Tolls in France

dr.fuzzenstein

Taking the Ferry and landing in Cherbourg and heading across to southern Germany, destination is the A7 Ulm towards Kempten.
I know it's been asked, but these things change all the time, how much can I expect in tolls and how much slower would it be avoiding them?
Also, since roaming charges kill any data usage, what is a good offline sat-nav app?

edit:
added info, i will be travelling in a Ford Transit Connect, so not an automocar.

AndyBoBandy

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Also, since roaming charges kill any data usage, what is a good offline sat-nav app?

Navigon by Garmin is a great offline nav app, I've been using it for about 5 years now with no issues.

Pre download your maps while on wifi, and they are always with you (I now use the app on old iPhones that don't even have a SIM card installed, to save stressing the battery on my current iPhones)

Aka Ishur

The free 'here' app by Nokia/Microsoft is great for off line use I find. just remember to download the maps in advance.

deRanged

I don't know about a van, but we did Cherbourg to Switzerland ( so not too far away, depending on your definition of southern Germany in June and tolls were about 55 euro.

Here maps works really well as a satnav.

dr.fuzzenstein

deRanged wrote: »

I don't know about a van, but we did Cherbourg to Switzerland ( so not too far away, depending on your definition of southern Germany in June and tolls were about 55 euro.

Here maps works really well as a satnav.

Here, yes, because data. I'm just looking at download all of France onto my phone to see how good Maps is when offline.

maximum12

Put your route in to viamichelin.com and it will give you the toll cost.

You can now download sections of google maps but stuff like the live traffic will use data. Found Google invaluable recently in France for re-routing me around motorway traffic jams which are very common at this time of year.

CelticRambler

Your van will be Class2 so budget for about 25% more in tolls than for a car. You can use the viamichelin.fr site to plot a variety of routes and get estimates for journey times, fuel and tolls. VM is generally more accurate than Google for journey times, but these will be affected by what hold-ups you meet on the way.

Crossing France in the holiday season, it's always a bit of a juggling act when choosing whether to take the motorway or the main roads. If you pick the wrong day/wrong direction, you can be stuck in a 20-50km traffic jam on the motorway for hours; but "off piste" you're likely to run into road closures and deviations due to village fêtes and the like.

TrailerBob

Offline Sat Nav I use is Sygic on Android. It's very good, and even better of you're willing to pay for the licenses - around €17 for Europe (though you can use it without, but less information). I've used it all over the continent and found it very accurate and up to date - it's basically TomTom

As for your route, my only advice is avoid Paris if you can, the Peripherique can get highly congested. Other than that, you should be OK for traffic,as the North of France is nowhere near as bad as the Southern half. Anything below Lyon is disastrous in August. You could loop North of Paris towards Amiens and then to Reims, but it is a bit longer. Happy driving

Voodoomelon

We used Google Maps for 4500km around France, downloaded the maps before we went, they last for 28 days on your phone.

Tolls vary, but shouldn't be too much from Cherbourg to the other side of France, maybe €30-€40 each way.

deRanged

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Here, yes, because data. I'm just looking at download all of France onto my phone to see how good Maps is when offline.

Here Maps (or Here WeGo as it's now called) works really well offline. Larger countries are broken into chunks, so you can save data if needed by only downloading the parts you need. I've used Here Maps across UK, France, Germany, Switzerland - worked great in all of them.

dr.fuzzenstein

deRanged wrote: »

Here Maps (or Here WeGo as it's now called) works really well offline. Larger countries are broken into chunks, so you can save data if needed by only downloading the parts you need. I've used Here Maps across UK, France, Germany, Switzerland - worked great in all of them.

Ah, I get you! Sorry, bit of a D'oh moment. I didn't realise the app was called Here.

_Brian

Having traveled a good bit of France I'd say the tolls are worth paying.. it will save you time driving and time is money.Not sure what the economy in your connect is like but I'd wonder would you save half the tolls by taking the better roads and smoother driving.. Provided of course your not driving like a carzy person that is.. 100/110 km/hr with cruise control on and its easy driving and very economical...

