fuel shortages in France (1 Viewer)

[scousebird]

Oh no

We were supposed to be travelling on Friday morning to Soulac.

I am absolutely gutted, but I just can't risk getting stranded with 3 kids and a medical condition

Going to try and contact my insurance tomorrow to see where we stand if I cancel but I'm not holding out much hope to be honest.

Now to try and find somewhere in the UK oh and we've got to break it to the kids

Why not go to Holland instead
Have a look at Camping de Paal, lovely site, our kids loved it
You could take them to De Efteling theme park.

 

[2657]

I bet people with the long range tanks fitted are feeling good at the moment.

Not when they aren't full, an empty big tank holds very much the same as an empty small one

 

[MC 55 FUN]

France is drawing on it's strategic fuel reserves for the first time since 2010 - according to Sky News

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[Boringfrog]

On our way to Dunkirk leaving Germany Friday
. Will fill up as diesel is €1.06 and fill a 20ltr can. Will also fill up in Belgium just before ferry. With all cans filled up will give us enough fuel to get to Devon and back in 3 weeks time. Wont use van much during kids holiday time and fill up again when we go back to France 1st September.

Are you taking fuel containers on the ferry?

 

[Ivory55]

Wondering if the fuel for Monaco this weekend comes from France ?

 

[clanjones]

Currently in Sisteron and topped up this morning at the big Super U north of the town. Very busy but no queues really and no limit on quantity. We also saw a tanker offloading at the filling station as well, so it might still be an option for folks on the A51 (junction 23 I think)
We should now have enough to get us to Mulhouse and into Germany and a wander back up the Rhine to Calais.

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[snowdrops]

Not sure what the problem is with the French. The bloody place closes down from saturday afternoon until monday morning (public holidays allowing). And unless you are a baker or flower seller (who make up their doss time during the week) lifes a beach.

Same as most european countries, personally I think it's great to look after yourself and not work self to death like we do in Britain. Their leisure rights are protected and rightly so. We just go with the flow and enjoy the leisurely 2 hour lunches, we also ensure we arrive outside of lunch hours to campsites etc. France, Belgium, Spain etc are a lot slower paced, that's why we go there

 

[MR. FUSION]

Same as most european countries, personally I think it's great to look after yourself and not work self to death like we do in Britain. Their leisure rights are protected and rightly so. We just go with the flow and enjoy the leisurely 2 hour lunches, we also ensure we arrive outside of lunch hours to campsites etc. France, Belgium, Spain etc are a lot slower paced, that's why we go there

I always travel on a Sunday in France, very little traffic outside the main cities.

 

[scotjimland]

Were crossing to Dunkirk last weekend in June ...

snap.. 26th @ 20.00 hrs

if still going on will go to Germany again .. Stelplatz are plentiful and generally better than French Aires ..

map of closed stations.. and ones restocking

maybe already posted..

https://mon-essence.fr/blog/2016/05/19/penurie-de-carburant/

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[FIDGET]

snap.. 26th @ 20.00 hrs

if still going on will go to Germany again .. Stelplatz are plentiful and generally better than French Aires ..

map of closed stations.. and ones restocking

maybe already posted..

https://mon-essence.fr/blog/2016/05/19/penurie-de-carburant/

Hi Jim, been to that site & don't understand the symbols of which ones which, i.e which ones are restocking or run out.

 

[MR. FUSION]

On our way to Dunkirk leaving Germany Friday
. Will fill up as diesel is €1.06 and fill a 20ltr can. Will also fill up in Belgium just before ferry. With all cans filled up will give us enough fuel to get to Devon and back in 3 weeks time. Wont use van much during kids holiday time and fill up again when we go back to France 1st September.

Worth noting for petrol there are strict rules on the amount you can store in a garage and how you store it. (30 litres). Storing large amounts of fuel near your house may also void your house insurance! http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petrol-storage-club-association.htm

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Jim, been to that site & don't understand the symbols of which ones which, i.e which ones are restocking or run out.

there are two different maps.. this is the ones restocking

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[2657]

If you click on the symbol it tells you the station what they have not got and the date and time of the report.

