French Autoroutes - a tip (1 Viewer)

ruthiebabe

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i have posted this before on a forum a used to belong to but on our travels I am still surprised how many people don't know about it, so here goes:

French autoroute prices put anything over 3.5t and /or over 3 metres high in Class 3 which is a lot dearer than Class 2. If you are even a tiny touch over 3 m high ( even if it's only your satellite dish) the auto sensors will put you in Class 3. This is the category we fall in to. I can't say what might happen if you have a really huge Motorhome that clearly exceeds these categories by a mile.

Please bear in mind that their pricing structure is published and you have no ' right' to a lower price band. However we have noticed that every time we go to a manned booth, the operator overrides that and charges us Class 2. It is so commonplace that we wonder if they are trained to use discretion. After all it is encouraging custom and tourism.

Anyway, some years ago, as automatic booths seemed to be creeping in more and more, we thought, let's see what happens if we ask. So we started pressing the intercom and saying " Bonjour, c'est un camping car s'il vous plait". Every time bar one they have very cordially changed the class and wished us good day. You could always mention "la parabole" if necessary.

I would never argue, as we do technically just exceed 3 metres, but it's worth a try, as I say it is usually overridden if it is a human being.

Last night, a first, a pleasant male operator who did the override (unasked) even tried to advise us that this was what we should do if we arrived at an automatic booth....so it does seem to indicate flexibility.

Happy travels, I hope this might reduce your costs if you weren't aware of it.
 

funflair

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Tried that and it worked a couple of times but more often we are told "non, giant" so this time avoided all together on our way down To Spain, didn't pay a Cent.

We are 3.3 metres tall.

Martin

Should have added it was the tolls South of Bordeaux last year that I thought were automatic so I got the fright of my life when the "yellow coats" came out with a tape measure and spoiling for a fight.
 

jonandshell

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i have posted this before on a forum a used to belong to but on our travels I am still surprised how many people don't know about it, so here goes:

French autoroute prices put anything over 3.5t and /or over 3 metres high in Class 3 which is a lot dearer than Class 2. If you are even a tiny touch over 3 m high ( even if it's only your satellite dish) the auto sensors will put you in Class 3. This is the category we fall in to. I can't say what might happen if you have a really huge Motorhome that clearly exceeds these categories by a mile.

Please bear in mind that their pricing structure is published and you have no ' right' to a lower price band. However we have noticed that every time we go to a manned booth, the operator overrides that and charges us Class 2. It is so commonplace that we wonder if they are trained to use discretion. After all it is encouraging custom and tourism.

Anyway, some years ago, as automatic booths seemed to be creeping in more and more, we thought, let's see what happens if we ask. So we started pressing the intercom and saying " Bonjour, c'est un camping car s'il vous plait". Every time bar one they have very cordially changed the class and wished us good day. You could always mention "la parabole" if necessary.

I would never argue, as we do technically just exceed 3 metres, but it's worth a try, as I say it is usually overridden if it is a human being.

Last night, a first, a pleasant male operator who did the override (unasked) even tried to advise us that this was what we should do if we arrived at an automatic booth....so it does seem to indicate flexibility.

Happy travels, I hope this might reduce your costs if you weren't aware of it.

Works for us!

Bonjour Madame/Monsieur, nous avons une camping car. Est le tarrif correct sil vous plait?

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jonandshell

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Tried that and it worked a couple of times but more often we are told "non, giant" so this time avoided all together on our way down To Spain, didn't pay a Cent.

We are 3.3 metres tall.

Martin

Should have added it was the tolls South of Bordeaux last year that I thought were automatic so I got the fright of my life when the "yellow coats" came out with a tape measure and spoiling for a fight.

You get more sympathy if, like us, you are in a French built motorhome I reckon Martin!

We probably aren't the only country in Europe who can't forget the war!:)
 
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ruthiebabe

ruthiebabe

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Tried that and it worked a couple of times but more often we are told "non, giant" so this time avoided all together on our way down To Spain, didn't pay a Cent.

We are 3.3 metres tall.

Martin

Should have added it was the tolls South of Bordeaux last year that I thought were automatic so I got the fright of my life when the "yellow coats" came out with a tape measure and spoiling for a fight.