No idea about maps as we just use a sat nav.

biko

This will give you tolls and everything http://www.viamichelin.ie/

HERE Maps are good.

dr.fuzzenstein

_Brian wrote: »

Having traveled a good bit of France I'd say the tolls are worth paying.. it will save you time driving and time is money.Not sure what the economy in your connect is like but I'd wonder would you save half the tolls by taking the better roads and smoother driving.. Provided of course your not driving like a carzy person that is.. 100/110 km/hr with cruise control on and its easy driving and very economical...

No idea about maps as we just use a sat nav.

It's a 2005 Connect. What is this cruise control you speak of? :P

Pkiernan

I drove a Land Cruiser from Cherburg to Stuttgart and back in 2008. Tolls were 60 euro each way.

CelticRambler

CelticRambler wrote: »

Your van will be Class2 so budget for about 25% more in tolls than for a car.

Sorry - just realised that a Connect isn't a "full size" van, so you'd be Class 1 - same as a regular car - and the approximate tolls above (50-60€ each way) should be about right.

Be careful, though, if you put anything on the roof and have to go through an automated toll gate. A roofbox or a bike rack will make the vehicle look like it's over 2m and get you charged as Class 2 (this applies to people with SUVs & other high-ish cars too). You can argue your case by calling the toll plaza supervisor using the intercom ... as long as you're prepared to speak French! (Well, it'll be your passenger doing the talking if you're in a RHD! :cool: )

dr.fuzzenstein

Pkiernan wrote: »

I drove a Land Cruiser from Cherburg to Stuttgart and back in 2008. Tolls were 60 euro each way.

Thanks, should be OK so.
One thing, are the toll gates the same as here, i.e. cash machine or pay at a window if I need change?

koutoubia

Take the motorway/toll roads. Service stations and rest stops are better. Your mpg will be much better (as long as you don't get caught in a tailback which is very likely this time of year) and your clutch will thank you. The French love their roundabouts on all other roads.
I would certainly budget over 60 quid for tolls.
A lot of them are 'take a ticket' when getting on and pay when you get off.

dr.fuzzenstein

Wonder how many tollgates? It's a RHD and there is no passenger, this should be fun...
Is there a cashier or do I have to stick a card into a French only machine?

Ich bin hier letztens auf der Autobahn gefahren und dann sah ich da ein Schild wo "Toll" draufstand. Da bin ich dann langefahren und es hat mich €1.90 gekostet.
Das fand ich dann gar nicht toll...

kerry4sam

Not long back now myself from driving in France.

This link is one I used to pre-plan my routes. Lists the rough price/petrol but also the tolls you should expect to pay.

I drove a juke; solo-occupant. The least I paid was 5€uro and the max I paid in tolls was just shy of 50€euro e/journey.
As for collecting the ticket; get out of car to collect; get out of car to pay the toll; never encountered an issue. I just saluted those queuing behind me tbh and said Thanks; hopped in; seatbelt and off-you-go again no bother.

The services off-road from the motorways were excellent imo.

Really is nothing to be concerned about.

Hope that helps,
kerry4sam

dr.fuzzenstein

kerry4sam wrote: »

Not long back now myself from driving in France.

This link is one I used to pre-plan my routes. Lists the rough price/petrol but also the tolls you should expect to pay.

I drove a juke; solo-occupant. The least I paid was 5€uro and the max I paid in tolls was just shy of 50€euro e/journey.
As for collecting the ticket; get out of car to collect; get out of car to pay the toll; never encountered an issue. I just saluted those queuing behind me tbh and said Thanks; hopped in; seatbelt and off-you-go again no bother.

The services off-road from the motorways were excellent imo.

Really is nothing to be concerned about.

