does anyone remember if french toll motorways are free to trailers one day a week thought i read it in camping and caravan club mag but not sure now
french motorways,
- Thread starter DeliDave
- Start date
I think cars and caravans are charged class 1 instead of class 2 on quieter days. Possibly Thursdays - can't remember. Sunday is a good day to travel, as most lorries aren't allowed on the roads. The French don't really do Sunday trading, so it's pretty quiet.
Towing a caravan or a trailer puts you into the 2nd category and in consequence you will pay full price for this and at all times.
Price reductions are no longer given.
Price reductions are no longer given.
Plenty of A roads in France are fine alternatives to the pay roads even towing a caravan.
On some routes by the time you have stopped and grabbed the toll ticket and then paid at your departure point you do not acually save that much time.
On the other hand on long southern France autoroutes and others you can cruise along with remakable ease and attain very good MPG that offsets toll costs.
French autoroutes have provided us with some of the best towing we have ever done, covering effortless miles at agood average speeds. How many time can you join a UK motorway set speed at 60 and cover 60 miles in an hour.
On some routes by the time you have stopped and grabbed the toll ticket and then paid at your departure point you do not acually save that much time.
On the other hand on long southern France autoroutes and others you can cruise along with remakable ease and attain very good MPG that offsets toll costs.
French autoroutes have provided us with some of the best towing we have ever done, covering effortless miles at agood average speeds. How many time can you join a UK motorway set speed at 60 and cover 60 miles in an hour.
And that's because the speed limit towing a van is 130 kph or 110kph if its raining. There may also be signs restricting cars towing vans to 80 kph on downhill sections.
I believe they waived the supplement for trailers in 2002 but as far as I know there are no reductions. Many of the N roads in central France are as good as Toll roads. Also check www.viamichelin.co.uk as not all Autoroutes are toll roads. Bear in mind autoroutes are generally safer and provide greater fuel economy although their filling stations are more expensive.
Tom,
The bit service station being more expensive used to be true but is no longer really valid. Firstly Carrefour has started to run many of the petrol stations on the motorway and immediately they lowered the price to that of many of their supermarkets.
Secondly when the price started to rocket like here in the UK last September, the French PM threatened the oil companies with something akin to a windfall tax Guess what the price hardly altered.
MH
The bit service station being more expensive used to be true but is no longer really valid. Firstly Carrefour has started to run many of the petrol stations on the motorway and immediately they lowered the price to that of many of their supermarkets.
Secondly when the price started to rocket like here in the UK last September, the French PM threatened the oil companies with something akin to a windfall tax Guess what the price hardly altered.
MH
Just a comment on E of S comment above.
He is actually wrong in the first part of his input.
French speed limit has nothing to do with setting speed at 60mph and acheiving travelling 60 miles in 1 hour.
You can lefally tow at 60 mph on UK motorways, gnerally the levels of traffic will make you slow down within an hour.
Travelling through France last week I travelled on Motorways with hardly a car in sight in the middle of the morning, this is often the case all through the year.
Less traffic makes for generally higher distances covered in France and other parts of Europe compared to the UK without going over 60 which you will find many Caravanners and trailer tuggers do in Europe.
For caravanners new to French and European driving, less traffic makes for easier driving and will help reduce any concerns you may have on venturing onto the "wrong side" of the road ;-)
But be aware a European Caravanner behind you may be travelling at a much higher speed than overtaking caravanners in the UK.
He is actually wrong in the first part of his input.
French speed limit has nothing to do with setting speed at 60mph and acheiving travelling 60 miles in 1 hour.
You can lefally tow at 60 mph on UK motorways, gnerally the levels of traffic will make you slow down within an hour.
Travelling through France last week I travelled on Motorways with hardly a car in sight in the middle of the morning, this is often the case all through the year.
Less traffic makes for generally higher distances covered in France and other parts of Europe compared to the UK without going over 60 which you will find many Caravanners and trailer tuggers do in Europe.
For caravanners new to French and European driving, less traffic makes for easier driving and will help reduce any concerns you may have on venturing onto the "wrong side" of the road ;-)
But be aware a European Caravanner behind you may be travelling at a much higher speed than overtaking caravanners in the UK.
"Just a comment on E of S comment above.
He is actually wrong in the first part of his input.
French speed limit has nothing to do with setting speed at 60mph and acheiving travelling 60 miles in 1 hour."
What I actually said was: "And that's because the speed limit towing a van is 130 kph or 110kph if its raining. There may also be signs restricting cars towing vans to 80 kph on downhill sections."
