France: Paying on Autoroutes

[Joe Rocket]

This is a heads up for anyone using Autoroutes in France. If driving a car or on a bike you will have to pay with a bank debit card at the automatic barrier machines that have 'phone app capability. Some drivers have been fined for using their 'phones to pay at the Péage . If a passenger (rhd car) pays then there's no problem.

As nearly the whole French motorway system is privately run on a tariff basis the 'Code de la Route' forbids the use of hand-help phones when in charge of a vehicle, be that in a queue, at traffic lights, stopped with the engine turned off even.

Take note!

[Rusty Nuts]

Thanks for that heads up. Do you know what size fines the péage toll booth offenders have been getting?

[Joe Rocket]

OK RN it's 90€ and three licence points (deducted here not added). I assume the latter has no effect on UK unless threre's one 'accord' over licenses, which I know nothing about.

Lots of disgruntled folk here of course (but only those who pay by phone) because it isn't the same as talking or texting or watching  rude films whilst driving. No, I'm not going to argue either side, just that the driving code here is the law.

It seems silly that no-one saw it coming when the phone payment was integrated into the pay booth system.    Still, France is so good at this sort of stuff. 

[mjt57]

Here in Australia our toll roads rely on what they call eTags mounted to the windscreen to register the vehicles. Motorbikes don't need to have them. Instead, they use number plate recognition to send the bills.

As for using the phone like that, there have been reports here that people have been fined for using "tap and go" via their phones and fast food drive-throughs...

So, it's not just France, I guess.

When we were there back in October I was surprised that they still have those barrier kiosks and not electronic tags.

[Gert]

Apologies if I'm highjacking this thread.

I was told that there is a new emission sticker system, that was introduced in Paris about two weeks ago.  Not sure whether it is only for Paris or for France as a whole.

What was explained to me is, there are apparently two emission sticker catagories. Fines are levied if there is no emmission sticker prominently displayed on a vehicle.
So, as a possible heads-up, don't forget to do some research wrt the emissons sticker.

[MilozFolly]

Thanks all - heading over in May and I usually avoid the peage but will be using this time on the way down so a few things for me to check 

[Joe Rocket]

Gert, there has been a sticker system used in many cities which grade your car emmissions into basically 5 categories, the higher the number the more your car pollutes. At the beginning of the year Paris imposed a blanket ban on vehicles in Crit'Air 3 or worse. You can be fined for not displaying a sticker or circulating with a vehicle within the banned categories. My car and bike are Crit'Air 2 so I'm OK for now.

Other cities I visit also use the same system, mostly Rennes and Strasbourg. The latter has constructed a by-pass motorway taking most traffic away from the city and the air pollution level has improved. Each city involved imposes it's own level of acceptable pollution and that can vary depending on weather conditions, high pressure for example holds polluting air down so the restrictions are temporarily increased until the weather 'improves'.

HTH

[Joe Rocket]

mjt57, there is a tag system on motorways here which a lot of frequent Autoroute users do use. Most people don't get on motorways until the Summer for holidays and there are also few tolls around big cities and towns. Most pay with cards and I think some cash kiosks are still in operation. (I haven't used a toll road here for quite a while favouring empty country roads and taking time to get to my destination). Usually the weight of traffic dictates the system(s) used, the Dartford Crossing in the UK is by NPR (numberplate recognition) and you pay remotely with your phone or ordi. For foreign cars like mine I have to pay at a cash point as the UK app. takes UK registered vehicles only.

As far as I know there is no system here yet with NPR on the road network although it's common now at carparks.

One thing I didn't say above, get a receipt if paying with bank cards. I've been charged for a heavier vehicle whilst passing through a toll with my car. I couldn't claim the overcharge back as I didn't have a receipt and a bank statement wasn't sufficient proof of what vehicle I was driving although they are covered with cctv at the barriers. Above all they couldn't be *rsed to check it out, not uncommon here I've found but that's another story not related to travel.

[Rusty Nuts]

Yes, I've heard of bikers using Liber-T tags like the one that I used getting charged as cars.

[Phild]

Does my system of paying in notes / coins still work?

I can’t be arsed with anything else.🤷‍♂️

[Joe Rocket]

As far as I know there are still some cash kiosks at péages but I 'm sure not all junctions. There is also the télépéage system (window badge) and card payment machines, 'sans contact'. Phone payment is now somewhere or another, hence the thread.

