hi , going to the south france soon really hate the idea that we have to pay toll fees for the caravan , small trailers don't pay its about time the french got their act together & helped us caravanners especailly in the current climate , what do you think...hasbo
tollls
- Thread starter hasbo
- Start date
You don't HAVE to pay tolls at all. You can work out a perfectly good non-toll route, and use that instead of paying tolls. You can get anywhere in the country, and on some routes you can almost get there as quickly as paying tolls. There are some fabulous non-toll autoroutes. We use the route Calais, Abbeville, Rouen, Chartes, Orleans via the N154, cross-country to Nevers, Moulins, Gannat, Clermont Ferrand, Beziers, and can do it without paying tolls at all. You can even avoid the toll for the Millau viaduct by going on the old road into Millau and then rejoining the A75 just a few miles further south.
You'll also save up to 20 centres a LITRE (not a gallon) by filling up in supermarkets or 24hr Express stations, rather than on the autoroutes.
However, you'll have to admit that the French do provide better facilities on the autoroutes for caravanners, with many more frequent places to stop.
You'll also save up to 20 centres a LITRE (not a gallon) by filling up in supermarkets or 24hr Express stations, rather than on the autoroutes.
However, you'll have to admit that the French do provide better facilities on the autoroutes for caravanners, with many more frequent places to stop.
Do your homework before traval using sites like www.viamichelin.com where you can choose you routes avoiding tolls. if you have the ordinary Michelin paper maps, the autoroute toll sections have distances and distance markers in red and non-toll in blue, so you can come off before encountering a toll. Most of the non-toll motorways give you good warning that you are approaching a toll or peage section.
hi thanks val & ray for the replies, we have been caravanning in france for 16 years plus , what i'am saying is that the french have got a bl** dy cheek makeing us caravanners pay for tolls especially in the current climate & believe me i can well aford to pay them but why should we.... hasbo...p.s . val how long would that route take ....p.s.s...i am still going to that the autoroute
Hi Hasbo
In May this year we did the route I quoted. We arrived at Dunkerque and drove from there to Abbeville (cross-country, so no toll) and slept at the Aire at Baie de la Somme, going on to the autoroute for one junction and paying 1.30 euros. We then got down as far as Royat, near Clermont Ferrand, where we stayed two nights because we wanted to climb the Puy de Dome. From there we set off about 9.30 to miss the commuter traffic around Clermont Ferrand, and reached Agde on the Mediterranean early to mid afternoon.
We've done it lots of times in the past as follows:
Dunkerque to Abbeville (Baie de Somme) spend first night -(because we arrive in France at around 12.00 midnight Friday)
Day 1: Abbeville to Nevers (or area) spend second 2nd night - Saturday
Day 2: Nevers to Agde (Mediterranean) arrive on main site for 3rd night - Sunday
I still don't agree with you about tolls - there are perfectly good alternatives, and if you do choose to use the toll roads they are better maintained, there's less traffic, and there are a lot more places to stop - so you pays your money and you takes your choice.
In the past when we had our sons with us we used the toll roads more often. These days, on a much reduced income, we keep off them almost completely - occasionally paying just a couple of euros to avoid a large town, perhaps, or to get on to an Aire to spend the night!
In May this year we did the route I quoted. We arrived at Dunkerque and drove from there to Abbeville (cross-country, so no toll) and slept at the Aire at Baie de la Somme, going on to the autoroute for one junction and paying 1.30 euros. We then got down as far as Royat, near Clermont Ferrand, where we stayed two nights because we wanted to climb the Puy de Dome. From there we set off about 9.30 to miss the commuter traffic around Clermont Ferrand, and reached Agde on the Mediterranean early to mid afternoon.
We've done it lots of times in the past as follows:
Dunkerque to Abbeville (Baie de Somme) spend first night -(because we arrive in France at around 12.00 midnight Friday)
Day 1: Abbeville to Nevers (or area) spend second 2nd night - Saturday
Day 2: Nevers to Agde (Mediterranean) arrive on main site for 3rd night - Sunday
I still don't agree with you about tolls - there are perfectly good alternatives, and if you do choose to use the toll roads they are better maintained, there's less traffic, and there are a lot more places to stop - so you pays your money and you takes your choice.
In the past when we had our sons with us we used the toll roads more often. These days, on a much reduced income, we keep off them almost completely - occasionally paying just a couple of euros to avoid a large town, perhaps, or to get on to an Aire to spend the night!
if you dont like the charges dont use the toll roads and what has the current climate got to do with it.
How much revenue do yout think the French get from UK caravanners?