If we want to hear about errors, then achieving is spelled as I just have done. LOL
He is actually wrong in the first part of his input.
French speed limit has nothing to do with setting speed at 60mph and acheiving travelling 60 miles in 1 hour."
What I actually said was: "And that's because the speed limit towing a van is 130 kph or 110kph if its raining. There may also be signs restricting cars towing vans to 80 kph on downhill sections."
If we want to hear about errors, then achieving is spelled as I just have done. LOL
I too wish people would read ALL the message and avoid getting the wrong end of the stick.
Mike E
Dear E of S.
I'm sorry that the odd fast fingers and slow brain throws up the odd spelling mistake at times
I was trying to give some advice for anyone new to towing in France.
Taking it that such a person keeps to the speed limits amd is probably only familiar with towing at a maximum 60 mph I was pointing out that the traffic conditions in France on many Autoroutes allow you to maintain a good average speed.
130 kph is around 81mph and 110 around 68mph.
All though many continental caravanners tow at around 80mph in the dry, generally I see UK vanners at around their familiar 60mph or less.
Setting your own speed at 55, 60 or 65 mph or any other speed and being able to achIEve a distance covered of 55, 60 or 65 miles covered on a length of Autoroute with no lower speed restrictions because of lower levels of traffic has nothing to do with the French speed limits.
My post was by way of pointing out that traffic conditions can make for higher average distance travelled on French motorways with ease.
As I have driven many tens of thousand of towing working miles every year on French roads for the past 11 years I am well aware of down hill restrictions and the fact that there are also many long stretches of Autoroute with no restrictions.
I did not want to start a war but just point out that your post following mine seemed to say that only the French speed limits can allow for higher average speeds maintained. It could be the case but that is not what was said.
I'm sorry that the odd fast fingers and slow brain throws up the odd spelling mistake at times
I was trying to give some advice for anyone new to towing in France.
Taking it that such a person keeps to the speed limits amd is probably only familiar with towing at a maximum 60 mph I was pointing out that the traffic conditions in France on many Autoroutes allow you to maintain a good average speed.
130 kph is around 81mph and 110 around 68mph.
All though many continental caravanners tow at around 80mph in the dry, generally I see UK vanners at around their familiar 60mph or less.
Setting your own speed at 55, 60 or 65 mph or any other speed and being able to achIEve a distance covered of 55, 60 or 65 miles covered on a length of Autoroute with no lower speed restrictions because of lower levels of traffic has nothing to do with the French speed limits.
My post was by way of pointing out that traffic conditions can make for higher average distance travelled on French motorways with ease.
As I have driven many tens of thousand of towing working miles every year on French roads for the past 11 years I am well aware of down hill restrictions and the fact that there are also many long stretches of Autoroute with no restrictions.
I did not want to start a war but just point out that your post following mine seemed to say that only the French speed limits can allow for higher average speeds maintained. It could be the case but that is not what was said.
Mike. I read mine and Evans post numerous time and despite my fast finger slow brain spelling mistakes, they both only read one way to me.
Maybe you should read again, or maybe it would help if I was English ;-)
Thanks for update re petrol prices in France as am driving back to Italy with a tent and a roof box this summer. I was only able to recount last summer when I was paying 1.41 euro per litre on the Autoroute near Bethune and only 1.20 euro per litre at Carrefour off the Autoroute - all for unleaded 95 octane.
Apologies accepted and explanations too.Dear E of S.
I'm sorry that the odd fast fingers and slow brain throws up the odd spelling mistake at times
I was trying to give some advice for anyone new to towing in France.
Taking it that such a person keeps to the speed limits amd is probably only familiar with towing at a maximum 60 mph I was pointing out that the traffic conditions in France on many Autoroutes allow you to maintain a good average speed.
130 kph is around 81mph and 110 around 68mph.
All though many continental caravanners tow at around 80mph in the dry, generally I see UK vanners at around their familiar 60mph or less.
Setting your own speed at 55, 60 or 65 mph or any other speed and being able to achIEve a distance covered of 55, 60 or 65 miles covered on a length of Autoroute with no lower speed restrictions because of lower levels of traffic has nothing to do with the French speed limits.
My post was by way of pointing out that traffic conditions can make for higher average distance travelled on French motorways with ease.
As I have driven many tens of thousand of towing working miles every year on French roads for the past 11 years I am well aware of down hill restrictions and the fact that there are also many long stretches of Autoroute with no restrictions.
I did not want to start a war but just point out that your post following mine seemed to say that only the French speed limits can allow for higher average speeds maintained. It could be the case but that is not what was said.
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