French Toll Tag for MH over 3m and > 3500Kg? (1 Viewer)

[xtab]

Last year the co-pilot often struggled to do all the contortions needed to climb half out of the cab window to insert the credit card into the toll machine on French motorways.

We learned the hard way that our van, which is a tiny bit over 3m, takes us into Class 3. So I thought I'd solve the problem and get a tag from Sanef. But it turns out that Liber-T doesn't cover Class 3.

Looking at the website for the alternative - Eurotoll - it seems only to be for fleet managers.

Are there any funsters with a Class 3 or higher MH who've got themselves a tag? And if so can you advise ?

Otherwise it looks like the co-pilot will have to continue her Beth Tweddle impersonation each time we roll up to the exit pay machine!

 

[funflair]

I know there is one but can't think of its name BUT I prefer to avoid them anyway.

Martin

EDIT Eurotolll I think,

https://www.eurotoll.eu/our-offer/france/

 

[martin2603]

Toll tickets

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[DBK]

This is one company, but I don't know about costs but perhaps worth contacting them. We used the Sanef tag on this trip with our PVC and it was very convenient. But before that and particularly on the Italian toll roads which are cheap and worth using, me (the driver) usually got out and did the transaction.
http://www.harbourshipping.co.uk/european-tunnels-and-tolls/motorway-tolls-france

 

[chaser]

I might well be wrong but i thought all motorhomes are class 2 if you tell them at the toll so maybe a pre paid class two would do it.

 

[2657]

I might well be wrong but i thought all motorhomes are class 2 if you tell them at the toll so maybe a pre paid class two would do it.

You are wrong, some get away with class 2 but if you are over the limits then you are class 3 or 4 in the case of our 5'er.

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[chaser]

You are wrong, some get away with class 2 but if you are over the limits then you are class 3 or 4 in the case of our 5'er.

Ok , no probs just thought it might help.

 

[funflair]

I might well be wrong but i thought all motorhomes are class 2 if you tell them at the toll so maybe a pre paid class two would do it.

If you are a smidge over you might get away with pressing the button and pleading "camping car Class 2 SVP" but if you are well over you will be Class 3 or even Class 4 for a tag/tandem axle.

Martin

 

[Hettie's Crew]

We get away with class 2 even though we are over 3.5t because we are 2.9m high. Just need to be careful which sat dish we choose.

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[SteveB123]

I have had a Sanef tag for 4 years i am 5 ton and 3.3 m high I get through on most toll booths at class 2 but if it refuses I always argue I am a camping car and most of the time I get through OK. However I lost the argument twice and it was quite expensive at class 4 but worth the money as I don't have to climb over all the time to take a ticket and pay.

 

[Poutie57]

I've just met a couple in Spain who have a Burstner overcab tag axle and they only paid class 2 all through France explaining at the toll they where a motorhome, my van is also over 4tons and I only get charged class 2

 

[Barclaybasher]

I have a Sanef tag for my Eriba, under 3500kg, 2.2m

Can I just carry on using it for my new van - 3850kg, 2.8m + sat dome?

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[funflair]

I have a Sanef tag for my Eriba, under 3500kg, 2.2m

Can I just carry on using it for my new van - 3850kg, 2.8m + sat dome?

Officially NO unofficially I would say YES.

Martin

 

[SteveB123]

I've just met a couple in Spain who have a Burstner overcab tag axle and they only paid class 2 all through France explaining at the toll they where a motorhome, my van is also over 4tons and I only get charged class 2

The last time I got charged they said I had too many wheels so I was class 4. But normally no problem.

 

[magicsurfbus]

I have a Sanef tag for my Eriba, under 3500kg, 2.2m

Can I just carry on using it for my new van - 3850kg, 2.8m + sat dome?

I'm aware of some people who use a Tag on a 3850 Kg MH and get charged at Classe 2 (whistles innocently). The tag isn't vehicle specific.

To my mind if you're going to get charged Classe 2 at every booth anyway regardless of weight (we did), you might as well have the Liber-T Tag if you're a bit above 3.5 tonnes. The booths and gates monitor height, not weight. The issue for you might be how much over 3m the dome is. I think the monitoring system is supposed to make allowances for domes but it doesn't always.

God bless Bip & Go - it's worth the few extra Euros for the sheer bloody convenience.

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[Duck Truck]

Errr Class 3
I think not
we are 4.5 tonnes and 3.3 m high
When the display shows class 3
The co pilot presses the button and talk to the
person on the other end and says
"ju swee camping car, class du Merci"
and her lovely nothern twang makes light work of French as you can tell
and Hey Presto the display changes to class 2
and the co pilot then pays on our credit or debit card.

You have been over paying significantly

 

[2657]

Errr Class 3
I think not
we are 4.5 tonnes and 3.3 m high
When the display shows class 3
The co pilot presses the button and talk to the
person on the other end and says
"ju swee camping car, class du Merci"
and her lovely nothern twang makes light work of French as you can tell
and Hey Presto the display changes to class 2
and the co pilot then pays on our credit or debit card.

