If you stick the tag facedown, chances are it won’t work. Just make sure you are in the lane with a downward pointing, green arrow and not the orange lowercase “t”. They both offer various routes to get to your destination, which vary in cost. Passage of highway sections in France is charged with toll gates. With Bip & Go, drive smart and save time: a simple toll tag for reserved lanes everywhere in France and Spain. The rich culture and history of the country attract visitors from all around the globe, many of whom prefer to rent a car or motorhome and cruise down the French roads for the ultimate experience. The time you save on your journey is more time you can spend enjoying your trip. There are many autoroutes in France which are toll roads. You are also going to need is a screen to make the unrestricted height “Automatique” lane work. Road tolls in France : payment methods - ASFA. How do you pay for tolls on French roads? We use cookies to improve your experience. It’s also convenient for right-hand drive vehicles because you can drive through without having to contend with ticket/pay points that cater to left-hand drive cars. Route your journey using one of the two websites listed above. It's much faster and you get charged the correct price. For example, travelling the length of France, Calais to Spain cost 58 Euros for a motorcycle and 96 Euros for a car. Tag users don’t get a discount; it just lets you ride through without having to pay there and then. Riders with a hardcase FasTrak transponder should mount it to the motorcycle's windscreen or keep it in a secure location, like in a pouch or your clothing pocket. Avoiding toll roads in France might seem like the most financially frugal way to travel. You can pay these fees using EURO coins, notes, bills, some debit cards, certain credit cards, or be an electronic transponder called a “telepeage”. For someone who isn’t used to toll booths, French toll roads can be both confusing and frustrating—especially if you’re already going through a bit of culture shock. Any kind of speed camera warning device, even the one built into your GPS is illegal in France. Morten teaches that on his YouTube Channel. This web site contains our inane ramblings. France has been clamping down hard on speeding lately and on-the spot fines are the norm. Depending on what you choose, the instructions will be read to you in that language. Read more about Morten here. What are the French toll charges for motorhomes? We are avid motorcyclists, scribblers of words and technology geeks. One of them can be found on viaMichelin.com [https://www.viamichelin.com/]. How to Pay Highway Tolls in France: You can get yourself into a jam if you are not prepared for French toll booths.Here's how to prepare, and to travel France's autoroutes without problems. The first question has to be why bother with the motorway toll routes when there are more exciting roads to travel. 11-08-09, 10:02 #11. However, if you need to know the toll cost beforehand (maybe you only carry cash or perhaps you want to split the cost between passengers in your vehicle), there are a few websites you can turn to in order to gauge your total toll fees. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. As the chance to go touring on my motorcycle gets closer to being a reality, I decided to try and truly understand the French Motorway Tolls and how the Peage system works. A credit card (pre-paid) ones are easier and quicker than fumbling around for cash. Or avoid using the tolls. France Toll Roads | Calculate Toll Prices . A lower speed limit also applies of 100kph on dual carriageways and 110kph on a motorway. The tags are designed to be stuck to a car windscreen. Planning a route across Europe for me is part of the fun – unlike paying motorway tolls which I find irritating. Licences. In France, there’s no annual fee and motorists pay only when they use the autoroutes (some of you may call them motorways/highways/freeways/multi-carriageway roads/turnpikes). Instead of avoiding all toll roads in France, consider a middle ground: pay a few euros to take the autoroute for a portion of your trip in order to save money, time, and stress. Register to join this UK Motorbike Forum, start a motorbike blog, or use our free motorbike classifieds! It will take you to a webpage which will calculate the distance, time it will take to get there, traffic impact, and the cost (broken down by the total toll cost as well as the estimated fuel consumption. Smaller countries and people who are used to small backroads, might not be used to tolls, so let’s get rid of some of that confusion. