2017 Autotrails on French toll roads

[Camper634]

We have had a sanef tag for the last 3 years and it's been brilliant.No more queues or fumbling for euros at the toll booths.First trip this year in our 2017 Autotrail and fell at the first fence,i.e. The barrier didn't lift!After frantic calls to Sanef U.K. Who are based in Harrogate,they concluded that my motorhome at 3.1 metres is too high and is now a class 3.Heaven knows how much difference in rates between class 2 and class 3 but it seems our days of carefree travel on the French motorways are a thing of the pastOther Autotrail owners be aware.

 

[funflair]

Between 2 and 3 times as much I would guess, Yes at 3.1 metres you are class 3. Just think yourself lucky its not a tandem axle.

Martin

 

[Zigisla]

We are a class three as well and it worked out to around double that of class two. Remember class three was brought in to get HGV truck who don't care about the money as the toll gets forwarded on to the customer. Unfortunately larger MH are targeted too.

 

[peterc10]

You can do what others who are just over 3m do, and just press the intercom button and say "camping car". That works most of the time I am told.

 

[Ridgeway]

We had the same experience over the last years with our van at 3.15m and our Bip&Go (SANEF) only worked at 50% of the tolls and even some we had to buzz in to get them to lift the barrier.

Have now switched to a Eurotolls device that covers class 3, happy sailing this year !!!

ps: yes class 3 is roughly 2 x that of class 2

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[Ridgeway]

You can do what others who are just over 3m do, and just press the intercom button and say "camping car". That works most of the time I am told.

Not always and if you check the receipt or the screen you'll just see that they bumped you up to class 3, so you had to wait and pay the same in the end...

 

[Zigisla]

You can do what others who are just over 3m do, and just press the intercom button and say "camping car". That works most of the time I am told.

When we pressed the "Help" button, it gave us a long winded message on how to use the booth and a lot of beeping from behind. The best way to get "Camping Car" rates is to use a manned booth. They seem to use a bit of common sense.

 

[Steve and Kat]

You can do what others who are just over 3m do, and just press the intercom button and say "camping car". That works most of the time I am told.

Yep this, many times... We've had no problems pressing the intercom button and getting it changed.

 

[jongood]

Yep this, many times... We've had no problems pressing the intercom button and getting it changed.

So 3 axles + trailer at class 2?

 

[treetops1]

Shirley always puts the ticket in the bottom slot and always come out 2 the odd time they say 3,she goes into her camping car speech and they drop it to 2 .not very often we have a problem lol .

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[PJGWiltshire]

We had a tag axle for the last 7 years and frequently were shown as class 4. At the automatic booths My good lady would press the button and say camping car. Moments later fee changed to class 2. On the few occasions that we come across manned booths we were automatically shown as class 2. So it appears the operators are happy for all MH to be class 2. We have changed to a van at 2.9m high and 4500 with single rear axle, will still not bother with auto tag and hope that we still get charged as class 2.
In the old van, it was still a worry when we set off from Beziers all the way to Annacy on a toll motorway. I said to the good wife if we get hit with a class 4 on this run it's going to be painful. By chance at Annacy it was a manned booth and straight to class 2. So no I will not be changing to a quick tag

Good luck to others

 

[Steve and Kat]

So 3 axles + trailer at class 2?

Yep... even when we've pulled up to booths we're classed as 2..

 

[Polar bear]

Why use toll roads when the other roads have nice scenery, picnic stops, Aires and are free???

 

[Mr B]

Daft question.....
How much difference is there if you "pay as you go" and not bother with the quick tag.

Just that I would like to know as we are off down to the Dordonge in September
Thanks

 

[Ridgeway]

same price, the benefit is convenience which is why I like a SANEF tag that works rather than one that requires me to stop and buzz at half the tolls....

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[PJGWiltshire]

Using the quick tag is speed through the toll booths and not having to wake the good lady up to do the ticket and paying. So if speed is number 1 the quick tag is useful. There is An account opening fee of about 10E that you are charged to get on the system unless you sign up through a company like Eurotunnel and this is waved also you pay a deposit for the fob. The other cost is a monthly usage fee when you use it I think something like 5E each month max two months fee (10E) per year. So if you only use it in one month over the year it will cost you 5E
Hope this helps

Daft question.....
How much difference is there if you "pay as you go" and not bother with the quick tag.