Hope that helps,
kerry4sam

€50 at a tollbooth? That's a bit steep. How long a segment was that?

edit:

Not so bad, according to that website it's €53.

TrailerBob

Depending on the route, you can easily cover 300-400km before having to leave a tolled stretch. As others have said though, it seems pricey until you do it. They really are decent value for money if you're not planning on dawdling across the countryside

Voodoomelon

There's many booths that are card only and even if you plan to hit the coin booths on approach, you'll invariably end up at a card only booth and will have to pay with a credit/debit card so have one handy.

As mentioned above you'll have to get out of the car everytime.

Note that the services are mostly the same, with the same expensive food, awful pre-made sandwiches and salad boxes and diabolical coffee so I wouldn't rely on them for a decent bit of food. (in France)

Services in Ireland and UK are way better.

Fiskar

Busiest weekend of the year in France for travelling. i would stay off motorway this weekend, had the experience before and never want it again, 4 hour road trip by motorway became a nightmare 7 hour journey to make a return boat with 15 mins to spare.
A guinness somewhat made up for it! Done fly drive after that.

SmartinMartin

Just back from France, used HERE maps for all journeys and it was fantastic, rerouting and speed limits worked without flaw.

kerry4sam

Voodoomelon wrote: »

There's many booths that are card only and even if you plan to hit the coin booths on approach, you'll invariably end up at a card only booth and will have to pay with a credit/debit card so have one handy.

As mentioned above you'll have to get out of the car everytime.

Note that the services are mostly the same, with the same expensive food, awful pre-made sandwiches and salad boxes and diabolical coffee so I wouldn't rely on them for a decent bit of food. (in France)

Services in Ireland and UK are way better.

Never encountered a Toll-booth that was card-only. They ALL had the options to pay in cash as opposed to the petrol stations which, the ones I ended up at, were primarily card-only.
Stops again varied for me:
~ basic park and view areas;
~ simple picnic-park-areas great to stretch the legs; bathroom break if necessary;
~ more services offered incl variety of food/shops with petrol available.

Must've got lucky with where I ended up each time by the sounds of your post,
kerry4sam

dr.fuzzenstein

Voodoomelon wrote: »

There's many booths that are card only and even if you plan to hit the coin booths on approach, you'll invariably end up at a card only booth and will have to pay with a credit/debit card so have one handy.

As mentioned above you'll have to get out of the car everytime.

Note that the services are mostly the same, with the same expensive food, awful pre-made sandwiches and salad boxes and diabolical coffee so I wouldn't rely on them for a decent bit of food. (in France)

Services in Ireland and UK are way better.

Services in ireland (well, the 2 we have) are basically a petrol station with a Supermacs or a Burger King. I'll see if the French can possibly manage to surpass the Zenith of Irish Cuisine that is the Shnack Box.

Voodoomelon

kerry4sam wrote: »

Never encountered a Toll-booth that was card-only. They ALL had the options to pay in cash as opposed to the petrol stations which, the ones I ended up at, were primarily card-only.
Stops again varied for me:
~ basic park and view areas;
~ simple picnic-park-areas great to stretch the legs; bathroom break if necessary;
~ more services offered incl variety of food/shops with petrol available.

Must've got lucky with where I ended up each time by the sounds of your post,
kerry4sam

When I said booth I meant just the booth, you can accidentally end in a card only booth so be prepared to pay with one.

We stopped in 20+ services over 4500km and the food and coffee in all of them was diabolical. The best food I had at one was a Burger King.

The services in Ireland are decent by comparison, we have chinese food, fast food, freshly cooked food, pastry counters, costa coffee, full newsagents and showers.

Services in France are giant newsagents with decent toilets granted, with rows of automated coffee machines that taste like piss, occasionally with a deli with white rolls stuffed with frig all and a pile of croissants. It was a godsend arriving in Dover and stopping at services ten times better.

Just my opinion, i'd pull off to a small town for a proper café.