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Also, if you decide to ride your motorcycle on a holiday weekend, it may be more expensive. Expect to pay around €1.00 – €3.00 for a 100 mile stretch of motorway Unless you intend to go to Switzerland there are no other vignettes required for France. There is a UK based company, Emovis Tag UK Ltd Based in Harrogate in Yorkshire, that supplies the tags. Discover everything about toll roads in France here. You don’t need to stop – well that is the theory – and it should speed you past the toll queues when the motorway is busy. Because US cards are not "chip-and-PIN", you should always assume that they will not work in any unattended machine. ABOUTWe are avid motorcyclists, scribblers of words and technology geeks. By far the simplest way to pay the Frech Motorway Tolls on a motorcycle is to use the toll booths, especially the ones with a human operator. Of course, paying the toll means you need to reach out of your vehicle and push buttons, insert cards and/or coins, and receive receipts. France is also very popular for camping trips with its world-class campsites, making it a natural choice for family holidays. If you are driving a vehicle which has an overall height of three or more meters and is or is towing more than three and a half tons, it is considered to be an HGV (or possibly a bus with two axles) and is a category 3. (Or it did when I wrote this). Toll roads in France – Highway toll France. Nice became known during the 18th century as an increasing number of English aristocratics spent their winters there. France is a beautiful country and you don’t want to miss too much of it by trying to save money on toll costs. LINKS ☑ Privacy, GDPR & Cookies ☑ Email the Editor ☑ Product Testing Philosophy ☑ Media Pack. In France, you’ll often find that you receive a ticket when you enter the autoroute, then pay the toll once you exit. : Autoroute toll booths in France: yellow signs mark the leftmost gate as reserved for télépéage only; the three center gates take cash, cards or télépéage; the rightmost takes only credit & debit cards. This is a little device that connects to an online account you create, through which it takes care of payments. The simple answer is the size of France. The inane ramblings of the motorcycle obsessed, This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The automatic booths (“Automatique”) rely on sensors in the lane detecting you are a motorcycle. If you use the standard “Automatique” or tag lanes, you will be charged the standard car rate without the ability to object. If you are driving a vehicle with a height of two to three meters and it is towing something which does not exceed three and a half tons, it is considered an intermediate vehicle and is considered a category 2. Investor's bonds necessary for the construction of the roads are issued and sold with the expectation that the bonds will be paid back with user tolls. A vehicle with more than two axles and has a height of three or more meters and is a weight of more than three and a half tons, it is considered an HGV (or a bus with three or more axles) and is a category 4. I am travelling by motorbike from calais to chamonix france in June and have been shocked at peage toll prices. The other place you find speed traps is on the approach to motorway services. However, it isn’t always practical if you don’t visit France often or if you are only in France for a holiday. The gross vehicle weight of your vehicles is now specifically mentioned on all French vehicle registration papers. If you need help, there is generally an assistance button to press or a handset you can use to call a toll operator. Trust me … I have direct first-hand experience of this. There will be buttons on the side, which are marked by various flags. Click on the toll road you are interested in and learn the costs and which major cities connect the toll roads. Click on the toll road you are interested in and learn the costs and which major cities connect the toll roads. He grew up on the coast where his dad took him boating from a young age. Did you find wrong information or was something missing? The most common languages are French, Spanish, and English. 100 km/h (62 mph) on dual carriageways and motorways without tolls. The toll booth detects the transponder and opens the barrier for you. The city's main seaside promenade, the Promenade des Anglais (Walkway of the English) owes its name to these visitors. Speed limits The French speed limits are:- In town – 50 km/h- Outside town – 90 km/h- Motorways – 110 km/h or 130 km/h depending on region Parking and Theft The South of France is relaxed about parking your motorcycle on the pavement as long as it doesn’t obstruct pedestrians. A toll tag is … Within 10kms either side of a TelePeage is often where speed camera operate. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. However, the time and fuel costs it will take to take the backroads might not be worth the cost. Just insert your starting point, the destination point, and it will plan out your possible routes. However, after the D2009 turns into the A75 at Clermont, there is no toll for the next 300km. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. Tolls are a form of user tax that pays for the cost of road construction and maintenance, without raising taxes on non-users. The rules and prices for the toll booths on these roads are set by the companies that own and operate them. Ooops. Motorway travel costs an average of €0.07 per kilometre for a car, e.g. