I'm trying to get a handle on buying gas in France for an upcoming trip. I've read that at automated pumps you can't use a US credit card and that many stations do not have an attendant 24 hours a day. If that is the case, how do you pay? Are there attendants at the pumps from say 8 am to 9 pm, and if you don't need gas in the middle of the night you're OK? What have others experienced?

You can only use the gas stations while there is an attendant. Keep in mind that they often have no attendants for lunch 12:30 to 2:00. You usually will not want to drive during the night, but just make sure that you have gas before 7 p.m. The cheapest gas is sold outside supermarkets (Champion, Leclerc, etc.).

Stations on the autoroutes are open 24/24, but have the highest prices.

Also dont count on being able to buy gas on sunday! Otherwise, as others have said, foreign cards do not work in the pumps. You will have to go when there is an attendant.

Try Shell or BP. European service is often better than in the US. Stations may have an attendent who runs the pumps. He may also wash all the windows. Self service is available.You go into the station and can use your USA credit card. Fill up in the evening. Mark your car to note which side the tank filler is on!

I think that you will find that prices are significantly lower at the hypermarchés (Carrefour, Champion, Casino, etc) than at service stations, even when the service station is right across the street. I don't understand the economics of it, but if cost is important, you should fill up there.

We just rented a car in France 2 weeks ago and never had a problem with attended intermarche (supermarket)gas stations, during the week. We rented a diesel Toyota and got 50 mpg. Diesel fuel was 1.06-l.07€ per liter at the supermarkets and 10 cents higher a liter at regular gas stations.

Know the terminology for the kind of fuel your car uses:
diesel = gazole
unleaded = sans plomb

good information for driving in France:

http://www.americansinfrance.net/Dri...Gas-France.cfm

http://www.americansinfrance.net/Dri...dRoadSigns.cfm

http://tinyurl.com/p72us

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34649402

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34533995

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34561572