Dieppe to Spain/Portugal best toll free winter route (1 Viewer)

[Plinky]

Hi,

I am heading off on a trip through France and on, to spain/Portugal.

I know the weather is not so great at the moment, so am wondering of the best possible free route at this time of year.
I seem to get stung on tolls in France, as my van is 3.15m tall, so am charged as if I am an HGV. Thats even when i try to explain that I am a 5.5m long camping van.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Hi,

Is your van under 3,500kG?

Which ferry are you taking to dieppe?

 

[yodeli]

I'm afraid you won't be able to get tolls' rules changed , as they do not care about the length but only the height. They measure you and that's it.
I could manage a change as it's my roof box which puts it up to 3m high. So I just pressed the button and said ... Je ne suis pas de classe 3 veuillez changer SVP. Lady said how high are you ? ...feeling some trap there I lied and said 2.95 ... Oh ok then she said ! and changed it to classe 2. Job's done. BUT with your 3.15.. lying would be a bit of a gamble. I'll give them a call to see if there is any alternative, and will let you know. PLEASE, don't hesitate to ask me again if I happen to forget... My brain is a bit overbooked at the moment, and even if I want to help, I sometimes fail! So just go @yodeli BUMP and I'll see the alert!

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[Plinky]

Yes, van under 3,500kg. Newhavan to Dieppe. I'm on it now

 

[EuroTrotters]

Okay, too late for a Sanef Tag then!

Pull up at the toll, if it classes you as Class III, press the button.

When they answer, always start with "Bonjour"

Then, say......

"Nous avons un camping-car, il est de classe II s'il vous plaît"
(news av-on oown compin car, ill ey de class duu siv eeww play)

The operators have always overridden the system down from class IV or III to II for us.

Only Once at a manned desk north of Lyon did a bloke argue the toss and charged us Class III at €80 instead of II which would be around €40

 

[rosalan]

Switch on your Satnav and say No! to tolls, job done. As for the best route, try putting in your final destination before you start. You may have to pay some tolls like the channel crossing and some tolls are worth paying like the one from Rouen to Chartres, otherwise Bob may be your Uncle.

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[Plinky]

Thanks, I will give it a go, but that has only worked for me once in the past....the other times they just said no, and charged me class 3.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Failing that, there are some great BIS routes through to Bordeaux. You could then pay the Small tool on the new Autoroute road down to Basque and then over into Spain. The toll from there down to Zarragoza is class I for your motorhome and is free to the med coast.

BIS don't produce many maps any more, I have some old ones I will not throw away.

 

[yodeli]

Right , I just gave Vinci Autoroutes a ring and the lady told me, no way to change class. I've even asked whether you could have a card with all your info on so you would not have to explain each time... answer, won't change a thing she is class 3 . End of it... Sorry ...!

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[EuroTrotters]

Look for "S" or Bis Route signs

 

[Plinky]

Right , I just gave Vinci Autoroutes a ring and the lady told me, no way to change class. I've even asked whether you could have a card with all your info on so you would not have to explain each time... answer, won't change a thing she is class 3 . End of it... Sorry ...!

Thanks very much for trying. I think next time it happens i may just say the van is 2.95m tall, which it would be without air in the tyres.....

 

[Plinky]

View attachment 144335 Look for "S" or Bis Route signs

Thanks for that, i'll give it a go.

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[moulin 87]

Right , I just gave Vinci Autoroutes a ring and the lady told me, no way to change class. I've even asked whether you could have a card with all your info on so you would not have to explain each time... answer, won't change a thing she is class 3 . End of it... Sorry ...!

I thought that if the basic van was 2.95 but only the addition of a satellite dish or box took you over 3 metres than you should still be Class 2....

 

[yodeli]

Okay, too late for a Sanef Tag then!

Pull up at the toll, if it classes you as Class III, press the button.

When they answer, always start with "Bonjour"

Then, say......

"Nous avons un camping-car, il est de classe II s'il vous plaît"
(news av-on oown compin car, ill ey de class duu siv eeww play)

The operators have always overridden the system down from class IV or III to II for us.

Only Once at a manned desk north of Lyon did a bloke argue the toss and charged us Class III at €80 instead of II which would be around €40

I'm afraid that won't work because they measure the van when you enter the lane.
Love your way to say it in French LOL ! Very English! Noo zav on (then un is just not doable by an english!)camping car (OM is a different sound).
Anyway , you're doing fine...! I really must record myself in French so you can hear the proper sounds!

 

[EuroTrotters]

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[EuroTrotters]

I'm afraid that won't work because they measure the van when you enter the lane.
Love your way to say it in French LOL ! Very English! Noo zav on (then un is just not doable by an english!)camping car (OM is a different sound).
Anyway , you're doing fine...! I really must record myself in French so you can hear the proper sounds!

