How to Avoid Tolls in France
Mar 11th, 2011, 06:40 PM
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How to Avoid Tolls in France
We have decided to travel from Paris south through Burgundy (staying at Beaune) and continue to go south to Arles (will be travelling for about 9 days). Somewhat worried about the tolls on the roads. Any idea how expensive they are? Are there ways to avoid the tolls? Or is is just a fact of travelling by car in France
Thanks
Dale
Thanks
Dale
Mar 11th, 2011, 07:07 PM
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If you take a toll road there is no way to bilk the toll, if that is what you meant (I doubt you did mean that)
You can avoid the tolls only by avoiding toll roads.
In my limited experience, Burgundy is a difficult place to make decent time unless you take the autoroute.
In principle, the "N" (route nationale) roads are fast and some are even dual carriageways. The further south you go, the easier it seems to be to find relatively good, fast N roads. But this is only true along the Rhone corridor, where the land is flat.
Once you wander E or W of the Rhone you're mostly in hill-country. Anything hilly is going to be slow, sometimes amazingly slow -- esp. if there is truck traffic.
We travel annually to France and drive a lot. We don't like to confine ourselves to motorways, though. We tend to alternate between A roads and N roads, sometimes taking a smaller D road that looks especially picturesque.
You have quite a bit of time for your trip, so you might well do a bit of each.
You can avoid the tolls only by avoiding toll roads.
In my limited experience, Burgundy is a difficult place to make decent time unless you take the autoroute.
In principle, the "N" (route nationale) roads are fast and some are even dual carriageways. The further south you go, the easier it seems to be to find relatively good, fast N roads. But this is only true along the Rhone corridor, where the land is flat.
Once you wander E or W of the Rhone you're mostly in hill-country. Anything hilly is going to be slow, sometimes amazingly slow -- esp. if there is truck traffic.
We travel annually to France and drive a lot. We don't like to confine ourselves to motorways, though. We tend to alternate between A roads and N roads, sometimes taking a smaller D road that looks especially picturesque.
You have quite a bit of time for your trip, so you might well do a bit of each.
Mar 11th, 2011, 09:00 PM
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See www.michelin.com
You will be given a choice of different itineraries with or without tolls, an estimation of driving time (usually very optimistic as it does not take into account stops along the way)and gas expenses.
I am a bit puzzled by the hill-country comment. Driving from Nantes to Biarritz or from Avignon to the Spanish borderis not particularly hilly.
You will be given a choice of different itineraries with or without tolls, an estimation of driving time (usually very optimistic as it does not take into account stops along the way)and gas expenses.
I am a bit puzzled by the hill-country comment. Driving from Nantes to Biarritz or from Avignon to the Spanish borderis not particularly hilly.
Mar 11th, 2011, 09:01 PM
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Sorry, it is www.viamichelin.com
Mar 11th, 2011, 09:36 PM
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If avoiding tolls matters to you, France has an extremely dense network of free roads.
Tolls were originally set at a rate that meant drivers saved money by using motorways (petrol consumption was invariably lower on motorways), and generally haven't inflated as much as fuel has. This means it's still almost always cheaper to drive on motorways.
So most traffic uses them, so N-class roads in particular are generally close to empty for most of their length.
They almost always take longer, though, because they rarely properly bypass towns (like Pvoyageuse I'm mystified by all this stuff about hills), and you're often taken on lengthy "Toutes Directions" tours of France's grittier suburbs whenever you hit even quite small places. The consequent stop/start, especially round larger towns, doesn't just burn up gallons of unnecessary fuel but can add hours to even relatively short journeys.
OTOH, the N roads are often lined with lots of eateries (if they've not closed through collapsing demand), you get exposed to real France, as opposed to the Euro-tedium of its motorways, and you very often hit really enjoyable driving and scenery.
Tolls were originally set at a rate that meant drivers saved money by using motorways (petrol consumption was invariably lower on motorways), and generally haven't inflated as much as fuel has. This means it's still almost always cheaper to drive on motorways.
So most traffic uses them, so N-class roads in particular are generally close to empty for most of their length.
They almost always take longer, though, because they rarely properly bypass towns (like Pvoyageuse I'm mystified by all this stuff about hills), and you're often taken on lengthy "Toutes Directions" tours of France's grittier suburbs whenever you hit even quite small places. The consequent stop/start, especially round larger towns, doesn't just burn up gallons of unnecessary fuel but can add hours to even relatively short journeys.
OTOH, the N roads are often lined with lots of eateries (if they've not closed through collapsing demand), you get exposed to real France, as opposed to the Euro-tedium of its motorways, and you very often hit really enjoyable driving and scenery.
Mar 12th, 2011, 04:48 AM
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Avoiding Autoroutes (most of which are toll roads) may not save you a lot of money. The extended drive times of N or D roads can really eat into your 9 available vacation days. With the price you will be paying for fuel, the expedited en route times of the Autoroutes will make them very attractive in spite of the tolls.
Mar 12th, 2011, 05:02 AM
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So most traffic uses them, so N-class roads in particular are generally close to empty for most of their length>
au contraire as my years of driving in France would show - N roads that parallel autoroutes are often very very crowded - often with heavy lorries - anyone who says they are empty indeed shows he has not driven much in France or is basing his simply inaccurate take on driving perhaps in some somnolent tourist area in the rural south of France.