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. On motorways in foggy conditions, when visibility is less than 50 m, the speed is limited at 50km/h (31 mph) Driving in France with a caravan The toll gates all have big clear signs showing whether they take cards, or cash, or payment to a human collector. In Europe, the most substantial use of toll roads is in France, where most of the autoroutes carry quite heavy tolls. How Much Do French Toll Roads Cost? The expense (which is not much to begin with) is a one-off because the battery lasts for 5 years and when it dies y… FRANCE Tolls are levied on most French motorways. You cannot legally ride in France until you are 18 and hold a full Category A motorcycle licence. I understand that I could travel free on the N roads but want to get there quick as my time is short. This web site contains our inane ramblings. Also, if there's two of you, you have to pay singly and separately, otherwise computer says no) There are many autoroutes in France which are toll roads. All you have to do is insert the ticket you received when you entered the autoroutes. Toll fees vary, depending on your vehicle, and route. ASFA. Payment is collected at toll booths where tolls can be paid in cash or with the following cards: Eurocard, Mastercard, and Visa. For further information please see our, f you are using a tag in an unmanned lane, ensure you use the, . I have never had any problem with paying tolls in France. But here is the rub … It will cost around £25 to get set up with a tag and you still pay the same tolls. It is worth knowing where the Peages are if you are likely to be “motivated” while riding French Motorways. The other option for paying the French and some other European motorway tolls is the Telepeage tag. As a motorcycle, you are a class 5 vehicle, and you pay a significantly reduced fee compared to larger vehicles. Top Tip: If you are using a tag in an unmanned lane, ensure you use the unrestricted height lane. For this particular example the pop-up window looks like this: Another way to help estimate your road costs is by using the ASFA website [link: https://www.autoroutes.fr/index.htm?lang=en]. Some tolls have a dedicated bike lane. Motorcycles pay the same toll as all other two-axle vehicles on The Toll Roads. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. There are over 90 toll roads in France below you will be able to see all of them on a map, making it easy to plan a road trip through France. Tolls on motorways are relatively easy. This isn’t always convenient or feasible if you are disabled. All of the views expressed on this website are our own. You take a ticket as you enter the motorway from a machine, and pay when you exit the motorway. Motorcycling in France Legal Requirements Our product range of Motorcycle items is at the bottom of this page. When inserted into the appropriate boxes on the left-hand side of the page, it details two possible routes for you. They are part of a wider company that does this for most of Europe. The motorway leading to the A75 is a toll road (with the last five miles of that section having a toll of 1.20 EUR). If you need help calculating tolls in France, there are a few tools to help you. We test motorcycles and related products for manufacturers, ride all year round, and generally spend as much time as possible doing anything motorcycle related. There you go-always pay to use French toll roads at a manned booth. I would like to know how much it will cost and … From the seat of a motorcycle, France appears to have changed a lot. Just below the route number and names, is the approximate time for each trip, the distance you will travel, and the cost in Euros (€). France is home to many tourist hotspots, ranging from the grand Eiffel Tower in Paris, to the deep blue waters of the French Riviera. If you can’t pay or if you’ve grossly exceeded the limit (around 50kph over the motorway limit is enough), they can impound and even crush or sell your bike, so you’ve been warned. If you are paying in cash, merge into the lane marked with the green arrow and drive up to the toll machine. If you’re driving to France by car, campervan or with a caravan, a French toll road tag makes paying tolls a doddle. Using Highways (Autoroutes) There are tolls on nearly all motorways (called autoroutes) in France. Your total amount will appear in the digital readout. In addition to that, many autoroutes are owned (and operated) by companies, not the state. Here’s everything you need to know before entering the toll roads in France. Tolls are collected only from drivers of cars, buses and trucks, but also motorcycles. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The sticky side is the side that talks to the Peage (motorway toll) system. That is why it is so appealing to drive your motorcycle in France. It then deducts the appropriate amount of money from the bank account you have associated with the telepeage. The French motorways are generally excellent. A toll road is a road over which users may travel over on payment of a toll, or fee. The problem is that these systems DO NOT RECOGNIZE MOTORCYCLES! France is a beautiful place with fast lanes and great scenery. Fast, smooth roads that let you burn through the miles and get where you are going. Tolls in France are levied for the passage of motorways and some tunnels and bridges and are paid directly at toll gates. Don’t forget, you’re on a vacation and you should enjoy the time you have there. Nice is also known … Instead of the former 90km/h (55mph) limit that covered all roads outside of towns and multi-lane roads, from July 2018 France has controversially adopted a blanket 80km/h (50mph) limit. Instead, the ability to use a telepeage transponder has made toll-paying easier. Not only do they give you toll estimates, but they can tell you where there are road hazards and traffic as well. Even Libre-t, the company that makes the tags suggest that motorcyclists don’t use the automated lanes. