Discussion
I believe the route finding websites will give you an accurate forecast. Try www.viamichelin.com and see how you go,
Andy
Andy
cooperlola said:
You can use UK credit and debit cards at the toll booths so no need to worry about having enough cash. However, from memory you need about 22 euros in all from Calais to LM.
Yes thats about it but remember your UK creditcards MAY not work at all petrol pumps this only appears to be an issue at hypermarket and 24 hour (unmaned) pumps
Yup, happy snapper. Beware your UK cards won't work at 24/24 supermarket fuel pumps (except the Carrefour one at Calais)because of a combination of old technology and the mark-ups they have to pay. You can use your cards at the booths when the supermarkets are open (from about 9.00 to 19.00 Monday to Saturday - sometimes longer but not guaranteed - and on Sunday mornings at small local supermarkets.)
Edited by cooperlola on Tuesday 27th February 16:24
The actual toll cost is 22.80 euros in total from Calais to Le Mans. If you are camping at the circuit I would strongly advise you to continue on the A28 to Tours as you arrive at Le Mans and exit at the sign ZI Nord. This is the southern ring road and will lead you straight to the circuit avoiding most of the hold ups.
As regards petrol pumps, things are improving here since chip and pin came in but the golden rule is to fill up at a supermarket before 7pm if you are short. Nearly all the 24/24 card pumps will not accept foreign credit or debit cards. There is now a Super U supermarket at Arnage (village not bend) and Champion at Mulsanne bend which are the nearest supermarkets.
Incidentally, many of the motorway toll booths now are card only with no manned booths so have your card ready!
As regards petrol pumps, things are improving here since chip and pin came in but the golden rule is to fill up at a supermarket before 7pm if you are short. Nearly all the 24/24 card pumps will not accept foreign credit or debit cards. There is now a Super U supermarket at Arnage (village not bend) and Champion at Mulsanne bend which are the nearest supermarkets.
Incidentally, many of the motorway toll booths now are card only with no manned booths so have your card ready!
happy snapper said:
cooperlola said:
You can use UK credit and debit cards at the toll booths so no need to worry about having enough cash. However, from memory you need about 22 euros in all from Calais to LM.
Yes thats about it but remember your UK creditcards MAY not work at all petrol pumps this only appears to be an issue at hypermarket and 24 hour (unmaned) pumps
Yup, I tried to fill up at an Agip station in Paris on Sunday and the pump wouldn't accept my card, so I had to use a different pump and pay in the kiosk.
Hi N-M, here's a couple of tips (sorry if you know them anyway).
First, there used to be, and still is I think, timing mechanisms at the peages so if you are seriously speeding between two of them you can get an on-the-spot fine.
Second, if travelling overnight get petrol early and often, because just about all petrol stations that are open late only accept credit cards at the pump and UK cards do not work. This applies to all motorway service stations too, although I think the quite new service station at Alencon not far north of Le Mans is manned 24 hours. I remember several overnight trips, filling up in the UK and then having a gasping-for-fuel motor just making it to the service station beside the Le Mans airfield which is open 24 hours and always manned (good place for a coffee and crepe in the early hours, too). Now if I travel to LM overnight I always take a jerry can so I can chill on the trip down.
First, there used to be, and still is I think, timing mechanisms at the peages so if you are seriously speeding between two of them you can get an on-the-spot fine.
Second, if travelling overnight get petrol early and often, because just about all petrol stations that are open late only accept credit cards at the pump and UK cards do not work. This applies to all motorway service stations too, although I think the quite new service station at Alencon not far north of Le Mans is manned 24 hours. I remember several overnight trips, filling up in the UK and then having a gasping-for-fuel motor just making it to the service station beside the Le Mans airfield which is open 24 hours and always manned (good place for a coffee and crepe in the early hours, too). Now if I travel to LM overnight I always take a jerry can so I can chill on the trip down.
the leaper said:
Hi N-M, here's a couple of tips (sorry if you know them anyway).
First, there used to be, and still is I think, timing mechanisms at the peages so if you are seriously speeding between two of them you can get an on-the-spot fine.
First, there used to be, and still is I think, timing mechanisms at the peages so if you are seriously speeding between two of them you can get an on-the-spot fine.
Didnt stop us averaging >100mph (probably near 115 average) between peages in 2005 good 40 minutes of running at that speed no not sure whether that is still the case or we missed, but on quite a few in past 3 years have averaged more than the speed limit between the peages.
Well, the leaper, I'd seriously like to meet someone who has actually suffered in this way. It is one of the oldest urban myths going. First of all no toll ticket carries the time, and secondly a large percentage of the toll booths are automatic with no one there. It would be a physical impossibility to measure each car bearing in mind where they get on and off the motorway.
This myth started because people were pulled in at a toll booth by gendarmes but the explanation is simple really. They set up a radar trap usually behind a bridge support and radio your number plate ahead to the toll booth if you are exceeding the speed limit. That's how they get you. But I can assure you all that this story of measuring average speed is a fallacy with no truth in it at all.