Remember that this site consists of information supplied by members of the public and the situation is constantly changing.

 

[busby]

I always travel on a Sunday in France, very little traffic outside the main cities.

I never see much traffic or people in France anytime,,,BUSBY.

 

[Darren]

Filled up today at Auchan Calais no limit on how much you can have.
Price this morning €1.11

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[funflair]

Still heading North from Moulins this morning and filled up again just outside Troyes no problem. Seen very few queues or anything.

Martin

 

[Meki]

Same as most european countries, personally I think it's great to look after yourself and not work self to death like we do in Britain. Their leisure rights are protected and rightly so. We just go with the flow and enjoy the leisurely 2 hour lunches, we also ensure we arrive outside of lunch hours to campsites etc. France, Belgium, Spain etc are a lot slower paced, that's why we go there

Agree 100% we have been conned into believing that we have to work till we drop dead, the Europeans have the right balance when it come to work/life

 

[petrocspals]

Only one station with fuel today . Then only 20 litres. Pumps preset and gendarmes looking harassed. I drove from Anet but pulled off at Olivet to rethink my plans.The situation is quite dire. I would guess the next step will be to prioritise emergency services,freight and farmers.I am not too sure whether to stay put or move to a municipale nearer shops etc. I am quite laid back but the husband is in a terrible lather.Not quite the relaxing time I needed.

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[chaser]

Only one station with fuel today . Then only 20 litres. Pumps preset and gendarmes looking harassed. I drove from Anet but pulled off at Olivet to rethink my plans.The situation is quite dire. I would guess the next step will be to prioritise emergency services,freight and farmers.I am not too sure whether to stay put or move to a municipale nearer shops etc. I am quite laid back but the husband is in a terrible lather.Not quite the relaxing time I needed.

What is there to be in a lather about, have you got to be back for something special,if not just sit back and enjoy

 

[wingman]

I seemed to recognise the Motorhomer on the ITV 10 o'clock news tonight. One of ours?

PS. This is begining to look serious; fuel ships stuck out at sea, some toll booths blockaded, long queues for 20litres, water cannon on the strikers AND trains etc on strike tomorrow.

PPS. If this was a couple of months on, it would ruin my holiday to France/Spain and I would have to cancel for fear of being stranded and not being able to get back for wife's work. Can't buzz over to Belgium or Germany for fuel if you're going down the other side of the country.

 

[Scrappie]

Only one station with fuel today . Then only 20 litres. Pumps preset and gendarmes looking harassed. I drove from Anet but pulled off at Olivet to rethink my plans.The situation is quite dire. I would guess the next step will be to prioritise emergency services,freight and farmers.I am not too sure whether to stay put or move to a municipale nearer shops etc. I am quite laid back but the husband is in a terrible lather.Not quite the relaxing time I needed.[/QUOTE

i would go somewhere close to shops so you can conserve what fuel you have for the next couple of days if you aren't tied to returning home for a certain date. Unfortunately wingman is correct, lots more union support for the strike tomorrow, including trains and port staff at some ports, and staff at one of France's nuclear plants have now voted for strike action too. the government have started to release some fuel reserves, mostly for the major cities and infrastructure.
To be honest, I doubt there would be a problem if you were at an aire for longer than usually allowed at the moment either.

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[snowdrops]

I think at least that's just a holiday which you can re-arrange. This is far more serious to the people there, it's their jobs, their lives. Tho I do hope it's sorted a little quite soon

PPS. If this was a couple of months on, it would ruin my holiday to France/Spain and I would have to cancel for fear of being stranded and not being able to get back for wife's work. Can't buzz over to Belgium or Germany for fuel if you're going down the other side of the country.

 

[Kybod]

I drove from Dieppe to Ardenne yesterday. Some of the smaller towns still had fuel a lot were closed. However passed a queue of about forty odd cars waiting at a station at Amien.
I made a detour into Belgium near Mons for a top up without problem
Mike

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Just arrived at St Valery sur Somme and both Carrefour and Intermarche fuel station's are blocked with chains and pallets.
The lady who takes your payment was still sat in her hut at Carrefour though, not her fault.

