Driving in France is not difficult. There are toll roads in France and driving on them can be a little confusing the first time you enter the ticket lanes. No need to worry if you don’t speak French. They have great pictures to guide you. With a little advance education, you can navigate these with ease.
Keep in mind, on most toll roads in France you take a ticket when you enter the highway and pay a toll when you exit.
That’s great. Now to know how to pay, which lane to use, and when to pay with a credit card.
The signs above the toll station will tell you what to do.
If you see a lowercase t, this means you can only pay by telepeage in that lane. You need a transponder and account, similar to our Fast Track in California. If you are visiting…don’t enter this lane. This is an important piece to remember. You don’t want to enter this lane if you are in France on vacation.
The simplest way to pay is to enter a lane with a green downward pointing arrow. In some cases, there will be a Euro sign. This means you can pay with Euros, either coins or bills. Once you enter the lane, insert your toll ticket in the slot marked ticket. The amount due will be displayed. You may add coins or bills until the amount is paid. The barrier will then rise.
If you want a receipt, push the Recu button.
If you have a problem, press the Assistance intercom button. Wait for assistance. Whatever you do…don’t back up.
Tolls are charged by distance. Your tolls will vary. In fact, you may find a toll road where you do not have a ticket. There is just a charge. Again, enter the correct lane and use your Euros to pay the amount listed on the machine.
We always have a bunch of Euro coins in the car. Be sure to keep the larger coins for tolls as the machines probably will not take the small amount coins.
Don’t be surprised by the amount. Tolls can get quite expensive. On a recent trip from Paris to Colmar, the tolls amounted to over 50 Euros. The distance was about 330 miles.
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