I'm leaving for France in 3 days and will be driving through Burgundy and Provence. I've searched past posts and gotten driving directions from the Michelin online guide so I know I'll be paying a lot of tolls on the major highways. Are these tolls paid when you get onto the highway or off? What types of payment do they accept? I read in a previous post that credit cards are accepted. Does that include debit cards as well? Also, are there certain lanes at the toll both that we should not use because they are reserved for frequent commuters (Fastrak or similiar system)? Any advice to help us negotiate the tolls and not slow down the local drivers would be appreciated.

I am also interested in how tolls work for when it is necesary on my trip to Provence. I have travelled in Burgundy and I would suggest that if you have the time you take the back roads. They are more scenic and more fun.

The usual procedure is that when you enter a toll road (autoroute) you take a card at the kiosk; save the card until you exit, at which point you will pay. There are some exceptions, such as on the road nearing Nice, which has a short-range toll that you pay on entering that stretch of autoroute. You can pay with cash or credit cards; I don't know about debit cards because we've never tried those. We haven't yet seen anything like the Fastrak system, just lines for trucks or ones where you can throw change in a "basket" and drive right through.

You will find the tolls posted in an electronic display, making the system very easy to use. Once you've navigated it for the first time you'll be perfectly confident, as it's a good and simple system.

Parts of the highways (autoroutes) are toll, and others aren't, so you will be going through several.

The toll booths on the far left are always for the French " easy pass" system and are marked with a large yellow "T". Others are marked "CB" for bank debit cards - but only European ones. You can go to any of the manned booths, hand them you credit card (Amex, Visa, Mastercard) and they run it and return it to you. They will not take a US debit card.
You can find out the amount of the tolls on the route you'll take by going to www.michelin.com

Patricia

Hi,
My memory from last summer is you take a ticket as you enter the highway. When you exit you can automatically pay with a credit card. You put your ticket into the machine and then your credit card. There will be a message asking if you want a reciept, answer yes or no. I think there was a slot for the ticket and a different one for the credit card. I doubt that you can use a debit card, but try. Just have a credit card handy if it will not accept the debit. There are also booths with people to help if this is too stressful. Once you do the automatic system it is easy.Have great trip.

There are special lanes for people with a pass, there are credit card lanes, and there are cash lanes. The lanes to the left typically are the pass lanes. They will have a T above them. Credit card lanes will have a CB above them and cash lanes with have an image of some coins. If there is more than one indication above the lane such as T and CB then that lane performs both functions.

Typically you pull a ticket when you get on and use this ticket to pay when you get off. Some of the credit card lanes are unmanned so you insert the ticket then your credit card. For the most part I have had little problem with US credit or debit cards. Most take visa, mastercard and amex. On some autoroutes you pay when you get on but most of those are in the North. If an autoroute goes through a larger city such as Lyon, you will have to pay before arriving near the city, it will then be free crossing the city and when you arrive on the other side you will pull a new ticket. The word for the tollbooth is "Peage". You will see that with a distance after it, indicating the distance to the peage.

If you are throwing coins into the
basket MAKE SURE you toss in the right
amount. I'm here to tell you it ain't
fun if you're rejected and can't figure
out why <g>! I was a real basket case!

Oh my I repeated a lot of info previously provided. I didnt see the other posts. I guess they didnt load in for me for some reason. Sorry about that.

Take them only if you are in a hurry, otherwise, you miss out on the beautiful countryside.

Please remember your speed will be calculated via the entry coupon.
So, it is worth taking a break to avoid potential on the spot fines.
M

Thanks everyone for all the great information. This gives me a much better idea of what to expect. I was planning on taking the highways when driving from CDG to Auxerre and then from Beaune to Gigondas. The rest of the time (Auxerre to Beaune, Gigondas to Saignon to Arles) I was going to take the backroads to explore the towns and countryside.

Mikemo, thanks for your input. I had no idea they could fine you for speeding based on your entry tickets. That's good to know.

MSDink,
My pleasure, as there are many better uses for your Euros than "their" very expensive traffic fines.
M
PS Do use your side and rear mirrors diligently especially on the high speed routes.

Mikemo, I am a little confused. Tell me if I have this right. They calculate your speed from when you enter the highway and grab a ticket to when you pay to get off? So if you made it in really fast time, they will know you speeded and give you a ticket? Geez thats a big brother scenario for you.

The French government is making a big effort to crack down on speeders because of the high accident rates. Big brother or not, I'm all for it.

I just got back from Provence, and would have loved to have seen "big brother" on some of the winding roads I drove! I never saw a cop anywhere, and people speed and overtake like crazy on those roads.

I wasn't necessarily critcizing when I said big brother. France has the right to implement their own laws as they see fit, doesn't mean I have to agree with them, but I will obey and respect them. I guess when I wrote it, I was thinking very much like an American and how I would not like to see such a law implemeted here.

I try to avoid toll roads, but Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (Oosterreich - Italia)is pretty neat. No Polezei needed there.
M