Well the tag worked for me on our 3.1m high van.

As does my French!

I have been speaking French for 51 years.

 

[Plinky]

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Thanks for that. I have bookmarked it.

 

[DavidG58]

@yodeli how do you say 2.95m en francais, please

could be worth a go for me, that is our height, but our sat dome takes us over

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[EuroTrotters]

@yodeli how do you say 2.95m en francais, please

could be worth a go for me, that is our height, but out sat dome takes us over

Deux virgule neuf cinq

or

Deux quatre vingt quinze
(doo catre vaans carns)

 

[yodeli]

I thought that if the basic van was 2.95 but only the addition of a satellite dish or box took you over 3 metres than you should still be Class 2....

I didn't go into details with accessories on top. I knew mine was difficult to check (5 cms is really a small difference)
but the lady on the phone seemed to say it was really strict....

Well the tag worked for me on our 3.1m high van.

As does my French!

I have been speaking French for 51 years.

This is quite a time ... You're french then like I am. je n'avais nulle intention de te remonter les bretelles très cher, mais je me bats régulièrement contre les accents anglais pour que ceux qui cherchent à s'exprimer dans ma langue aient une chance de le faire au mieux...tout simplement.

 

[DavidG58]

'quatre' always makes me smile

years ago I went to buy some prawns in a supermarket

asked for a quarter kilo , which I now know isn't 'quatre kilo crevettes sil vous plait' , they did put some back for me

I now order a demi kilo to be safe, or buy prepacked

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[yodeli]

@yodeli how do you say 2.95m en francais, please

could be worth a go for me, that is our height, but our sat dome takes us over

deux mètres quatre vingt quinze. For une good idea of the right way to pronounce it enter this number in google's translation and then click on the little speaker sign . The result is very good , I've checked it many times when I correct google translation.

 

[Plinky]

Well the tag worked for me on our 3.1m high van.

As does my French!

I have been speaking French for 51 years.

With your tag, do you still have to contact them to say you are under the 3m height, or do you find they just let you through anyway?
In other words, do you think i have more chance if i have a tag?
Thanks

 

[EuroTrotters]

I didn't go into details with accessories on top. I knew mine was difficult to check (5 cms is really a small difference)
but the lady on the phone seemed to say it was really strict....


This is quite a time ... You're french then like I am. je n'avais nulle intention de te remonter les bretelles très cher, mais je me bats régulièrement contre les accents anglais pour que ceux qui cherchent à s'exprimer dans ma langue aient une chance de le faire au mieux...tout simplement.

More importantly, the Sanef toll tag will work. But not if you are too long and if you get caught over 3,500KG

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[EuroTrotters]

With your tag, do you still have to contact them to say you are under the 3m height, or do you find they just let you through anyway?
In other words, do you think i have more chance if i have a tag?
Thanks

We have a Sanef Tag that we use in our cars, vans and used in our other ,500kG motorhome.

The Tag worked fine with our 2.99m high motorhome with a sat dish that took it to around 3.1-3.15m high.

What happens is, as you pull-up to the barrier, it will read class III for you to pay, as it reads your Tag, it then goes down to II.

If you go through one of the 30kph lanes liber-t, it will bleep to acknowledge you.

If you are too long, it will not open the barrier and you will have to pay. If you are found to be heavier, you will get charged and your toll tag de-activated.

 

[yodeli]

Obviously if it works for English ... and not for French I'm deffo going to complain! This is not fair at all !!! Yukkkk

 

[EuroTrotters]

Obviously if it works for English ... and not for French I'm deffo going to complain! This is not fair at all !!! Yukkkk

Is that English or British? As I am a European!

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[Plinky]

We have a Sanef Tag that we use in our cars, vans and used in our other ,500kG motorhome.

The Tag worked fine with our 2.99m high motorhome with a sat dish that took it to around 3.1-3.15m high.

What happens is, as you pull-up to the barrier, it will read class III for you to pay, as it reads your Tag, it then goes down to II.

If you go through one of the 30kph lanes liber-t, it will bleep to acknowledge you.

If you are too long, it will not open the barrier and you will have to pay. If you are found to be heavier, you will get charged and your toll tag de-activated.

Great, I have ordered a tag. My girlfriend can bring it out to me in a couple of weeks. It is too late for this trip, but good to have for my 'eventual' return. Thanks for the suggestion.
I'll also start practicing my french at the soonest opportunity.

 

[yodeli]

Just had an answer to all this. SANEF goes for Northern and Est France, while I live in South West France, hence my call to VINCI , and not SANEF. @Plinky They seem to operate diffenrently , so you were right @TeeMyob ... but I wasn't wrong either. As for your question about English and British, I'm very sorry , but my English is not as good as the one of a native. Therefore, I can't answer, I don't get it. I'm only a frog after all.