France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

CelticRambler

Munsterbhoy wrote: »

Was going to go the normal way south from Nantes to Bordeaux then across but the fuel strikes are mainly in Brittany, Normandy and Charentes which is my direct route. Would I be better of going thru Tours Clermont Millau?

Clermont-Millau is miles out of your way if you're aiming for Perpignan. :eek: Take the A20 straight down to Toulouse.

But be aware of roadblocks. This is the latest thing (the union activists are planning to block the A20 tomorrow) ...

Feckin' eejits the lot of them. :mad:

whiskeyman

whiskeyman wrote: »

I reckon lots more will do it regardless but just have the gerrycan buried under something else so it's not easily found.

quoting myself to ask... I wonder will the ferry operators be even more mindful to search for gerrycans over the coming days?


http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/may/25/france-fuel-strike-leads-to-tourist-anxiety-ahead-of-bank-holiday-weekend

“We’ve got oil, coolant, lots of car spares, string, black tape and rope. We’re also packing food and water as, let’s face it, if you’re heading somewhere where petrol is scarce and no one is driving, supermarket distributors aren’t going to be racing to restock the shelves. We’re also planning on sneaking a jerrycan of fuel onto the ferry.”

Just saw from that above article:

P&O Ferries says that drivers can bring up to five litres of spare fuel on board with them, provided it is in an approved container.

Irish Ferries have the below rule however:

Fuel - Spare containers of fuel ( petrol or diesel) are not allowed in passenger vehicles.

Munsterbhoy

Think I'll stick to usual route then and avoid A20 just in case. The fact we'll be driving early Sunday morning hopefully the petrol stations will be quiet and fuel will be easier to get. Will fill up in cork so full tank will get me a fair bit down but will look to refuel wherever I can.

CelticRambler

Petrol stations in France are never quiet on a Sunday morning at the best of times; now the simple fact that they're open will have people queuing up.

Once again, what you need to be wary of is not getting a top-up while the staffed stations are open (i.e. before 12 noon) because the 24h/credit card pumps are being shut down outside of normal hours.

Munsterbhoy

CelticRambler wrote: »

Petrol stations in France are never quiet on a Sunday morning at the best of times; now the simple fact that they're open will have people queuing up.

Once again, what you need to be wary of is not getting a top-up while the staffed stations are open (i.e. before 12 noon) because the 24h/credit card pumps are being shut down outside of normal hours.

Hi i see your location is central france , how bad is the fuel situation . Will i find it tough to make it to argeles in one day or will i consider a overnighter. thanks

westgolf

Filling stations near the Rosslare and Cork ferry ports must be watching this with large smiles and open tills

CelticRambler

Munsterbhoy wrote: »

Hi i see your location is central france , how bad is the fuel situation . Will i find it tough to make it to argeles in one day or will i consider a overnighter. thanks

Central France is home, but I'm currently parked up a few km from the German border so not much use to you!

From what I hear, there are still supplies available during normal opening hours at the supermarket stations that I'd use (départements 36-23 and further south). Diesel seems to be running out faster and not replenished as quick as petrol.

Anyone worried about a potential road-block on the A20 - don't! Come off a junction or two early and cruise down the old N20 (now renamed D920 or variations on the theme) to see a bit of real France. Better still, cancel your trips to the boring tourist-infested coastal resorts and hang out with us in the undiscovered midlands!

Stone Deaf 4evr

http://www.thelocal.fr/20160526/french-fuel-crisis-4600-petrol-stations-run-dry


grim enough old reading all the same.

Id appreciate anyone who is traveliing in the next week or so to keep us updated on how you get on with it.

DerryRed

I'm travelling to France on Saturday and bringing the car by ferry. I intend to fill up the tank here in Ireland before getting on the ferry.

Are there any issues in carrying additional diesel in jerrycans in the boot. Would the ferry operators have an issue with this?

afatbollix

Ya last time I used the ferry they were ok with the 5L jerry can but a friend had a 25L jerry can and had to put it in the car. She even had the cheek to say if it won't go into the car her car was over there! This was the ferry from Belfast to Scotland.

