is about an hour from Boulogne/Calais/Dunkerque.

Ian

[dandaz]

some toll booth have bucket things to chuck your cash in [we chuck all the change in] ,but depends howa good shot you are...

[Cruz]

I would agree normally but it was more the fact we have just 6 days to get to Spain and aren't planning on driving more than 5/6 hours at a time whilst squeezing in as much as we can. We have a wedding to go to so we don't have an open ended timescale.

If you were trying to do it in one day, mebbe. But 36 hours of driving? It ain't THAT far...

We will be driving it in 4 segments.

[sarran1955]

Hello,

Read your thread, seem like a desperate dash

Just a couple of pointers:

French motorway tolls are pretty expensive and will eat into your budget. But they do have 24 hr LPG, (GPL in France)

They also have good restaurants, and if you are going in the holiday season, there are often FREE fun things to do in the Aires.

If you go off motorway, remember that GPL is only available from manned service stations. So you would for example go to Leclerc Hypermarket, eat at Flunch, and gas up.

You will NOT get gas on a 24 hr pump unattended.

French motorway radio is 107.7 with updates in English in summer.

If you are doing motorway a beep badge is a good idea, if only to avoid the 'running round the back of the camper apologising by gesture to the irate anglophobe parisien behind you.. syndrome.'

Also, at busy tolls it saves loads of time.

Do try to take your time coming back, a holiday is supposed to be de stressing.

Call in if you like,

Cordialement,

[ronsrecord]

Sarran - what's a beep badge?

[sarran1955]

Hello,

Sorry, a beep badge is a 'tele peage' badge,sticks on your windscreen lets you through, takes your toll automatically.

and goes beep

I've had one for years, 1€ a month and 4 weeks before the bill, (direct debit) comes in.

I know brits can get them for a short period.

Cordialement,

[ringo]

Thanks Saran - does the badge save money or is it just for convenience ?

Ringo

[kathyshack]

Thanks guys for all the advice. As far as I can tell, the beep things make it more convenient, but do cost a little more..... Would you say you would notice this added convenience, going in early may, or do you only really see the queues in the summer months?
Thanks,
kathy

[pocolow]

When we went in August last year ,we were never held up at the Tolls for more than a couple of minutes..

Mark

[ringo]

I've never had an issues queuing at any time to be honest.

It looks a good idea for a frequent traveller - but i dont think id bother.

Ringo

[Ian Hulley]

I've never had an issues queuing at any time to be honest.

It looks a good idea for a frequent traveller - but i dont think id bother.

Ringo

Make sure you avoid Mad Friday ... 1st Friday of the French holidays ... Paris empties out in a Westerly and Southerly direction and causes chaos at all the toll booths AND the RN roads where they go down to single carriageway through the small 50 klick town/village stretches.