CelticRambler

kerry4sam wrote: »

Never encountered a Toll-booth that was card-only.

They do exist, usually well identified with height barriers and an illuminated sign overhead marked "CB" or just a card symbol.

like this:

See https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panneau_d%27indication_du_mode_de_paiement_sur_une_route_%C3%A0_p%C3%A9age_en_France for pictures.

koutoubia wrote:

Your mpg will be much better

What you save in mpg you'll lose in topping up, if you have to. Fuel prices at motorway services are invariably 10-25ct/litre more expensive than off-motorway.

The main advantage of motorway service stations is being able to pay by cash after 7 or 8pm, as almost all supermarket kiosks shut at that time and the pumps become card-only until the next morning. A good few Total forecourts stay open later - till about 10 - and Total Access sells fuel at prices comparable to the nearby supermarkets.

H.E. Pennypacker

I've done this to Germany several times, most recently the last two weeks. Apart from my last trips I usually travel in September so I can't comment on August travel delays but to my mind its a far superior option. You have far more food options and for the most part they're good. I've done the same route avoiding motorways and struggled to find parking plus a place to eat. Finding a clearly signposted option out of town on the smaller roads isn't always easy too. Delays on smaller roads can't be discounted either.

quadrifoglio verde

The rural French roads are absolutely fantastic to drive on. Not a pothole in sight, excellent views of what's up ahead thanks to no hedgerows so you really can take bends quickly.
I think I drove faster on those roads than on the ring.

Don't know how it would be in a transit, but I found the motorways woeful and you see nothing

If speed is of the essence, the toll is worth paying though

CelticRambler

H.E. Pennypacker wrote: »

struggled to find parking plus a place to eat.

Easy (and free) parking is one of the best things about France. I have "special needs" when it comes to parking, being 3m high and 7m long, but it's a very bad day if I don't quickly find somewhere to park within walking distance of where I want to be. On one trip, I parked right across the road from le Palais de Versailles (for free). :cool:

And every decent-sized town has a "zone d'activité" on the outskirts with a collection of hotels and restaurants, fast-food emporiums and the like, so getting something to eat is not much of a challenge.

Signage, on the other hand ... yeah, that's something the French haven't quite figured out. :pac:

Magown3

On average, it's about 10c per kilometer.

If you travel 200km on the motorway you can expect a charge of €20.... ish

30km would be about €3.

maximum12

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Services in ireland (well, the 2 we have) are basically a petrol station with a Supermacs or a Burger King. I'll see if the French can possibly manage to surpass the Zenith of Irish Cuisine that is the Shnack Box.

No the French can't. They're universally awful. Some Irish ones have better options than burger king.

HappieChappie

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

The rural French roads are absolutely fantastic to drive on. Not a pothole in sight, excellent views of what's up ahead thanks to no hedgerows so you really can take bends quickly.
I think I drove faster on those roads than on the ring.

Don't know how it would be in a transit, but I found the motorways woeful and you see nothing

If speed is of the essence, the toll is worth paying though

Couldn't agree more. secondary roads are excellent, a total pain if you get stuck behind a truck but a far better drive if your not under pressure for time.