How much revenue do yout think the French get from UK caravanners?
hi philspadders , sorry i should have made my post clearer so not to confuse you , when i said current climate i should have said economic current climate you probbaly thought i ment the weather cl;imate ...hasbo
Damian
Moderator
I am getting the feelng at this post is deliberately confrontational.
The OP first makes a point of not wanting to pay tolls, and is advised that he does not have to.
He then states, despite his first post, that he will still use toll roads.
He then makes a very patronising reply to another poster.
This topic will be monitored and if it continues to degrade, with the kind of replies given by the OP, it will be deleted.
The OP first makes a point of not wanting to pay tolls, and is advised that he does not have to.
He then states, despite his first post, that he will still use toll roads.
He then makes a very patronising reply to another poster.
This topic will be monitored and if it continues to degrade, with the kind of replies given by the OP, it will be deleted.
...do not forget there is a cost to using ordinary roads as compared to motorways.
The rule is the larger and heavier the vehicle then the greater that cost.
These costs are due to heavier mechanical wear and increased fuel costs for any given journey time.
Do not think that the comparison is only the cost of the tolls ... you have to take into consideration the extra cost of not using the toll road
The rule is the larger and heavier the vehicle then the greater that cost.
These costs are due to heavier mechanical wear and increased fuel costs for any given journey time.
Do not think that the comparison is only the cost of the tolls ... you have to take into consideration the extra cost of not using the toll road
As a French resident, I would go along with the idea of letting caravaners use the autoroutes without paying the tolls.
At least it might keep them & the congestion off the ordinary roads.
At least it might keep them & the congestion off the ordinary roads.
If whoever in France is the "Roundabout Minister" stopped taking backhanders from roundabout constructors then traffic flow would be greatly improved. I'm sure the "enter roundabout" phrase on my sat nav is worn out after 3 weeks using non toll roads! Yesterday I even encountered one with only 2 entries & exits, no junction at all.
Ha Ha, Ive come across said round abouts with 2 junctions in the Alsace region !!! brilliant idea.
Ian
Ian
Greetings,
On a similar theme, it occurred to me that in these cash strapped times our Government is looking at all manner of means to redress the balance of payments deficit. They are increasing VAT and cutting this and that in an attempt to get the books to balance. They are even thinking of trying to get a system where we would have to pay for using our roads with the suggestion that they MAY reduce the VEL
Whilst all the above may be laudable I think they are failing to look at this problem from another angle.
How is this of a similar nature to this thread?
Well, when we go to the Continent we are asked to contribute to either their motorway system via tolls or to their roads generally by way of vignettes or 'smart boxes'. Additionally we are asked to contribute via a tourist tax.
Could I point out to everyone that we in the UK are on an island and, as such, 'johnny foreigner' (and I am not using this phrase as a derogatory term)cannot just get into his vehicle and drive across our border. He has to buy either a ferry ticket or tunnel ticket.
How about imposing our own vignette system. This could be operated by the ferry companies who register every vehicle as they enter the port. Those not having a UK Reg. Plate must buy a vignette. Any vehicle seen on our roads after a period of time (see below for suggestion) could be subject to a penalty. If that vehicle were to return to the port without the vignette it would be refused embarkation until the penalty be paid. The vignette itself could be made of plastic that could not be removed from the windscreen without destruction.
As it is, very few lorries that come into this country from abroad pay anything towards our transport infrastructure because they have the tanks that allow them to make their delivery and get back without paying a bean in fuel duty. When our present Government stated that they would cancel the widening of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, one objector stated that at 7am every morning he could walk from Cambridge to Godmanchester on the roofs of foreign lorries en route to Harwich. If they paid their dues via the vignette system we could have the widening scheme.
If we imposed vignettes you can be sure that at the ports, the trailers would be put on the ferries and then unloaded to be picked up by UK transport companies thereby giving the exchequer money from fuel duty and giving the same industry a boost in work.
There could be a free period, say 24hrs. That would allow for day trips and also allow Eire trucks to pass through the UK en route to the continent without penalty.
If anyone were to suggest that in France and Spain (to quote two examples) there is no necessity to use the tolls can I point out that in both of those countries they impose a tourist tax both at campsites and at hotels. The vignette system would redress the balance and at the same time put ssomeneeded money into this countries coffers.
I apologise for the disjointed content of the above but I believe this proposal has merit and is worthy of consideration.
On a similar theme, it occurred to me that in these cash strapped times our Government is looking at all manner of means to redress the balance of payments deficit. They are increasing VAT and cutting this and that in an attempt to get the books to balance. They are even thinking of trying to get a system where we would have to pay for using our roads with the suggestion that they MAY reduce the VEL
Whilst all the above may be laudable I think they are failing to look at this problem from another angle.
