I’ve just used the new ‘flux libre’ on the journey past Rouen and up to Le Havre. There are now no toll stations on the motorway, you simply have to settle up within 72 hours.
It’s probably easiest to create an account on sanef.com . You’ll need a credit card plus a document of car ownership or rental (I used my car insurance document). Your car will then be recognized when you use the autoroute and your credit card charged accordingly.
I’m glad to say that at least currently, if you miss the 72 hour deadline for payment, you can still pay later without penalty once you have opened an account. Don’t ask me how I know that.
VG - thanks for the test report - looking forward to testing it myself in a few months!
I already have a BipandGo tag for my car and one for my motorbike, so it won’t make a lot of difference to me in terms of the journey, but it should be a better system overall.
It’s good that there is a grace period for payment - they have that on the Dartford Crossing as well if you are a new user.
Not sure if this has been answered, rarely using peages I haven’t been paying attention. My rare journeys these days necessitate the use of them occasionally though and if I don’t have any connection to the A-route concerned and sail through when not required to stop, do they send me a bill to pay without it being any kind of infringment, and thus, penalty?
So there is no reason for me to avoid autoroutes then simply because I don’t have the equipment to tell me when and how much? I just wait for a demand to pay in the post then?
The difficulty I can see with that is that whatever peages I pay I get reimbursed by whoever causes me to travel and, waiting for the post is much longer than telling them how much it cost as soon as I get back home.
Most of the péage autoroutes are still on the old system of tollbooths - I think it’s just the A13 and one other near Nancy(?) that are on the new auto-detect system.
Personally I find the BipandGo gadget is totally worth it as you stick it to the top of your windscreen and then just sail straight through the toll plazas. It will also deal with the new A12 system.
It’s ten Eurobucks up front to get one, and then you pay €1.90 a month only for the months when you use the tag; no charge for months when you don’t use it. Plus the tolls of course.
Although there is a phone app you can also go to the website to check how much you have been charged in order to get reimbursement from your customers.
Thank you, yes, but the problem with that is I would have to know whose autoroute I had been driving on. And yet another app? For a non-existant smart phone?
To give an example of how rare this event would be, for me to get from here to Nottingham would involve just one peage to by-pass Orleans. I have travelled that stretch hundreds of time but wouldn’t have a clue who I paid the money to, other than the 2 minutes it takes me to read the ticket at home and record the details on my bank records.
You can pay at tabacs. Just give them your reg number and they will look it up on their terminal, tell you what you owe and take your payment.
Have a coffee and a chat at the same time after your journey, not a bad way to do it.
I’m not totally sure, but think this is only during the “grace” period for the new technology, however long that may be, without any fines. After that, you will still get the bill in the post but with the fine added .
Gosh, something else to remember to do, long after the event. Is there a ‘dementia approaching’ excuse for non paying? There is a reason why I insist on receipts for everything.
If I ever pass that way again, Orleans, I’ll just have to go through the town centre instead. The last time I did that I got a speeding fine, but at least they have the grace to send you a bill to let you know, which I pay within 5 minutes (memory ).
The forgetfullness has earnt Dartford crossing a huge amount. You only get one chance then its a fine. Almost certainly how France will go. Or the D6015 around Rouen and avoid any toll.
Ah, but I pay that in advance before I leave home, once I have persuaded them to accept my French number plate.
Given my unofficial distance limit these days which the main association has knowledge of, there are only 2 destinations that I would use an autoroute and those are Toulouse and Bordeaux. The latter I could go back to the old N89 but Toulouse would be too long I think on the direct route. I’ll test it while I’m sitting here without having to remember to do so.
Agen on Saturday was 6 hours round trip and relatively easy, Toulouse would be around 9 hours which I might find problematic.
But that is the point, I don’t have a toll tag, I don’t object to paying but I need to know when and how much without incurring a penalty.
Every other expense in my life arises when I am given a bill or, in the case of cash, when I am asked for it. Electricity, water, fonciere, insurance. Nobody expects you to know when and how much to pay. I get a bill and I pay it, within minutes. I don’t expect them not to inform me and then inflict a penalty for not paying what they want. It is bizarre to eliminate such a principle.
No you can have a Bip thing with any provider e.g. Sanef and they bill you for autoroute segments anywhere in france Spain Italy etc.
No app needed as I mentioned you can go online from a computer or tablet to view your bill which is paid the following month by direct debit so plenty of time to get reimbursed before you actually pay the bill.
Could you perhaps prevail upon the association to pay your tolls direct on the website? Set up a simple arrangement where you inform them there is a toll waiting online to be paid and they do the rest? It would save you paying and reclaiming.
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