You have been over paying significantly

I think you need to look at the toll companies regulations, the tolls are decided on height, weight and number of axles, there is no special exemption for motorhomes.

Anyone that gets away with class 2 when they are class 3 is simply lucky and I would suggest that the operatives give in rather than getting involved in an argument in a foreign language.

http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/vehicle-classification.htm

 

[olley]

Varies for me some manned tolls charge me class 2 others class 3.
Have agree that their is nothing that I have found in the info given out by the toll companies that mention discounts for motorhomes.

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[xtab]

The booths and gates monitor height, not weight. The issue for you might be how much over 3m the dome is. I think the monitoring system is supposed to make allowances for domes but it doesn't always.

God bless Bip & Go - it's worth the few extra Euros for the sheer bloody convenience.

We're actually only 3.1 high so it's really marginal but their measuring device is pretty steely-eyed and hits us for Class 3 every time. We did try the 'Je Suis CampingCar " once but it didn't work, so we haven't tried again. Maybe we should. I think the difference in price for the two classes is around 50% more.

I'd happily pay for Bip& Go, but don't want to be not let through - with all the anxiety that having annoyed drivers in vehicles stuck behind you brings. And sadly Bip & Go doesn't include Class 3. So I'm kind of caught in the middle.

 

[Duck Truck]

we dont use the motorways much at all
but have been through about 20 pay stations
and all have dropped us to class two without
arguing including the Mont Blanc tunnel although he did give us a dirty look

 

[Speve]

Had a sanef tag now for three years we are under 3m but 4250kg and towing car trailer only ever charged class 2 never been challenged or stopped.
Get yourself a sanef tag through euro tunnel I think they have an offer if you use them you can get at tag with a reduced set up fee.

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[magicsurfbus]

We're actually only 3.1 high so it's really marginal but their measuring device is pretty steely-eyed and hits us for Class 3 every time.

Looks like you may have crossed the height boundary then. Our old MH with a luton was 3.05 at the roof vent cowling and we always paid Classe 2. Our current vehicle is just below 3m high but has been up-plated to 3850kgs, so unless someone from Sanef pays close attention to our V5 after the barrier for some reason we're OK with a Bip & Go Tag. I suspect the weight/height distinction is aimed mainly at trucks, and I'd be very surprised if all French MH owners were within the letter of the Liber-T terms and conditions. They don't actually ask for vehicle documents when you apply for the Tag.

As a side issue, you can use your Tag in a car if you wish, but I'm guessing it's best to go through the height restricted barriers to avoid an unwanted Classe 2 charge.

 

[Soozywoozy]

@xtab - if you were picked up last year continuously as class 3 then it is the same system using sanef tag and you will be picked up again, possibly even blocked at the toll station. If however you were 90 % through as a class 2 you may be unofficially ok

Please see Broken Link Removed which shows the classifications for clarity and then http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/routes.htm the official French route planner with toll costs according to classification

 

[Saint76]

As previously posted TollTickets for vehicles over 3.5t and over 3metres high have this and it works fine for 7.5t x 3.5metres high (twin rear axle).
Tried all that stopping at the gate malarky and blagging it!!! far easier this way

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[Blossom]

I have an Autotrail Tracker which is 3.05 high 3.5t. This year I used a ATMB tag in France and didn't have any problems at the tolls. The only exception was that I first put the tag at the top of the windscreen and the cab overhang obscured it making the lasers unable to detect it. So I just moved it to the bottom of the windscreen and it worked perfectly.

 

[Franticek2252]

We used the liber-t tag we had for our car the previous year but got stung each time we went through the tag toll booth as it recognised our height of 3 mtrs automatically charging class 3!!! Will leave it off this year and press the assist button to try for "classe deux".

 

[funflair]

We used the liber-t tag we had for our car the previous year but got stung each time we went through the tag toll booth as it recognised our height of 3 mtrs automatically charging class 3!!! Will leave it off this year and press the assist button to try for "classe deux".

You say "automatically charged class 3" are you saying that they can charge class 3 to your account that was taken out for a car?

Martin

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[magicsurfbus]

You say "automatically charged class 3" are you saying that they can charge class 3 to your account that was taken out for a car?

Martin

The account and the tag aren't vehicle specific - they simply enable rapid payment of the appropriate toll. If I was using the tag in a car I'd go through the lower height barriers on the left as a precaution.

 

[Franticek2252]

The tag is not vehicle specific, but works even for our A class with the caveat that it seems to charge class 3 to our account. Didn't realise it would recognise us as over 3 mars until saw statements when back home!

 

[Clarky]

All this discussion has a very simple answer and the one I much prefer to use.

Don't use toll roads.

It's very simple really.

Richard.

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