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Pay by cash if you're on a bike: if you pay by card they charge you the car rate, which is more expensive. One example is Vinci Autoroutes (who also operates a number of parking garages in France under the name of Vincipark). The process is basically the same with the previous website. We would love to hear your thoughts! When it comes to traveling in France, you might be able to drive around without having to pay any toll fees, but the real question is: “Is it worth the time, hassle, and stress to avoid the toll booths on French autoroutes?”. There can be little doubt that you are riding a motorcycle if you are paying a person, rather than relying on technology. British man, 51, and woman, 60, are killed after their motorbike smashes into a car near a motorway toll booth in the south of France. What are some of the common costs for tolls? The only exceptions to this are where the autoroute has been created from an already existing road, and around major towns and cities. (Debit cards Maestro and Electron are not accepted). Warning - French motorway tolls French motorways usually have a booth/gate with a person and a few more booths/gates with automated systems that suck in your credit card and charge the toll there. As a motorcycle, you are a class 5 vehicle, and you pay a significantly reduced fee compared to larger vehicles. The motorway leading to the A75 is a toll road (with the last five miles of that section having a toll of 1.20 EUR). But you’ll notice the joy of riding in this beautiful country as soon as you roll off the ferry. In that pop-up window, the tolls are broken down by toll booth and cost. If the Gallic driver behind you is too close, or you ride in as a group, the sensors can be fooled into thinking you are a car. That’s the same person you could have handed cash or a credit card to. Rather you should hand your tag to the operator in a manned lane. Why are there so many toll booths in France? When approaching the Peage, check the signs over each lane, not only to see which ones are open, but if there is a specific motorcycle lane. However, foreign visitors often just use euro cash because it is easier for them. One route is via a13 and one via A13 and D14. Unfortunately, because there are so many cars and so much traffic, the roads take quite a beating. Whereas the speed cameras are still just as common, it is more likely these days that the bill will land on your doormat a few weeks later. Should the sensors think you are a car or truck and charge you the wrong am, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). He has completely rebuilt two RVs in which he travels with his family for months at the time. Under those numbers, you have the option of clicking on a button which will give you the cost details for the highlighted trip (including tolls). The climate is mild throughout the year and the surrounding nature is truly breathtaking. (Probably the #1 question we get). Hi just a note to using the Peages your recovery insurance will not cover you.Recovery is by the company running the Peage they will take you off then you can call your recovery company. Experience the sights, smells, tastes, and see what France has to offer, instead of sitting in your vehicle, trying to save a little cash. Morten is the founder of GoDownsize. Generally, you insert your ticket into the appropriate slot. France was a latecomer to the idea of autoroutes and even later to the idea of toll roads, for at the time the country had 77km of freeways, Germany already had nearly 3,000km and even France’s first true autoroute from Saint Cloud to Orgeval was completed by the … Sometimes, if you want to get to a specific part of Europe, then the only way to do it efficiently is to nut up and do the boring motorway miles. As an example, let’s say you wanted to go from Le Havre, France to Paris, France. Nice is the 5th largest city in France. They are the somewhat dull but fast roads of France where big distances can be covered in the quickest possible time. Most motorways are toll roads ( à péage), which are among the most expensive in Europe, although there are plans to privatise half the motorways in southern France, which could reduce charges by up to 30 per cent. If you order the transponder in the UK, it conveniently deducts payments from your bank account, so you don’t need to worry about Euros and conversions and whatnot. The idea to make this legal has been argued for by many road safety and motorcycle groups in France for years apparently and they have finally been listened to. Typically you will find a person manning this lane, where most of the other lanes will be automatic. You can split the difference by using either www.viamichelin.com or https://www.autoroutes.fr/index.htm?lang=en