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[DBK]

And how are the shops to be restocked if there is no food for the delivery trucks? But I doubt it will go that far but some shortages should perhaps be expected. I'm in Italy, 300m from the French border at the moment. We will be heading east for a while, but kindest wishes for anyone stranded. In extremis you can run a diesel on paraffin but I'm not sure how a modern common rail engine would cope. Should be OK for a gentle few hundred kilometres if you had to. All the British Army trucks in Iraq and Afghanistan ran on it. No additives required but a bit of extra lubricant in the form of an additive would be wise, as a belt a braces measure if you can get either.

 

[ramsthom]

In Vichy at the moment and the local supermarket is limiting diesel to 30E about 5 gals. No petrol at all for sale. Just topped up and have enough fuel to reach Calais for the 2nd June.

 

[gus-lopez]

In extremis you can run a diesel on paraffin but I'm not sure how a modern common rail engine would cope. Should be OK for a gentle few hundred kilometres if you had to. All the British Army trucks in Iraq and Afghanistan ran on it. No additives required but a bit of extra lubricant in the form of an additive would be wise, as a belt a braces measure if you can get either.

It would be gone in no time & you'd be looking at some £4k by the time pump, injectors, pipework etc ; had all been replaced & tank cleaned. Even bio -diesel will have the filter blocked in no time.
That's why I went for a proper diesel that will actually run on anything. Now you've mentioned it I'll have a look in Aldi's/Lidl's etc on my way over & see whether they have any cheap sunflower/rapeseed etc.

P.s you'd have to be desperate & rich to use paraffin here. About 20€/5litres days of 10p /gallon are long gone.

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[DBK]

It would be gone in no time & you'd be looking at some £4k by the time pump, injectors, pipework etc ; had all been replaced & tank cleaned. Even bio -diesel will have the filter blocked in no time.
That's why I went for a proper diesel that will actually run on anything. Now you've mentioned it I'll have a look in Aldi's/Lidl's etc on my way over & see whether they have any cheap sunflower/rapeseed etc.

P.s you'd have to be desperate & rich to use paraffin here. About 20€/5litres days of 10p /gallon are long gone.

No, trust me, I was part of the Army committee which investigated using paraffin (kero) for Army vehicles, it was called the single fuel policy which would have everything, jets, helicopters and vehicles running off the same fuel to simplify logistics. The only issues were around the reduced life of components, particularly the injection pump because of the reduced lubricity. However, nothing suggested you would get catastrophic early failures using it, just that the life of these components might be reduced a bit. Subsequent experience suggests there are no serious issues using it. Power will be down about 10% and fuel consumption increased about the same but there is no fundamental reason why it doesn't work. Kerosene isn't that much different to diesel, although the safest strategy would be to mix it with some diesel.

I would use it in mine if it meant catching the ferry.

 

[gus-lopez]

Kerosene possibly with an added lubricant but I wouldn't want to run it to far.I'd also be looking to get rid of it soon after as well as it is unlikely the manufacturer would honour any future warrranty problems.
I used bio-diesel in a new Transit connect, & it blocked the diesel filter in no time. ended up with tank drained to remove it all + filters changed.
Ford dealer told me at the time that most manufacturers would void any warranty if anything other than pure diesel was used on a crdi. My brother in Germany enquired of Hyundai about using bio in his Terracan 4wd & was told no, absolutely not.
I'll stick to the old school diesel with the Bosch pump that will run on anything.

 

[2657]

Kerosene possibly with an added lubricant but I wouldn't want to run it to far.I'd also be looking to get rid of it soon after as well as it is unlikely the manufacturer would honour any future warrranty problems.
I used bio-diesel in a new Transit connect, & it blocked the diesel filter in no time. ended up with tank drained to remove it all + filters changed.
Ford dealer told me at the time that most manufacturers would void any warranty if anything other than pure diesel was used on a crdi. My brother in Germany enquired of Hyundai about using bio in his Terracan 4wd & was told no, absolutely not.
I'll stick to the old school diesel with the Bosch pump that will run on anything.

I was under the impression that most, if not all, diesel fuel must now contain a proportion of bio fuel, how would this square with such a warranty condition?

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