French (lack of) fuel stations (1 Viewer)

[ironduck]

I left 61320 Carrouges yesterday (Monday) morning and took a non toll route towards Bologne.

I had to drive 108 miles before I came across a fuel station on the outskirts of Rouen. That's 5 gallons later!

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Depends on how much of a non toll route you took. France is a very big country, the back roads really are back roads.

Perfectly possible to do the same thing here if you really stay off main roads.

Nobody's going to bother trying to operate a business on a road that only gets a couple of tractors a week and the odd random lost tourist go past

 

[The Wino]

But I bet if you searched fuel on the sat nave there would have been a few supermarkets just off the route

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[denisejoe]

Always look out for supermarket with petrol signs then follow them not normally that far of the main rd

 

[Hellski]

If your a smartphone user, I'd highly recommend downloading the app 'EssencePasCher'. On our recent trip we found it to be invaluable as often petrol stations would be just the other side of town and not necessarily on the route we were on.

 

[Shrimp]

We've never had a problem finding fuel in France.
Last year we had 4.5 months touring over there and the only 'problem' was finding a supermarché with a kiosk to pay for fuel, that and their looooong lunches!

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[chaser]

We have found truckfly another good app this last week shows filling stations and les routiers and other restaurants as well , we have had a couple of good meals at them this trip

 

[Lenny HB]

We never use toll roads in France never had a problem finding fuel, if we are out in the sticks and getting low we just search on the internet always somewhere fairly close.

 

[maison]

We spend a great deal of time in France, mainly driving on back roads, and have never had a problem.

However, even in Britain, we always stop and top up when we drop below half full. That way there are no dramas over running out through leaving it until the last minute.

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[filopastry]

Every town with a Super U or Leclerc will have fuel stations. Out of hours they are card operated but they accept all major bank cards. If you are using "N" designated roads "national" there is usually not too far between towns. 108 miles or 178 kms I think you must have "dodged" all the towns on route
Leclerc
27300 Menneval-Bernay

Having done a quick search I have to agree with you, with the exception of the above there aint much out there. I suggest you check via Mr Google, enter in the search either Super U or Leclerc and a town name on your proposed route and have a looky looky for refueling sites.

 

[2657]

I remember having an anxious time on the N137 from Nantes to St.Malo when towing our 5'er which only had a safe range of about 240 miles from full.

Collected 5'er from storage on the Vendee, Sunday, tried to fill up at automatic pump, would not accept card so set off with just over half a tank, no sat nav, no internet......no b**** fuel stations on the N137.

The dilemma is do you come off the main road to look for fuel in a town, not forgetting the difficulty of getting the 5'er onto some pumps, and waste more of your precious fuel or carry on in the hope of finding fuel on the main road.

Made it to the (cheap) fuel station just outside St Malo but the last few miles were a bit worrying to say the least.

 

[Gaston aires]

Like Maison, we always fill up when half or just under. Just in case.
Phil

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[Richard n Ann]

If your a smartphone user, I'd highly recommend downloading the app 'EssencePasCher'. On our recent trip we found it to be invaluable as often petrol stations would be just the other side of town and not necessarily on the route we were on.

Is that the Apple version? Mine is just called 'Essence' on Android phone.

 

[DavidG58]

you will not be alone, the lower the mpg the more it affects us, my bum has had to clench quite a few times while coaxing the last drops out of our 18 mpg MH, I really do try not to get the light on, but know we then have an absolute max 40 miles

what I have found has fixed the problem for us, buy and fill a 2 gallon container, which we have done, now carried it for 2 years never yet needed it

I still haven't mastered the auto pumps and always try and get a caisse, even if we do pay a little more even better some of them still fill for you its a holiday and its only money, if I really cared I would buy a Fiat and get more mpg

 

[Lenny HB]

I still haven't mastered the auto pumps and always try and get a caisse, even if we do pay a little more even better some of them still fill for you its a holiday and its only money, if I really cared I would buy a Fiat and get more mpg

What a brave man, we always avoid the caisse like the plague, been stuck too many times trying to get out, often near on impossible to get a motorhome through.

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[Hellski]

Is that the Apple version? Mine is just called 'Essence' on Android phone.

Mine is the apple version but can also be found by just typing 'Essence' in to the search bar

 

[DavidG58]

What a brave man, we always avoid the caisse like the plague, been stuck too many times trying to get out, often near on impossible to get a motorhome through.