and using the cheapest toll booth routes. Luckily, the toll booths in France can calculate everything for you. However, as a jumping-off point, here are a few of the more common vacation or tourist route fees taken in a car (a hatchback in particular): For example, if you were to go to Lyons, France and drive to Paris, you would have to pay 17.60 EUR: Motorhomes cover a number of different types of motor vehicles, so let’s break it down. Price of tolls for the planned journey can be easily determined with the help of the route planner at the autoroutes.fr , or in a pdf price list from the same page. (PS: We read ALL feedback). You can pay the toll with euro coins and a selection of cards. We are reader supported. These cookies do not store any personal information. They connect major regions and big cities in France. There are over 90 toll roads in France below you will be able to see all of them on a map, making it easy to plan a road trip through France. France - pay on autoroutes (they have toll booths on exits. Luckily, you can cater your journey using different criteria when you map your trip. The toll booths operators prefer that drivers use electronic transponders because it is easier. The idea is that they don’t have to chase you as you have to stop for the Peage. The tolls can be easily avoided if you wish and our thoughts on choosing between paper maps or online route planners can be found here. OK as brief as possible here are some of the legal considerations for motorcycling in France, including the new Hi Viz Vest rules. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You should expect to pay between 15-40 € when entering a toll road in France. Motorcyclists can pay using FasTrak or at TheTollRoads.com or using The Toll Roads App within five days before or five days after driving The Toll Roads. The “t” marks lanes which only accept the telepeage electronic transponders. How do you make a living on the road? Enter the departure and arrival addresses in the appropriate boxes. No more long queues waiting at the toll gate! Discover everything about toll roads in France here. France is a wonderful place to ride a motorcycle, offering some of the best roads and Alpine passes in the world. Sure, these toll costs can add up. This makes it significantly easier and faster to get from one city to another. The Association of French Motorway Companies (ASFA) helps you to plan your motorway travel in France: motorways network map, traffic news, route and journey, webcam… Find all the tariffs of the french motorways and practical information: tolls charge https://www.autoroutes.fr/index.htm?lang=en. It will calculate the most generic numbers for you in lieu of specifics. You can pay toll machines using appropriate French credit cards, EURO coins (in the coin slot which is marked “Pieces”), and/or EURO bills (in the section marked “Billets”). Motorcycles do still have to pay toll costs, though they are not as expensive as driving a car on the autoroutes. Should the sensors think you are a car or truck and charge you the wrong amount, you can only object afterwards if you have used the unrestricted height lane. France Toll Roads | Calculate Toll Prices . A typical French autoroute. If you need change, it will drop into the slot marked “Monnaie”. The Association of French Motorway Companies (ASFA) helps you plan your motorway travel in France: motorways network map, traffic news, route and journey, webcam… Find all the French motorway prices and practical information. What are French toll road tags? Mopeds max 80cc - 16 yrs old and for anything over 80cc’s it’s 18 years old minimum. For example, travelling the length of France, Calais to Spain cost 58 Euros for a motorcycle and 96 Euros for a car. France. Drivers traveling through the territory of France does not have to buy a vignette, a fee for the use of motorways is collected according to section off about a category of vehicle or trailer at the toll gates. Fast, smooth roads that let you burn through the miles and get where you are going. Some regular users of French motorways have Telepeaje transponders with an account. 110 km/h (68 mph) on toll motorways. He has filmed and interviewed people living in tiny houses and RVs since 2011. For your specific trips, I suggest using one of the two websites listed above, to check the prices. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. It's all change on normal two-way roads (ie not motorways or dual carriageways or main roads with a central divider) as of this summer. The toll is not waved for people who are disabled and want to drive the autoroutes in France. In France, highways (or expressways, or motorways) are known as autoroutes. At this point, assuming you know what the fee should be, you either start a debate in your best school French or suck it up and move on. However, after the D2009 turns into the A75 at Clermont, there is no toll for the next 300km. If you get caught speeding, the first you may know is when you are ushered into the services by the chase car and taken to the cash machine. You don’t have to enter the vehicle details if you don’t want to. It’s recommended to bring cash as not all foreign credit cards are accepted at the toll booths.