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Auto Toll Badge


Rasputin
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The badges are totally brilliant!  I followed the advice of a correspondent on this forum and ordered one from the Sanef website:
http://www.sanef.com/fr/ecommerce/particulier/decouvre.jsp
It turned up at my UK address within a week.  I paid with a UK credit card. It works on any part of the French motorway network apparently, not just on the Sanef concessions.

The only snag about using a credit card for the regular debits for the péages that you have used is that you must remember to let Sanef know when you renew your credit card otherwise the badge will no longer work (could be embarrassing if there is a queue behind you at the barrier!) once the expiry date you gave them has passed.  If at all possible, it would be best to link the debiting to a French bank account so that you won't have to worry about this aspect.

I don't know if this is possible when ordering over the internet.  I subsequently helped my sister to buy one at one of the Sanef offices on the motorway network (near the Echinghen viaduct, outside Boulogne, near northbound péage station; A16, J29). The staff suggested she use a French bank account, but she didn't have its details with her on that occasion, so couldn't do so, and had to use her UK credit card. However if you go to one of their offices in person, you can drive away the proud owner of a badge immediately.

Another tip is to keep the badge in the padded silver bag for periods when you are not using it. This prevents it from beeping unnecessarily if you go through any similar electronic barriers (i.e. if you have it with you while travelling in someone else's car) and running up your bill.

There was a one-off payment of about 30 euros, which is a deposit and you would get back if you returned the badge and ended the contract.  On top of the actual péages, you pay an extra 2 euros for any month that you use it. So if you use it in October and November, you will be charged 4 euros plus péage; but if you don't then use it again till March you won't have to pay the extra 2 euros for Dec/Jan/Feb.

I think there's another Sanef office on the A16, NW of Amiens.

Angela

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SANEF wrote to me shortly before my credit card was due to expire, asking for updated details. However, as someone else's renewal letter was also in the envelope, I don't think their mailing department is terribly efficient. I did send the other letter to the intended recipient, but maybe this isn't something you could rely on.

Have to say, though, Télépéage is brilliant.

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You by-pass the booths, and drive instead through the lane marked "telepeage". You don't have to hand over any money or credit card. As you approach the barrier, there's a "beep" as it reads the "badge" that you stick at top centre of your windscreen. The money for the toll is automatically debited to your credit card or bank account.

You do have to drive s-l-o-w-l-y up to the barrier though. And each time you think "Oh no, it's not going to open!", but then it does.  Phew.

Angela

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I have had a Telepeage unit for some years now - I posted on it soon after I got mine to recommend it to others.

It does not save any money - in fact you pay more as there is a small annual fee for the unit and a one off charge which you will get back when you return it to them.

It does save time and hassle though as it is much quicker (usually) to go through the reserved telepeage lanes.

It is especially good if you are driving an English car on your own!

One small problem occurs on my wife's Peugot car though - it has a UV filter built into the screen which obstructs the communication between the unit and the telepeage itself. Same happens with the Dartford Crossing units so it is a technology related issue. To cope with this, either hold the unit against the shaded part of the screen - just behind the rear view mirror - or hold it out of the car window.

I did not know that they accepted Credit Card payments. Mine is charged by prelevement directly to my French bank account. Ordering over the internet is simple.

I get a monthly statement showing all the passages through the tolls and there has never been a mistake.

Amuses me when I drive into the telepeage lane and get French drivers flashing me - they seem to believe that only the French are allowed these!!

Andy

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Ah Andy, it's *you* I have to thank for inciting me to get mine!  It's transformed my life!  I am often driving on my own, and after one December journey when I was ever pulling up, undoing seatbelt, groping for money, jumping out of car into teeth of gale and lashing rain, running round, paying, running back etc etc I thought there just had to be a better way...

I often wonder now what the French drivers make of this lone British car scooting off to the fast-track lane.  [;)]

Angela

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I used my UK credit card when I set mine up on the website. And so did my sister at the Herquelingue office.

The Sanef website doesn't give the opening hours, but it was an office sort of set-up there, so I imagine probably Mon-Fri or Sat, 9-6?  I doubt that you could do it at midnight...

There's no phone number given on the site, but a fax and email address :

Autoroute A16 - péage d'Herquelingue Paris /Boulogne-sur-Mer
Adresse :  Sanef - Agence commerciale d'Herquelingue
BP 1216 - 80012 AMIENS Cedex
Fax :  03 21 89 39 56
Email :  [email protected]

Angela

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Andy makes an interesting point about windscreens and their compatability.  We had the same problem with our Renault Kangoo.  The badge instructions are confusing.  If you have that black hatched area behind your mirror, that is where you put your badge, not on the clear part. To digress, the Kangoo is the best value wine transporter invented.

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Angela,

            Your information is just what I have been looking for. I visited the Sanef site before but my French is so bad I didn't appreciate that the €2 monthly fee is only payable for months that the badge is used. Could you please confirm that this part of the deal actually works? If it does, I will buy mine straight away.

                                 Thanks. Alistair

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Alistair,

It works perfectly!  I receive a monthly statement posted to me in the UK for the months I have used it. The automated system does only charge you for the calendar months in which you have used the gadget.  Worth every centime in my opinion!

I have fixed mine in the centre of the windscreen, high up, just to the left-hand side of the rear-view mirror. Before actually sticking the "badge"-carrier on, try going through the telepeage barrier just holding it in position (this is easier to do if you have a passenger!). Then you should know if you've found the right position on the screen.  Also, spend a minute working out which way to click the badge into the carrier, and thus which way up to stick the carrier!

When we stopped at the Herquelingue office and did the deal in person, they threw in a second carrier in case you wanted to stick the same badge in a different car sometimes. Wasn't offered that on-line.

Angela

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As Loiseau said it works, but have had the odd blip when a return journey towards the end of a month has not been registered until the following month - hence another 2 euro.  It has however been a real bonus particularly when travelling alone.[:D]
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