# French Toll Charges



## tattytony (Jun 29, 2009)

I am trying to find out what class of vehicle we are with the toad, we are under 3m high 3.85t and towing a Peugeot 107 its rather confusing :? trying to work out what class I would be in if I used the toll roads for some of our journey

Can anyone please help me work this one out


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## Gazzer (May 1, 2005)

Tony
It makes no difference what your van is classified at, you are at the mercy of the toll booth operator.

I tow a Smart on an A frame with a 8.5 metre 6 ton Concorde. On my return from the south of France a couple of weeks ago we travelled through three peage stations. On the 1st we were group 4, the 2nd was group 2 and the 3rd group 1!
So the 1st 177km was +38 euros and the last stage, also 177km was 14 euros!


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## emjaiuk (Jun 3, 2005)

The critical factor is your weight. If they think you are 3.5t you should be charged as class 2. Vehicles over 3.5t towing are class 4. When we had our RV we tried to go to the manned toll booth furthest to the left, and sometimes they didn't see the toad. If there was an operator to our left they sometimes call across to warn our booth that we were towing!

Malcolm


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## groucho (Apr 6, 2008)

Tony
Please take a look at www.autoroutes.fr/classification des vehicules
there are class tables set out.
Regards
Alex


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

Yes the same here but these links are the ones you need... and interesting

http://www.autoroutes.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Preparez_votre_voyage/Tarifs_2010_volet_tarifs.pdf

http://www.autoroutes.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Preparez_votre_voyage/Classification.pdf


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## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

You also have to be aware of the 3 metre height restriction. A lot of newer coachbuilts with a luton are just above that height. That puts the MH in Classe 3 not Classe 2. 

I understand that many toll booths have a magic eye system to check automatically whether the height of a vehicle is over 2 metres or 3 metres. 

It is easier for the motorway operators to check your height than your weight. 


SD


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## wooly (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi, We have a setup very similar to yours, ie 3.8t, less than 3 metres and towing a yaris, we went through at least 20 tolls in France in September and were always charged Class 2. It made no difference whether manned or unmanned, the critical thing is whether you are over 3 metres high, if you are, then you have to ague that you are Caming Car and should not pay a higher rate.
Michael


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Class II*

In practice, if you smile at the operator and say "Bonjour" Most will charge you Class II (or Class Touristique).

We are 5300kG's 4 rear wheels and 3.2mx8.4m We almost always get charged charged class II. If you go to an automated booth it may charge class III or IV. If so buzz the HELP! buzzer and when they answer say

"BONJOUR!
il montre de classe trois. il convient de classe à deux"

or

"il montre la mauvaise catégorie. il convient de classe à deux"

Or more simplified

"il convient de classe à deux" Translated means it should be class II

In almost all cases where my Co-Pilot has spoken in English there is a reply of a resounding "NON............"

On the last occasion the Class there were charging was III and it was €38. When I questioned it, the cost was reduced by the operator to €19.

Hope this helps?

TM


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Only because the above links open but then stall for me, so sorry if its the same thing. And despite of course the person in the booth doing their own thing, so perhaps a guide only 

http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/service-information/vehicle-classification.html

Class 5 being bikes, snipped off.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

clive1821 said:


> http://www.autoroutes.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/Preparez_votre_voyage/Tarifs_2010_volet_tarifs.pdf


Good link - thanks.

I'd like to print it out but not sure how to - it looks as if it's possibly 3-4 pages A4 landscape. Is there any way to get the document rotated through 90 degrees so I can print it?

Thanks.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I could be wrong but I understood that as you approach the TICKET dispenser, the height of your vehicle is noted and put onto the ticket which is later automatically scanned at the peage station. This is one reason why the ticket is usually given from the high slot when you collect it. how they separate the camions is something I know not.
In Spain they are very interested in how many axles you have and charge accordingly.
Alan


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

The link I posted regarding charges has changed to

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


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## wooly (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi We have just returned from France with a setup exactly to your specification, ie less than 3meters high, 3.85t and towing a Yaris, in practice, the deciding factor is your vehicle height (sensors on all the booths), less than 3 meters is class 2. We did 2500 miles all the main journeys on toll roads and we were always classed as Class 2, mainly using unmanned booths. The manned booths are all disappearing quickly. 
Michael


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## jud (Aug 15, 2009)

hi tattytony you should get charged class 3 most of the time in maned booths because you like us are a tag they pop there heads out and look . we dont use them any more nobody pays when they come over here 3.5ton i don't think so fully loaded more like 5ton take it on a weighbridge and see . when you have run it in get it remapped you will get 25m.p.g plus .jud


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

I wish we could apply the road fees to us in France etc..... If I recall the French do not pay any road tax so we have to pay the same as the French car drivers do.... Correct me if I'm mistaken....


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

wooly said:


> ie less than 3meters high, 3.85t and towing a Yaris, in practice, the deciding factor is your vehicle height (sensors on all the booths), less than 3 meters is class 2
> Michael


That was also our experience on our French trip this year,we have a sat.dome fitted and even though it is a slimline model(30cms dish)it has taken our overall height to 3.1mts.

We were triggering the toll booth height sensors on our approach and were being charged as class 3. :x



wooly said:


> The manned booths are all disappearing quickly.
> Michael


I can also concur with that statement,especially on a sunday or bank holiday.I had no-one to remonstrate with at the toll booth,my French isn't very good so I had difficulty in conversing with the operator over the intercom and in the end had to stump up as there was a load of irate and impatient French drivers pipping their horns behind me. :roll:

I finished up setting the satnav to avoid toll routes completely and enjoyed the journey a lot more.


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## tattytony (Jun 29, 2009)

jud said:


> hi tattytony you should get charged class 3 most of the time in maned booths because you like us are a tag they pop there heads out and look . we dont use them any more nobody pays when they come over here 3.5ton i don't think so fully loaded more like 5ton take it on a weighbridge and see . when you have run it in get it remapped you will get 25m.p.g plus .jud


Hi Jud, when i started this thread I had an Apache 3.85T but Now a Comanche 5T so we now Avoid Tolls because of the extra expense.

Thanks for everyones help on this but now for me no longer applies 8O


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Tony,

I have travelled up and down the French Toll roads over many years, with Caravans, and now MH with a boat trailer on the rear
Always been a Class 2. if they charge you class 4, ask them why, then explain that you believe you are class 2 as under 3,500 kg

Steve


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

How do you know what class you've been charged, unless you know what the charge should be?

We don't use the tolls much but not sure Id know if I was overcharged
on the wrong class

Aldra


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## froggy59 (Jan 18, 2009)

is this any help https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/support/faq/support-Faq.List/#3.0.


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

aldra said:


> How do you know what class you've been charged, unless you know what the charge should be?
> 
> We don't use the tolls much but not sure Id know if I was overcharged
> on the wrong class
> ...


There is usually a screen that will tell you what class they have decided to charge you. On the manned booth this is just below the operator's window and on the automatics it is usually part of the screen that tells you how much you owe.


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