dr.fuzzenstein

OK, just bringing this thread to a conclusion. I boarded the Epsilon in Dublin on Saturday the 27th of August and arrived in Cherbourg at around 11ish the next day. I applied the Halfords bought stickers to my headlights, following nebulous instructions. From there I headed towards Paris, not having downloaded any map apps and not having much in my prepay Three account. So I relied on an ancient road map i found in a drawer in my soon to be ex home. Of course i managed to not avoid Paris and drove along the periphery, but it was good fun. A guy at a petrol station explained the way, despite me not having French and he not having English. Before hitting the road in earnest I pulled off the main road into Caen to find absolutely everything closed. Of course, it was Sunday. Managed to find a automated petrol station and got diesel at around 1,08 which was reasonable, it got me through all of France and into Germany. French motorway stations were as described, very basic, coffee that tasted like cat piss. Oh and diesel at close to 1 fcucking 40.
The toll botths were straightforward during the day, except I had to get out of my car, walk around the front and hand the bemused tollbooth operater the money. (The problem was, the van was loaded to the rafters with my personal possessions) Later on all the operators went home and it was all automated, but also no problem. And France is quite a big country to cross, I left at 11 am and arrived in Bavaria (near Füssen) at 3 am the next day. 10 hours my arse, google maps. I could have just sent my junk off via courier and flown there in a fraction of the time, but it wouldn't have been half the fun.
The only way to do this was with a packet of cigarillos and a whole lot of Boost.
Somewhere around Metz I couldn't trust my farts anymore.
No idea how much it cost me, but around 50 would be my guess.
The Transit now sits on winter tires bought off eBay, a whole set of complete wheels for 150 and no junk either, Michelin at the front and Kleber at the back. I have also a set of German headlights on order, because I can't see fcuk all with those stickers.
Its been quite a ride and I have started a complete new life, so far so good.

quadrifoglio verde

Good luck being back in the motherland! Enjoy living with angela

easygoing39

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Good luck being back in the motherland! Enjoy living with angela

And 6 million refugees who could go postal at any minute!! :eek:

Chuchote

For the future, French people use the government service Bison Futé ('Smart Bison') for traffic warnings:
http://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/

The purpose of this service is to drain traffic away from bottlenecks, especially during the holiday tailbacks when everyone in France gets in car, van, truck or tricycle to flee Paris and head south or west. It's a fantastic service, cutting national pollution, not to mention frustration, and easing people along different roads so what used to be day-long tailbacks are avoided.

It's in French, but it's easy enough; you can also get a basic translation if you use it in the Chrome browser.

dr.fuzzenstein

easygoing39 wrote: »

And 6 million refugees who could go postal at any minute!! :eek:

Not a single one in sight here. Obviously this picture was taken a while ago.

edit
Bollocks, file to large. Will edit and post later.

Voodoomelon

Best of luck over there Fuzz! What has you leaving, work?

MugMugs

Probably too late and already said but you can download maps on Google maps for offline use.

dr.fuzzenstein

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Best of luck over there Fuzz! What has you leaving, work?

All for love, met someone in Germany and decided I'm due an act of insanity and packed up and left. New woman, new house, new job, new life. This year has been insane, but it had to he done, I needed an act of insanity to save my sanity.
Yes, too many insanities in the above sentence

HandsomeDan

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

All for love, met someone in Germany and decided I'm due an act of insanity and packed up and left. New woman, new house, new job, new life. This year has been insane, but it had to he done, I needed an act of insanity to save my sanity.
Yes, too many insanities in the above sentence

Did you leave your wife for the German girl?

josip

I thought you were from Germany originally?

fancy pigeon

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

All for love, met someone in Germany and decided I'm due an act of insanity and packed up and left. New woman, new house, new job, new life. This year has been insane, but it had to he done, I needed an act of insanity to save my sanity.
Yes, too many insanities in the above sentence

You are the hero we needed in our lives! :D:D:D

dr.fuzzenstein

josip wrote: »

I thought you were from Germany originally?

Jawohl, das bin ich.

dr.fuzzenstein

And here's a pic of the Transit in it's new home. These are the original rusty, dented, worn out wheels. Sits on shiny new wheels now. Hhhmmhh, shiiiiney!

HandsomeDan

I realize now dr fuzz, that you are quite mad.

CiniO

Is the Transit RHD?
Are you planning on registering it in Germany to use it there?
Is insurance for RHD any more expensive than for LHD?

Good luck with the move - bit of a change I suppose

pajor

HandsomeDan wrote: »

I realize now dr fuzz, that you are quite mad.

I'm sure there is a German word for being pleasantly, happily quite mad.

I was wondering the same, are you going to put the van on German style plates?