Just that I would like to know as we are off down to the Dordonge in September
Thanks

 

[Mr B]

Cheers for the reply
Pay as you go for me then, keeps SWMBO off the prosecco

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Cheers for the reply
Pay as you go for me then, keeps SWMBO off the prosecco

Oh, you and so many, say SwMBO. I tried that on n the past and decided in future not in my best interest and settled on the good lady or wife

 

[Raybreck]

Of topic slightly as never use toll roads BUT by mistake turned off a roundabout with daughter in car following us and realised we're heading to the dreaded toll booths.
Now realising my predicament and no way could I turn round thought WTF I'll just blag it. So out of the M/H, daughter looking in amazement thinking dads a pr**k for getting us in this shit, I attempt to engage with the locals. After a bit of oh ho ho ect I manage to get across that I have, A made the said mistake and B, I'm not paying for it either. So within a few minutes this lovely lady, o forgot to mention her, shut all the lanes coming the other way and frantically waved us to U turn in the road and back the way we had come. Moral of all this, IS IF YOU DON'T ASK YA DON'T GIT.
Ray

 

[DL42846]

We have had a sanef tag for the last 3 years and it's been brilliant.No more queues or fumbling for euros at the toll booths.First trip this year in our 2017 Autotrail and fell at the first fence,i.e. The barrier didn't lift!After frantic calls to Sanef U.K. Who are based in Harrogate,they concluded that my motorhome at 3.1 metres is too high and is now a class 3.Heaven knows how much difference in rates between class 2 and class 3 but it seems our days of carefree travel on the French motorways are a thing of the pastOther Autotrail owners be aware.

Just out of interest, what size tires do you have on the van? If they could be reduced by 1 inch you should be able to get through as class 2. I have spoken with lots of people who buzz at the tollbooth and automatically get through as class 2. There is a big difference between class 2 and class 3. You will find its about half as much again.

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[Speve]

Just out of interest, what size tires do you have on the van? If they could be reduced by 1 inch you should be able to get through as class 2. I have spoken with lots of people who buzz at the tollbooth and automatically get through as class 2. There is a big difference between class 2 and class 3. You will find its about half as much again.

At 3.1 he would need to reduce by 4" or 100mm don't think that's possible

 

[DL42846]

How do you work that out? If the van is 3.1meters it only needs to be lowered by 1 centimeter. I think. I haven't had my morning cuppa yet so I could be wrong.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

How do you work that out? If the van is 3.1meters it only needs to be lowered by 1 centimeter. I think. I haven't had my morning cuppa yet so I could be wrong.

I think 3.1m is 310cm, hence the 10cm / 100mm reduction required. Would he not need to be 3.01m / 301cm to have a reduction of only 1cm?

I'm still in bed in a semi conscious state with a red wine induced hangover, so I wouldn't trust anything I spout at this early hour!

 

[Louis]

Correct, 3.5 mtrs = 3mts &50 centimeters

 

[DL42846]

I think 3.1m is 310cm, hence the 10cm / 100mm reduction required. Would he not need to be 3.01m / 301cm to have a reduction of only 1cm?

I'm still in bed in a semi conscious state with a red wine induced hangover, so I wouldn't trust anything I spout at this early hour!

|Yep, got it. Think I should have a glass of wine instead of the cuppa. I was thinking it was 3.01 MT. Our MH is 2.99 mt. I recently changed the tires so I had to make sure we didn't go over the 3 mt mark.

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[BILL 875]

Hi,
The M/H i bought was 2.9 high put sat dish on now 3.1 high still goes thru at class 2 on all occasions, i always pay cash though you can keep the fancy gadjits.
.Bill.
PS i am always ready with Madame, camping car class deux si vous plait.

 

[emjaiuk]

Why use toll roads when the other roads have nice scenery, picnic stops, Aires and are free???

Why do you think?

 

[Just smiffy]

Our carefree traveling is not on toll roads, no problem then....

 

[taralabradog]

We have just done 8 weeks in France sometimes using toll roads. In the interest of balance other tags are available. We used the ATMB tag with no problems though I will admit to feeling a little anxious the first time of using and even more so approaching the 30 km tag lane.