Not surprised to hear that they have a cut off point, has to be said you are tall

I guess it's down to their interpretation of margins and also their goodwill....

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jonandshell

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Not surprised to hear that they have a cut off point, has to be said you are tall

I guess it's down to their interpretation of margins and also their goodwill....

He might be able to shave off enough by lowering the Flair's air suspension!:)

And tyres!
 

Zigisla

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What is the price difference BTW. Average ish, if there are loads of different rates
 

funflair

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What is the price difference BTW. Average ish, if there are loads of different rates
On the Sections South of Bordeaux a car was €3.5 class 2 €5.60 and we were €14.40 I think they were having a laugh.

Prices quoted are from memory but won't be far out.

Martin

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funflair

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He might be able to shave off enough by lowering the Flair's air suspension!:)

And tyres!

We can get it down to 3.2 to comply with ADAC recovery, but that needs the suspension lowering and the sat dish off the roof, (which isn't that difficult).

Martin
 

Forestboy

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We're 5 tonne tag axle but only 2.95 high with sat dish down and in 5 years have only ever been charged Class 2. Friend has same van with a sat dome which just makes him a few centimetres over 3m gets charged Class 3 everytime.:)
 

funflair

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We're 5 tonne tag axle but only 2.95 high with sat dish down and in 5 years have only ever been charged Class 2. Friend has same van with a sat dome which just makes him a few centimetres over 3m gets charged Class 3 everytime.:)
It's height that clicks it, but if your friends wants to argue they might then count the axles as well. I know people that have taken a dome or air con off for the same reason.

Martin

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We have hap operator come out and crawl under our last van to check the number of axles. We are a tad over 3M now, but not before, this year our friends in a 2.9 M van were charged group 3, we were charged group 2 after speking to someone.
 

parigby

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We spent four weeks in France last Summer almost always using toll roads. We are nearer to 3.2 than 3.1 and at each and every Toll Booth (the vast majority being automatic ) we were charged class 2 by default.

Don't ask me - l can't explain it.
 
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Works for us!

Bonjour Madame/Monsieur, nous avons une camping car. Est le tarrif correct sil vous plait?

Not bad..honest! But if yours is a SHE, all ours are HEs. So there: Nous avons un camping car, le tarif est-il correct , s'il vous plait?

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ruthiebabe

ruthiebabe

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We're 5 tonne tag axle but only 2.95 high with sat dish down and in 5 years have only ever been charged Class 2. Friend has same van with a sat dome which just makes him a few centimetres over 3m gets charged Class 3 everytime.:)

I suspect that is because they don't weigh, or even really look, it's just the height sensor that alerts them....which if you think about it is unfair...a very heavy vehicle wears down a road more than a sat dish sticking up on a lighter vehicle
 
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ruthiebabe

ruthiebabe

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By way of adding to the discussion we found the Frejus tunnel leniant on it as well, travelled through twice in last month and both times charged Class 2 without having to ask...thank goodness as its double the cost.

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Jun 10, 2010
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Ive had conversations with French TAG owners who say it is a problem for them as the rules can be interpreted as over 3m plus 3 axles is a classe 4.

Their advice - press the button it usually works.
 

ojibway

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At the Boulogne toll driving north the lady wasn't interested - over 3m tough!
We are 3.15 high, sprinter van conversion.
But another time I pressed the button and they reduced the category to 2. Bof!

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Camdoon

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2.9 but 3.29 with dome. I have only been refused classe 2 once but have to plead with my Sanef Tag each time.
 

magicsurfbus

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We're a smidgeon over 3m at 3.05 and rarely if ever get charged at Classe 3. That's the front vent cowling, not the satellite. It's the reason why I haven't yet applied for a Telepeage tag.

On the odd occasions we have charegd Classe 3 it's been a person that did it rather than a machine. Our standard query is "A toutes les autres peages nous sommes classe 2 - n'est il pas classe 2 ici s'il vous plait?"

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May 23, 2013
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We found similar if you go to a manned always classe 2 but automatic classe 3. Most of the time using the assist it gets changed down so worth asking.
 

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