DerryRed

afatbollix wrote: »

Ya last time I used the ferry they were ok with the 5L jerry can but a friend had a 25L jerry can and had to put it in the car. She even had the cheek to say if it won't go into the car her car was over there! This was the ferry from Belfast to Scotland.

I'd be happy enough to keep it in the car. I'm thinking of getting maybe 2 5L jerrycans, to use in an emergency if we run out of diesel while trying to find a station.

Do I need to declare to the ferry company that I'm carrying the containers in my car?

CelticRambler

CelticRambler wrote: »

Better still ... hang out with us in the undiscovered midlands!

Seriously, though, with or without fuel supply problems, the land that time Google and the French tourist board forgot is worth visiting sometime.

This place doesn't appear on Google maps (unless you know where to look using satellite view):


This photo was taken at a four day-and-night music-dance-and-great-craic festival mid-July. 50€/adult including camp site, children free.

Mind you, maybe it'd be a bit too much like home for some: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iBhLCOWN7I ("open mic" stage, 5am last year)

There are loads of these places and events buried in the "grand centre" but the French are fekkin useless at marketing so no-one knows about them. :rolleyes:

Gazza123

Hi,
All I will be travelling from Rocoff to Paris on 4th June I'm a bit worried about this fuel situation as things seem to be worsening today. However contacts in Paris tell me (yesterday) that fuel is available, queues are longer but there's no need to panic, I'll have enough to get me there, I intend to fill up (once I use half a tank) every chance I get along the motor ways. I'll try to post once I arrive in Paris but in the meantime if anybody has any info please post. Essence Comparateur appears to be a good app, it's got recent pricing for a lot of petrol stations posted/updated by users, check it out.

Gazza123

Hi All,

Me again, just got word from my campsite outside Paris Le Chene Gris (Faremoutiers) that fuel is available locally and not much hassle getting it either, so far.

christy02

They are ok with diesel. Not petrol though. May do this also. My issue is it will take a full tank to get to my destination (865km).

I am going through Midlands though which looks to be less affected so am going to try fill up at any opportunity.

Sure twill be an adventure lol

DerryRed

christy02 wrote: »

They are ok with diesel. Not petrol though. May do this also. My issue is it will take a full tank to get to my destination (865km).

I am going through Midlands though which looks to be less affected so am going to try fill up at any opportunity.

Sure twill be an adventure lol

I phoned Stenaline this morning and the lady I spoke to didn't seem too sure. She asked a supervisor and they said that bringing jerrycans of additional diesel was not allowed.

christy02

They would hardly check the boot though. Tbh 5 litres or so would only be an emergency stop gap if you ran out waiting in line or something.

Munsterbhoy

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

http://www.thelocal.fr/20160526/french-fuel-crisis-4600-petrol-stations-run-dry


grim enough old reading all the same.

Id appreciate anyone who is traveliing in the next week or so to keep us updated on how you get on with it.

Heading to argeles on Saturday, Will keep ye posted but hopefully over soon. Brittany ferries tweeted me to say the problem is getting better.

Munsterbhoy

CelticRambler wrote: »

Central France is home, but I'm currently parked up a few km from the German border so not much use to you!

From what I hear, there are still supplies available during normal opening hours at the supermarket stations that I'd use (départements 36-23 and further south). Diesel seems to be running out faster and not replenished as quick as petrol.

Anyone worried about a potential road-block on the A20 - don't! Come off a junction or two early and cruise down the old N20 (now renamed D920 or variations on the theme) to see a bit of real France. Better still, cancel your trips to the boring tourist-infested coastal resorts and hang out with us in the undiscovered midlands!

thanks a mill for the heads up. BTW I've been to Loire valley twice which is stunning and once to the ardeche region which is my fav part of France their kinda central France. ☺

Atlantic Dawn

Diesel is ok on the boat, petrol in any type of container is a big no no.