I mean this sort of caisse

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&r...9iYzA6hJgE4_fQzqVt2Hs45g&ust=1498650124075840

My French isn't brilliant but I thought it meant 'till / cashier' as opposed to auto pay


edit - that forecourt looks a little tighter than I like, certainly wont be going through a supermarket cashier, I do know what you mean there, done that once, not again

 

[Duck Truck]

When we first got a van
naively we filled up at a Supermarket I drove up to the cashiere
jumped out paid on my card all ok the lady gave me my card back
I set off down the out lane which was a bout 50 metres long edged on one side with concrete posts and the other side with the red and white water filled crash barriers.
After 50 metres it turned 90 degrees
absolutely impossible to get round with the van.
By this time another driver was close behind me and others pulling in behind him
Why on earth the woman let me go down the exit I will never know
took about 15 mins of buggering about to get everybody to reverse out of my way.
I now check the exit before even going near the pumps.
Live and learn

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[MR. FUSION]

you will not be alone, the lower the mpg the more it affects us, my bum has had to clench quite a few times while coaxing the last drops out of our 18 mpg MH, I really do try not to get the light on, but know we then have an absolute max 40 miles

what I have found has fixed the problem for us, buy and fill a 2 gallon container, which we have done, now carried it for 2 years never yet needed it

I still haven't mastered the auto pumps and always try and get a caisse, even if we do pay a little more even better some of them still fill for you its a holiday and its only money, if I really cared I would buy a Fiat and get more mpg

2 gallons is way over the legal limit in the UK, even for home storage I think also.....

 

[DavidG58]

2 gallons is way over the legal limit in the UK, even for home storage I think also.....

??? never heard of any limit, certainly not as low as a shop bought specific fuel container ???

this is more or less what we have, are they really illegal to carry?

 

[SuperMike]

We carry a 20L metal fuel can. That, together with a 65g fuel tank should see us ok. The trouble with French fuel stations is there passion for height barriers on the petrol pumps that I need. Have had to leave many a station when checking for height, but like others, start looking as the gauge goes past half.

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[MR. FUSION]

??? never heard of any limit, certainly not as low as a shop bought specific fuel container ???

this is more or less what we have, are they really illegal to carry?

View attachment 171018

As I understand it 20 litres (petrol) is only allowable in a plastic container and 10 in a plastic. 2 x 10 L in metal containers is generally considered the maximum safe load as above that you could be considered as carrying a dangerous explosive goods ? There is also definitely a legal limit on home stored petrol 30 L, HSE regs. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...ghFMAQ&usg=AFQjCNGYoqjy3lolodQYwSaSBUBFSMRcjg

 

[Lenny HB]

2 gallons is way over the legal limit in the UK, even for home storage I think also.....

There are no limits for the storeage of diesel only petrol (10Lt in plastic can, 20Lt in metal can).

 

[DavidG58]

what I have found has fixed the problem for us, buy and fill a 2 gallon container, which we have done, now carried it for 2 years never yet needed it

As I understand it 20 litres (petrol) is only allowable in a plastic container and 10 in a plastic. 2 x 10 L in metal containers is generally considered the maximum safe load as above that you could be considered as carrying a dangerous explosive goods ? There is also definitely a legal limit on home stored petrol 30 L, HSE regs. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/legal/Web%20Documents/Legal%20Leaflets/Clubs/Premises/CARRIAGE%20AND%20STORAGE%20OF%20PETROL%20AND%20DIESEL.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiZufKIvt7UAhUBLVAKHanqCSEQFghFMAQ&usg=AFQjCNGYoqjy3lolodQYwSaSBUBFSMRcjg

Did you maybe misread my initial post, 2 gallons is only 9 litres, isn't it, or am I going mad , it is carried in a plastic container in an outside only access locker

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[Lenny HB]

Did you maybe misread my initial post, 2 gallons is only 9 litres, isn't it, or am I going mad , it is carried in a plastic container in an outside only access locker

Its only petrol there is a limit on.

 

[MR. FUSION]

Did you maybe misread my initial post, 2 gallons is only 9 litres, isn't it, or am I going mad , it is carried in a plastic container in an outside only access locker

yes sorry I did, its not you....its me 10l in a metal applies to petrol, although a lot of uk filling stations say 5 l plastic and 10 l metal at their pumps, that is their discretion.

 

[ironduck]

Thanks for the tips about the apps.

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[scotzsue]

Have found quite a few, newer, intermarche with under 3M canopies, also height barriers to the supermarket carpark. surprising as some also have aires. think they have mainly been in spain though.