This myth started because people were pulled in at a toll booth by gendarmes but the explanation is simple really. They set up a radar trap usually behind a bridge support and radio your number plate ahead to the toll booth if you are exceeding the speed limit. That's how they get you. But I can assure you all that this story of measuring average speed is a fallacy with no truth in it at all.
lynxd67: I agree with what you say. I've never met anyone caught by the tolls for speeding, so it probably is all myth. [By the way, I think your motors are something else, as per threads elewhere].
Wainy, my personal best Calais to Le Mans is just over 2 1/2 hours. This was in the early hours, quiet roads, great weather etc, and I just "assumed" I would not have a conversation with the police. I do not think I'll ever be wanting to improve on this as there's far more traps around now than there were before. 2007 will be a reasonably leisurly trip on the Friday morning, back Monday morning. Can't wait though.
Wainy, my personal best Calais to Le Mans is just over 2 1/2 hours. This was in the early hours, quiet roads, great weather etc, and I just "assumed" I would not have a conversation with the police. I do not think I'll ever be wanting to improve on this as there's far more traps around now than there were before. 2007 will be a reasonably leisurly trip on the Friday morning, back Monday morning. Can't wait though.
tip on using cards with tolls : they don't actually charge your card there and then as to dial through each card would take ages and result in huge quees. All they do is take a note of the number and dial them all through in bulk later. So you can just use an old cancelled card to get through the barrier. They don't generally bother chasing the unpaid cards up and if they do just say you cancelled it as you lost it but have now found it again. I havea mate who travelled around the whole of Europe for free using this method one summer...
Just a friendly warning here for everyone travelling down from whatever port of arrival. The local plod are bringing in radar teams from all over France so the N138 (I guess south of Argentan) and the A28 south of Rouen may well be dodgy places to speed this year.
This is not a spurious warning either - I have a lot of plod friends here (thankfully - they tear up my photos) and they told me in the bar yesterday. Oh how life is so different - plod in uniform sitting drinking a beer on duty! They pop in at home too in the evenings when bored with nothing to do.
Finally, thanks leaper for your comments about my cars. I'm sure you might see at least one if you get to St. Saturnin. I don't think you've seen these though
Should you wish to pop in and share a beer when you are down please drop me an email. I get busy running the parade and so on but the evenings are usually calmer although there is always a houseful!
This is not a spurious warning either - I have a lot of plod friends here (thankfully - they tear up my photos) and they told me in the bar yesterday. Oh how life is so different - plod in uniform sitting drinking a beer on duty! They pop in at home too in the evenings when bored with nothing to do.
Finally, thanks leaper for your comments about my cars. I'm sure you might see at least one if you get to St. Saturnin. I don't think you've seen these though
Should you wish to pop in and share a beer when you are down please drop me an email. I get busy running the parade and so on but the evenings are usually calmer although there is always a houseful!
jamesw2000 said:
tip on using cards with tolls : they don't actually charge your card there and then as to dial through each card would take ages and result in huge quees. All they do is take a note of the number and dial them all through in bulk later. So you can just use an old cancelled card to get through the barrier. They don't generally bother chasing the unpaid cards up and if they do just say you cancelled it as you lost it but have now found it again. I havea mate who travelled around the whole of Europe for free using this method one summer...
Ooohh that's big and clever, advocating fraud on an internet site.
If you don't want to pay the tolls use the other roads - very simple.
Sorry to get righteous but that kind of attitude really pisses me off.
lynxd67 said:
The actual toll cost is 22.80 euros in total from Calais to Le Mans. If you are camping at the circuit I would strongly advise you to continue on the A28 to Tours as you arrive at Le Mans and exit at the sign ZI Nord. This is the southern ring road and will lead you straight to the circuit avoiding most of the hold ups.
As regards petrol pumps, things are improving here since chip and pin came in but the golden rule is to fill up at a supermarket before 7pm if you are short. Nearly all the 24/24 card pumps will not accept foreign credit or debit cards. There is now a Super U supermarket at Arnage (village not bend) and Champion at Mulsanne bend which are the nearest supermarkets.
Incidentally, many of the motorway toll booths now are card only with no manned booths so have your card ready!
As regards petrol pumps, things are improving here since chip and pin came in but the golden rule is to fill up at a supermarket before 7pm if you are short. Nearly all the 24/24 card pumps will not accept foreign credit or debit cards. There is now a Super U supermarket at Arnage (village not bend) and Champion at Mulsanne bend which are the nearest supermarkets.
Incidentally, many of the motorway toll booths now are card only with no manned booths so have your card ready!
Yep, your toll cost is about right.
Was thinking of taking the n138 'old route' this year, as the new motorway is quite dull & lacking in places to stop. I heard they've changed the N138 number tho',,?
Have been caught out by the 'late night' unmanned petrol-by-card pumps a few years ago.
We tried all our cards with no success.
Luckly a friendly cab driver used her petrol card and we paid her for our fill-up, otherwise 4 blokes would have spent the night in a Golf , not good !
I'm not sure if they have got around to renumbering the N138 yet (N158 as far as Argentan) but the real number is now the D338. There is a financial and political reason here since RN's are maintained by the state and RD's by the department. So the RN138 has been downgraded with the advent of the motorway.
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