Breakdowns on French Autoroutes
Discussion
I see on my AA Euro breakdown cover that French motorways are specifically excluded (after I pressed the online "PAY" button of course). The smallprint says it's because they are all private and you must be towed off first.
Travelling in convoy we plan on taking towropes/bars for this eventuality, but I was just wondering what the authorities charge just to tow you off??
Travelling in convoy we plan on taking towropes/bars for this eventuality, but I was just wondering what the authorities charge just to tow you off??
Table 1: prices applicable for calls from 08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday
Situation Service Vehicle with GVW* up to 1.8 tonne Vehicle with GVW* from 1.8 to 3.5 tonnes
In situ repair Flat fee covers call-out (return journey) & in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €109 (inc. VAT)
Repair after towing to rest or service area.
Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), towing to nearest service or rest area and in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €109 (inc. VAT) €135 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to repair company’s garage Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing to approved repair company’s garage. €109 (inc. VAT) €135 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to location requested by motorist Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing the first five kilometres from the motorway exit. €109 (inc. VAT) €135 (inc. VAT)
Table 2: prices applicable for calls from 18:00 to 08:00, Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
Situation Service Vehicle with GVW* up to 1.8 tonne Vehicle with GVW* from 1.8 to 3.5 tonnes
In situ repair Flat fee covers call-out (return journey) & in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €163.50 (inc. VAT)
Repair after towing to rest or service area Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), towing to nearest service or rest area and in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €163.50 (inc. VAT) €202.50 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to repair company’s garage Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing to approved repair company’s garage. €163.50 (inc. VAT) €202.50 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to location requested by motorist Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing the first five kilometres from the motorway exit. €163.50 (inc. VAT) €202.50 (inc. VAT)
Hope you dont need to use it!
Situation Service Vehicle with GVW* up to 1.8 tonne Vehicle with GVW* from 1.8 to 3.5 tonnes
In situ repair Flat fee covers call-out (return journey) & in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €109 (inc. VAT)
Repair after towing to rest or service area.
Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), towing to nearest service or rest area and in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €109 (inc. VAT) €135 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to repair company’s garage Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing to approved repair company’s garage. €109 (inc. VAT) €135 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to location requested by motorist Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing the first five kilometres from the motorway exit. €109 (inc. VAT) €135 (inc. VAT)
- GVW: Maximum laden weight as specified on French vehicle registration papers since June 2004.
Table 2: prices applicable for calls from 18:00 to 08:00, Monday to Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
Situation Service Vehicle with GVW* up to 1.8 tonne Vehicle with GVW* from 1.8 to 3.5 tonnes
In situ repair Flat fee covers call-out (return journey) & in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €163.50 (inc. VAT)
Repair after towing to rest or service area Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), towing to nearest service or rest area and in situ repair up to 30 minutes. Extra charge for parts and additional time, at rates set by breakdown service company. €163.50 (inc. VAT) €202.50 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to repair company’s garage Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing to approved repair company’s garage. €163.50 (inc. VAT) €202.50 (inc. VAT)
Tow-in to location requested by motorist Flat fee covers call-out (return journey), in situ work up to 30 minutes, and towing the first five kilometres from the motorway exit. €163.50 (inc. VAT) €202.50 (inc. VAT)
- GVW: Gross vehicle weight as specified on French vehicle registration papers since June 2004.
Hope you dont need to use it!
Yes doesn't it!
I would be interested to hear if RAC/Greenflag etc have a similar gap in their cover.
From the above site: "Motorway breakdown service exclusively by approved operators, for safety reasons"...yeah right,
Just a thought, are you allowed to "tow your own" in the event of a breakdown or does that constitute an offence in their mini empires?
I would be interested to hear if RAC/Greenflag etc have a similar gap in their cover.
From the above site: "Motorway breakdown service exclusively by approved operators, for safety reasons"...yeah right,
Just a thought, are you allowed to "tow your own" in the event of a breakdown or does that constitute an offence in their mini empires?
Edited by LooseCannon on Wednesday 2nd July 23:38
r129sl said:
That is very poor on the part of the AA and deserves to be more widely known.
It's not a problem with the AA - as far as I know it's the same for everyone. I've broken down on the Autoroute twice, and both times the AA sorted out paying for the initial recovery to a local garage with no hassle at all. All you do is call them again when you get to the garage and they take it from there.Correct - AA / RAC / Green Flag / whoever - none of them can get you off the auto route and nothing they can do about it. They are private roads.
Shame it doesn't work the same for speeding
Ed, are you not a member of the ACO or are you one of the ones that me, Tony, Del and Rviant subsidise for your grandstand ticket?
Shame it doesn't work the same for speeding
Ed, are you not a member of the ACO or are you one of the ones that me, Tony, Del and Rviant subsidise for your grandstand ticket?
As said, French Autoroutes are classed as privately owned roads so they have their own recovery agents.
I've had both AA and RAC cover on Eurotrips, (and used both
) and the exclusions means it won't be their agent that comes to you, but the appointed agent of the road owner, but you can then get the recovery costs reimbursed, in fact, with RAC, as soon as I got to the garage, I phoned them, and the tow truck bloke billed them direct. Pity really, as after that RAC cover was utter garbage!
And as for self-recovery off the French motorways, in a word - don't. It's illegal in France and the Gendarmes take a very dim view of his (dunno why) and will happily cut up tow ropes etc on the spot and impound both vehicles if you argue.
I've had both AA and RAC cover on Eurotrips, (and used both
) and the exclusions means it won't be their agent that comes to you, but the appointed agent of the road owner, but you can then get the recovery costs reimbursed, in fact, with RAC, as soon as I got to the garage, I phoned them, and the tow truck bloke billed them direct. Pity really, as after that RAC cover was utter garbage!And as for self-recovery off the French motorways, in a word - don't. It's illegal in France and the Gendarmes take a very dim view of his (dunno why) and will happily cut up tow ropes etc on the spot and impound both vehicles if you argue.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 9th August 08:32
burriana said:
Correct - AA / RAC / Green Flag / whoever - none of them can get you off the auto route and nothing they can do about it. They are private roads.
Shame it doesn't work the same for speeding
Ed, are you not a member of the ACO or are you one of the ones that me, Tony, Del and Rviant subsidise for your grandstand ticket?
I am indeed a member of the ACO, so I'm helping you subsidise the othersShame it doesn't work the same for speeding
Ed, are you not a member of the ACO or are you one of the ones that me, Tony, Del and Rviant subsidise for your grandstand ticket?
ehasler said:
r129sl said:
That is very poor on the part of the AA and deserves to be more widely known.
It's not a problem with the AA - as far as I know it's the same for everyone. I've broken down on the Autoroute twice, and both times the AA sorted out paying for the initial recovery to a local garage with no hassle at all. All you do is call them again when you get to the garage and they take it from there.
I was left with no petrol in my car on french motorway due to only having a solo cash card and all the garages had this automatic pay stations that didnt take solo cards. I used one of the orange phones and i was pleasantly surprised to hear no word of english . It was funny tryin to explain that i had no benzine (petrol).
The chap was very nice and he managed to explain me not to tell the aa i had no petrol as they would charge me for the tow . He got me to speak with the aa and they sorted there and then. Instead he told them i had a flat battery
The chap was very nice and he managed to explain me not to tell the aa i had no petrol as they would charge me for the tow . He got me to speak with the aa and they sorted there and then. Instead he told them i had a flat battery
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