Westernyelp

How are car hire companies handling the fuel shortage situation? Picking up a car in Bordeaux on the 13th of June. It would be like them to add a fuel scarcity surcharge or other such bs

CelticRambler

Thumbs up for the Ardeche; the Loire Valley ... meh ... picture-postcard-perfect, but a bit soulless.

Re the fuel situation: on the news tonight, it was reported that now that the French have finished panic-buying and stocked up on all they can (there's been a run on jerry-cans since last week) the queues are noticeably less than they were. Mind you, they included some woman saying that she had to queue for "only" an hour today. It remains to be seen if that's a real improvement, seeing as half of France was on strike today anyway ...

Voodoomelon

Hi guys. We're taking the car over on the 11th of June, attending all three Ireland games.

Driving Cherbourg to Paris, then Paris to La Rochelle, La Rochelle to Bordeaux, then Bordeaux to Lille.

All management stints, but the Bordeaux to Lille leg is daunting as we have one day to complete it. Anyone done the Paris to Bordeaux and back (that general direction) before?

At the expense of 15 minutes, it seems you can save a fair whack on tolls each way.

CelticRambler

Bordeaux to Lille in one go? :eek:

With two drivers, yeah ... numb-bum when you get there though. :pac: Allow 10-12 hours if you're going motorway all the way (well, as much as you can).

Not sure what you mean about "15 minutes .... save a fair whack on tolls" If you go toll-free, you'll add about 2-5 hours to the journey, depending on what tractors, sheep, village fêtes, roadworks, "sans permis" drivers and other obstacles you meet on the way.

* Be wary of using Google for journey times - it tends to grossly underestimate the impact of traffic and speed restrictions. Right now, for the A10-A1 "direct" route, Google is indicating 7h20min. ViaMichelin says 9h00, including 56 minutes of delays. Google's suggestion assumes an average of 110kmh all the way - don't forget to add a few speeding fines if you do that!

Voodoomelon

Thanks for the tips. Yep it will be a long journey but saves us time in the long run. In regards the avoiding of a certain toll, I came across this on another website:

"If driving from Paris to Bordeaux and southwest France, do not follow the A 10 motorway all the way. Leave the A10 at Orleans, following A71 > A20 Toulouse. At Limoges, follow N141 > Angoulême. At Angoulême, follow the N10 for Bordeaux. All but about 60 km. of this alternative route to Bordeaux is on autoroutes or dual carriageway, but after Vierzon, it's all free. Saving: about 36 €uros less in tolls, for a distance of about 15 miles extra.... and cheaper off-motorway petrol if you need it."


http://about-france.com/driving.htm#tolls

CelticRambler

Hmmmm. Angoulême is a bottleneck, depending on the day and the time. As I'm usually in a Class 2 vehicle (for toll purposes, more expensive than a car) and try not to be pushed for time, I travel on toll-free roads. Some routes look great on paper but can be hell in reality. That turn off the A20 onto the N141 is one. It's the route to the airport. I can get to it in 45mins (75km) from my house, then spend 10 minutes stuck at the junction (roundabout) trying to turn onto the N141.

Also, these secondary routes are really busy with HGVs (saving tolls!) so you can find yourself cruising at 90kmh even if the speed limit is 110kmh (many non-French HGVs don't bother obeying the no-overtaking rules :pac: ). It can work - just don't underestimate the number and types of delays you could face.

average_runner

If its a safety hazard, please don't do it, no point putting other people at risk.
Just top up in Wexford

DerryRed

average_runner wrote: »

If its a safety hazard, please don't do it, no point putting other people at risk.
Just top up in Wexford

Can you clarify what the hazard is. Is it carrying petrol, diesel or both? I got feedback from Stenaline via their Facebook Page and they said it is fine to bring up to 5L of diesel in an appropriate jerrycan.

average_runner

DerryRed wrote: »

Can you clarify what the hazard is. Is it carrying petrol, diesel or both? I got feedback from Stenaline via their Facebook Page and they said it is fine to bring up to 5L of diesel in an appropriate jerrycan.

Someone earlier on this forum posted a link about it.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.