How is this of a similar nature to this thread?
Well, when we go to the Continent we are asked to contribute to either their motorway system via tolls or to their roads generally by way of vignettes or 'smart boxes'. Additionally we are asked to contribute via a tourist tax.
Could I point out to everyone that we in the UK are on an island and, as such, 'johnny foreigner' (and I am not using this phrase as a derogatory term)cannot just get into his vehicle and drive across our border. He has to buy either a ferry ticket or tunnel ticket.
How about imposing our own vignette system. This could be operated by the ferry companies who register every vehicle as they enter the port. Those not having a UK Reg. Plate must buy a vignette. Any vehicle seen on our roads after a period of time (see below for suggestion) could be subject to a penalty. If that vehicle were to return to the port without the vignette it would be refused embarkation until the penalty be paid. The vignette itself could be made of plastic that could not be removed from the windscreen without destruction.
As it is, very few lorries that come into this country from abroad pay anything towards our transport infrastructure because they have the tanks that allow them to make their delivery and get back without paying a bean in fuel duty. When our present Government stated that they would cancel the widening of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, one objector stated that at 7am every morning he could walk from Cambridge to Godmanchester on the roofs of foreign lorries en route to Harwich. If they paid their dues via the vignette system we could have the widening scheme.
If we imposed vignettes you can be sure that at the ports, the trailers would be put on the ferries and then unloaded to be picked up by UK transport companies thereby giving the exchequer money from fuel duty and giving the same industry a boost in work.
There could be a free period, say 24hrs. That would allow for day trips and also allow Eire trucks to pass through the UK en route to the continent without penalty.
If anyone were to suggest that in France and Spain (to quote two examples) there is no necessity to use the tolls can I point out that in both of those countries they impose a tourist tax both at campsites and at hotels. The vignette system would redress the balance and at the same time put ssomeneeded money into this countries coffers.
I apologise for the disjointed content of the above but I believe this proposal has merit and is worthy of consideration.
Good idea until you think of the consequences (certainly in the short term) - almost EVERYTHING we buy is now produced outside this country, so almost EVERYTHING would become more expensive - certainly food from Europe and manufactured goods, because of the cost of all these vignettes. However, perhaps in the long term this would become 'A GOOD THING' as we might have to restart all those industries which have now closed down, to start producing things again.
Greetings Val,
I disagree insomuch as it would not be necessary for all the tractor units to come into the country. They could put the trailers on (saving cost on transportation and then they could be picked on 'our' side of the channel by our transport companies who would then;
1. Have more work to do increasing the overall workforce,and,
2. They would pay fuel duty (which isn't happening right now)
which would increase the coffers.
Whilst I appreciate that in using UK vehicles and therefore there going to be an increase in some costs, the savings in the cost of not bringing in the foreign vehicles would mitigate against that cost.
Have you thought of going into politics? Amused, winky icon, and agreeing-with-nodding icon too!!!!
The government does not have to bother taxing foreign registered vehicles.
It gorges itself with the much easier to collect tax on the locals................Namely Vehicle Excise Duty!
It gorges itself with the much easier to collect tax on the locals................Namely Vehicle Excise Duty!
Hi Gaffer,
You're falling into the same trap I am accusing the Government of being in.
In order to 'balance a budget' you can do one of two things. Spend less or earn more. At the moment they are spending less but although they are 'earning more' by taxing us some more, they could go further.
If the Government were to introduce the vignette they would,' earn more.' In doing so they would perhaps not have to get as much money from us (ie UK road users)
You're falling into the same trap I am accusing the Government of being in.
In order to 'balance a budget' you can do one of two things. Spend less or earn more. At the moment they are spending less but although they are 'earning more' by taxing us some more, they could go further.
If the Government were to introduce the vignette they would,' earn more.' In doing so they would perhaps not have to get as much money from us (ie UK road users)
.. but the foreign trucks would not pay for a vignette!
They are serving British industry and would just pass the cost on to their customer.
The Government is more subtle; it is raising VAT by 2.5% on the goods British industry is producing.
This is far more efficient and lucrative than chasing after foreign registered vehicles and making sure that they have a vignette.
They are serving British industry and would just pass the cost on to their customer.
The Government is more subtle; it is raising VAT by 2.5% on the goods British industry is producing.
This is far more efficient and lucrative than chasing after foreign registered vehicles and making sure that they have a vignette.
you can see where the goverment wastes our money its on the front page of last Sunday's Daily Mail
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