Travelling overnight and fuel stops..?

[BeeGT]

I need to drive through the night this year and recall a few years back having problems at the petrol stations as they are open but only to holders of certain credit cards. Only 20mpg so will definitely need to top up the tank.
Any advice / tips / experiences / routes would be appreciated, I am on the 01:23am eurotunnel so driving down from Calais, usually via Rouen.

[chum racing]

Some of the petrol stations are manned during the night.

There is one just as you come out of Eurotunnel before joining the motorway. The services just before Abbeville (La Baie de Somme) and just after Rouen (Bosgouet) are usually open, although I'm not sure if they are manned 24 hours a day.

[The Leaper]

BeeGT,

Chum maybe right but....

I have travelled overnight several times and always been aware of the lack of 24 hour petrol facilities. As far as I know now, there is certainly one at Calais immediately after coming off the Eurotunnel. Those on the autoroutes at Abbeyville and Rouen are not 24 hours. There is now a 24 hours facitiy on the A28 near Alencon which is maybe 20 miles north of Le Mans. Needless to say this gets busy with Le Mans goers in the early hours! Also, there is a 24 hour garage beside the airport at Le Mans that I always manage to get to (good for a crepe for breakfast too).

When going overnight I always take a 20 litre Jerry can as insurance. I have to say I have felt a bit guilty driving past closed petrol stations with Le Mans goers waiting for them to open, knowing I have spare petrol!

This year we're travelling by day on the Friday and then Monday, so no fuel problems (hopefully).

R.

[-Lummox-]

I've never had a Mastercard refused at any of the French petrol stations. I think some may be unwilling to take debit cards, but never had a problem with credit cards.

[Nick M]

It used to be a bit of an issue when you had to go down the N138, but it's not a problem if you stick to the autoroutes.

I can think of at least 2 large services prior to Rouen (Baie de la Somme and just north of Rouen), and on the autoroute between Rouen and Le Mans there are at least two services as well.

You may also find that the petrol station on the road through the centre of Rouen is open and manned as well.

Not had a problem using UK credit / debit cards either at the pumps or paying a cashier, so you'll be fine.

[The Leaper]

Nick,

You are right about locations and cards but the issue is whether or not they are open 24 hours. In my experience they are not and UK credit cards do not always seem to work the credit card pumps.

R.

[Nick M]

The Leaper said:

Nick,

You are right about locations and cards but the issue is whether or not they are open 24 hours. In my experience they are not and UK credit cards do not always seem to work the credit card pumps.

R.

Travelling through France recently, all of the service stations on the autoroutes were open well into the night. Granted I didn't check about the wee small hours, but on previous trips they've been open, and manned.

For the big service stations, like the one between Rouen and Alencon, I've been able to use my card to pay at the pump, but if not there's someone either sitting in the little booth outside or behind the counter in the main 'shop' by the fuel pumps.

Basically, even though they're not the busiest roads in the world, I'd be genuinely amazed if the fuel stops weren't 24/7 on the autoroutes.

[The_Doc]

-Lummox- said:

I've never had a Mastercard refused at any of the French petrol stations. I think some may be unwilling to take debit cards, but never had a problem with credit cards.

The key factor is the chain of petrol station. Big chain: Shell/Agip much more likely to take UK card 24/7

I have had probs with Mastercard/Visa/etc in automated petrol places and have had to wait for a local Frenchie to arrive and give him cold-hard-Euros whilst he uses his card to pay for my fuel. Admittedly in the alps on a Sunday night at midnight...

assume nothing, take all forms of currency/credit/pretty shells etc etc

[lowdrag]

Things have moved on a lot in the last few years as regards foreign credit cards. Up to about five years back you couldn't use them in the 24/24 machines but all were accepted at the till. Now virtually every card is accepted from no matter what country and even more inspirationally the info appears in the card language, so english for you lot! I would though stick to the motorways just to be sure coming down overnight even though all the Leclerc and other big supermarkets will accept them. You certainly won't have a problem on the autoroutes.

[White-Noise]

God I have had some problems with this in the past. I am sure Lowdrag is right on the money, but that didnt help me when I was staying at a B&B for the Classic last year an hours drive away in the middle of flippin nowhere!!

[Bucks&Blades]

Three years ago I was heading home on the Sunday and the car was running on vapour, we had to head across country in search of a station. Way after the fear had hit we found an unmanned station that wouldn't take our cards, thankfully a rather lovely local lady agreed to fill our cars up on her card for cash. If you're going over night take the Jerry Can just in case. Cheers.

[Davwlk]

Tell your credit card company that you'll be using it abroad and tell them the dates.I do this everytime I go abroad and I've never had any trouble with my cards being accepted anywhere.

[andyy]

Having been caught out in years past - the problem was our debit / credit cards didnt have chip & PIN.
Obviously they do now so you'll be fine in either manned / unmanned stations.
That said, I would try and have a credit card rather than a debit card
cheers Andy

[markCSC]

I made the error of entering France on vapour a few years ago. However in my worst French I managed to find out that at if you turn off the A16 at Le Touquet there is a automated petrol pump (super unleaded only ) If you go to the guy in the toll booth and give him a wedge of euros you can use it without a card.

Hope that help


Mark

PS I really shouldn't look in this forum as I'm not going this year

[BeeGT]

Thank you all for your help. In short, stick to the Autoroute, carry a chip and pin credit card and spare fuel can just in case!

[lowdrag]

Well, all credit cards are chip and pin nowadays so no problem there. As a french resident I can assure you that most of the problems talked about are now relegated to the status of urban myths since all the supermarket 24/24 pumps will take any chip and pin card. Yes, to be on the safe side take the motorway but since it is but 300 miles exactly to the circuit from Dover do you need to fill up anyway? leave the jerry can at home - you won't need it.

[The_Doc]

and I doubt you can take a jerry can full of RON98 across the channel

[madbadger]

lowdrag said:

8< but since it is but 300 miles exactly to the circuit from Dover do you need to fill up anyway? >8