I live right by a N road in Orleans that parallels an autoroute and it is full constantly - yes with folks like Italians in their motor homes trying to sidestep tolls - lots of heavy trucks, etc. No fun to drive on - you could take the D or departmental roads that are basically empty many places and are well paved (France has nearly no dirt roads) but they run sinuous courses zizagging to hilltop villages and are slow going but if you have the time this is the France of your dreams they pass thru - old villages - old farmhouses, farms, etc. They are usually colored in yellow on Michelin maps - the always busy IME N roads colored in red - avoid them - the autoroute IME is better than these slow-moving traffic clogged N roads.
au contraire as my years of driving in France would show - N roads that parallel autoroutes are often very very crowded - often with heavy lorries - anyone who says they are empty indeed shows he has not driven much in France or is basing his simply inaccurate take on driving perhaps in some somnolent tourist area in the rural south of France.
I live right by a N road in Orleans that parallels an autoroute and it is full constantly - yes with folks like Italians in their motor homes trying to sidestep tolls - lots of heavy trucks, etc. No fun to drive on - you could take the D or departmental roads that are basically empty many places and are well paved (France has nearly no dirt roads) but they run sinuous courses zizagging to hilltop villages and are slow going but if you have the time this is the France of your dreams they pass thru - old villages - old farmhouses, farms, etc. They are usually colored in yellow on Michelin maps - the always busy IME N roads colored in red - avoid them - the autoroute IME is better than these slow-moving traffic clogged N roads.
Mar 12th, 2011, 08:00 AM
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o most traffic uses them, so N-class roads in particular are generally close to empty for most of their length>
Take the main autoroute from Paris southwest to Orleans and Blois and Tours - a main N road the Nationale 20 parallels it much of the way and this is the road I live along when in France and it is always - always - the N road full of heavy traffic - lots of trucks too - in the city even when it skirts it the traffic is often stop and go.
Nearly empty? Not even at midnight IME. and you will see this is lots of places in France as my decades of driving around there tell me.
wonder what N road flanner took?
Take the main autoroute from Paris southwest to Orleans and Blois and Tours - a main N road the Nationale 20 parallels it much of the way and this is the road I live along when in France and it is always - always - the N road full of heavy traffic - lots of trucks too - in the city even when it skirts it the traffic is often stop and go.
Nearly empty? Not even at midnight IME. and you will see this is lots of places in France as my decades of driving around there tell me.
wonder what N road flanner took?
Mar 12th, 2011, 08:03 AM
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o most traffic uses them, so N-class roads in particular are generally close to empty for most of their length>
Take the main autoroute from Paris southwest to Orleans and Blois and Tours - a main N road the Nationale 20 parallels it much of the way and this is the road I live along when in France and it is always - always - the N road full of heavy traffic - lots of trucks too - in the city even when it skirts it the traffic is often stop and go.
Nearly empty? Not even at midnight IME. and you will see this is lots of places in France as my decades of driving around there tell me.
wonder what N road flanner took?
Take the main autoroute from Paris southwest to Orleans and Blois and Tours - a main N road the Nationale 20 parallels it much of the way and this is the road I live along when in France and it is always - always - the N road full of heavy traffic - lots of trucks too - in the city even when it skirts it the traffic is often stop and go.
Nearly empty? Not even at midnight IME. and you will see this is lots of places in France as my decades of driving around there tell me.
wonder what N road flanner took?
Mar 12th, 2011, 08:41 AM
#12
I would have to disagree with PalenQ (not the first time ;-) ). Many of the national (N) highways are indeed almost magically empty except in certain specific areas. The N20 may be one of the exceptions. Just about all big trucks do now take the autoroutes -- and don't forget, trucks are not allowed to drive on any of the roads on the weekend unless they are carrying perishables.
However, N roads have become much rarer in the last 4 or 5 years, because in most areas with autoroutes, they have been turned over to the regional authorities and have been renumbered as D (departmental) highways. If you do not have a recent map, this can be very confusing, although there is usually a trace of the old number in the new number. For example, the highway that you thought should be the N45 might now be called the D945. Using the ViaMichelin itinerary plotter will prevent such errors.
It is also good to know that the autoroutes in Brittany and Alsace are free, as well as those running along the Belgian border in Lorraine and French Flanders. Also free are the autoroutes that were built to "disenclave" certain regions like the Massif Central, the Cevennes and some other areas.
However, N roads have become much rarer in the last 4 or 5 years, because in most areas with autoroutes, they have been turned over to the regional authorities and have been renumbered as D (departmental) highways. If you do not have a recent map, this can be very confusing, although there is usually a trace of the old number in the new number. For example, the highway that you thought should be the N45 might now be called the D945. Using the ViaMichelin itinerary plotter will prevent such errors.
It is also good to know that the autoroutes in Brittany and Alsace are free, as well as those running along the Belgian border in Lorraine and French Flanders. Also free are the autoroutes that were built to "disenclave" certain regions like the Massif Central, the Cevennes and some other areas.
Apr 17th, 2011, 01:05 AM
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You'll find plenty of information on this on http://about-france.com/travel.htm
Reaching Burgundy from the UK without using toll roads is not easy, and will take a lot more time than using the toll roads. Besides, the A26 motorway via Reims is a joy to drive on, because it it has so little traffic. Drive along at 50 mph instead of 70, and the money you save through using less fuel will pay for the tolls, and you'll get there quicker than by using non-motorway routes.
Reaching Burgundy from the UK without using toll roads is not easy, and will take a lot more time than using the toll roads. Besides, the A26 motorway via Reims is a joy to drive on, because it it has so little traffic. Drive along at 50 mph instead of 70, and the money you save through using less fuel will pay for the tolls, and you'll get there quicker than by using non-motorway routes.