Contrary to my previous post there are now some barrier free toll points which are the same as the Dartford Crossing on NPR so you'd have to go to a pay point either before with your vehicle registration or pay afterwards, up to 72 hrs I read.

You may have to be *rsed with something else I'm afraid. But h e y, that's already in the UK and I have to deal with it when I come over. Join the club. 

[Phild]

I’m happy to turn up to a toll booth and pay in cash. Is this option going to be stopped?

I’m not being pedantic, but I’ve been paying my way through Europe for many years this way.

I’ve got my phone set up to pay for most things, but I prefer to pay in cash for toll roads.

[Joe Rocket]

I think it probably will stop and very soon.

Technology allows for vehicles to pay conveniently and more quickly. Stopping to take gloves off, fumbling for cash then zipping everything up again and gloves back on will take more time than me typing this post. Also folk don't have to man (or woman) kiosks anymore. That's not my argument for it, just the way it is.

So, as I said, you may still find some 'cash' kiosks but more likely where these modern forms of payment are yet to arrive. I can see you adding another app. to your phone or paying remotely online.

[The Doctor 46]

I remember many, many years ago driving op to the Kiosk at the Mersey Tunnel to pay for my passage. I gave the man the cash then drove forward then realised that I knew the man I had just paid so reversed back a couple of feet to say "Hello". Alarms started and lights flashed causing mayhem for a few seconds (that seemed like hours). Apologies made and alarms silenced I finally drove off but I'm glad I said "Hello" to the man who had employed me as a grocery boy and gave me a company bike when I was 13 yrs. 

It was one of those heavy bikes with a carrier on the front and a small front wheel. My boss was so impressed when I would stand it on it's back wheel on my way home. 

[Upt North]

F,f,f,f,f,fetch, your,r,r,r,r, c,c,c,c,c,c,loth Granville.

[Upt North]

I hate paying road tolls in the beautifully bureaucratic EU, I'm sure it's fine if you are a francaisey in France or a germanicey in Germany but when travelling through many different countries on a long tour it becomes tiresome.
Well! I hear you cry, well indeed, Stay off the damn Autoroutes!
That's all fine and dandy if you've got a month to plod around the Loire or the Black Forest or the Dolomites. That's just blummin lovely. But!
When the object of the ride is to get somewhere 2000 miles from home the back roads aren't a viable alternative on a daily basis.
On a recent ride we covered 8 countries in about a week to get to our destination, I suspect it would have been just about impossible on minor roads, it would take all night to plan the Sat Nav for the ride all day, rinse and repeat.
No! Tolls for tourists are an expensive PITA.
I decree it!
Let's revolt.

[Brockett]

Bit of "a first world problem". It doesn't affect me as I've never had a passport nor the desire to travel to foreign parts. As a sometime London dweller the world came to visit me. And, of course, there is still so much of the UK to see.    

[Joe Rocket]

My Autoroute versus country route view.

I regularly drive from Brittany to Strasbourg (perhaps twice a year) and only use country roads. That's 900 kms or 550 miles. It takes me a day and a half: 8 am to 6 pm, stop at a hotel, find a meal somewhere, get a good nights sleep, breakfast next morning and 8 am to 2 pm. All varied and interesting roads and scenery between towns. The roads are usually empty too so you can cruise along at 90 kph a lot of the way. A tank of fuel costs me 50 €, one night in a hotel 45 - 65 € so double for a round trip, 190 - 230 €.

Or, I could take the motorway. I'd get there in one day, 10 hours of constant fast (and boring) driving plus stops at a cost of aprox. 160 - 180 €, fuel and tolls. Double that for both ways 320 - 360 €. I'd be bored to death too!

I know its a choice and you may have different preferences for long journeys but I simply note the major waypoints, towns and villages about 50 to 100 kms apart, and reset the GPS for each as a rolling destination.

[Tomfum]

Another heads up in France ..when paying at the toll booths make sure it comes up as " CLASS 5 " that is for a motorcycle and NOT "CLASS 1"  as that is for cars . I have had this several times while travelling through France and there is a big difference in pricing so press the red button and tell them its class 5 and they will change it .

[Woodyflyer]

Also another heads up in France.
I've had the problem a few times when travelling with fellow bikers, when stopping to get your toll ticket, the following bike is right behind you ( too close ) causing the system to think your a car, so I always make sure they stay well behind to avoid being overcharged.