Sanef - is it worth it?

[Mrs Trellis]

Email from Eurotunnel re 'free' Sanef thingy. It seems aimed at people holidaying in France but we live here. We are going over by ferry and return via Tunnel

•Free application - no fee (save €10)

•€6** annual fee for the first year of subscription, discounted to €3** from the second year onwards

•€20 refundable security deposit on the tag

•€5** active usage fee - only for the months in which the tag is used and capped at €10 in any subsciption year.

After you pay the above, do they still debit you the same as you would pay cash at the toll? We don't do that much motorway driving most years.

[YCCMB]

Yes. There is no discount.

[PaulT]

Have a look at Alis

[Loiseau]

I'd say it's invaluable if you do a lot of driving on French motorways alone in a right-hand drive car. I was doing a great deal a few years back, and got fed up with all the unbuckling, leaping out, running round etc, specially in driving wind and rain.

But if you are in a left-hand drive car, or regularly travel with a co-driver, it's probably not worth the extra cost - unless you travel routes where there tend to be big queues at the péages where using the special télépéage lane would be speedier.

Angela

[woolybanana]

True, dear, I have never ever seen you leap about and run round in a driving wind!

[andyh4]

You do not say where you are Mrs T. SANEF may or may not be the best option, but it does depend on how often you use the peage sections of the motorway and where you drive.

I for one would not be without a doofer (in my case APRR) if only because of the queues at the toll gates during the summer.

[PaulT]

Have a look at Alis:

http://www.alis-sa.com/fr/offres/libertConfort.php

No deposit, yearly subscription or other costs just a potential one off 20 euro cost.

[Mrs Trellis]

I'm in the south west and we'll be travelling to Caen in August, and back via the Tunnel. A large chunk of the A20 is toll free anyway.

We avoid Paris where we have encountered long queues at the peage. Otherwise not much motorway driving except hospital appointments in Toulouse and (very occasionally) Ikea.

[napoleon]

It is almost certain that it would be worth having the badge regardless of which type. We have been using Sanef for many years now and have no doubt about its advantages. Already mentioned above there is the comfort of sitting in the car without any climbing, jumping out or other acrobatics when alone in a RHD car. It means my wife can stay asleep through the peage gates.

Even with a roof box we can pass through the reserved toll gates, often overtaking tens of queuing cars in the other lanes. Another advantage is using the 30 kph lanes where you do not need to slow much below that speed. These are becoming more common every year.

The downside is that there is a small price to pay (you have the details already) but I am very happy with the overall value for money.

Alistair

[YCCMB]

If you really want to work out whether it's worthwhile, and indeed which of the multiple offers (and you've no need to buy from "your" regional autoroute operator), then knock yourself out, do the full comparison:

[url]http://www.telepeages.fr/[/url]

[tonyinfrance]

Like napolean, we've used the SANEF tag for a few years - it's a relatively modest outlay and brings peace of mind if you're a péage user at peak times.  Wouldn't be without it myself even though we're only in France a few times a year........

[PaulT]

Why does Eurotunnel promote Sanef - because there is something in it for them.

Don't pay monthly fees to Sanef, go with Alis, there are no monthly or recurring annual fees.

My interest in Alis is that I am a very happy customer not paying monthly or annual fees. But hey, if you like paying these go with Sanef.

[Pickles]

Another vote for Alis: good service as well.

I have also occasionally used the doofer to pay in those Vinci car parks which allow payment by toll badge...

[Benjamin]

ALIS gives a great service.

Gave ours up when we left France four years ago but this thread has pushed me into ordering another doofer for our trips into and through France with the camper car. Under the SEPA agreement which came into force earlier this year you can now have an ALIS doofer without having a French bank account.

There are no monthly or annual charges but if you don't make a minimum of 15 journeys in the first year on the ALIS network (that's us!) then you will be charged €20 for the doofer on the first anniversary of signing up. Thereafter there are no further annual charges. It's a no-brainer really.

However you should be aware of another advantage to having a doofer. There is no value that you can put on the smug smile on your face as you sail through the toll booth. Priceless!

[Gardengirl]

We've also been happy Alis users for a few years now. I think they've made the 'doofer' even smaller now.

[andyh4]

I understand all of the Alis fans, but wasn't there a change in the rules for new subscribers at the end of last year. Use the doofer on Alis for at least x times per year (think it may have been x=12) or you will be charged an annual fee.

[Pickles]

[quote user="andyh4"]I understand all of the Alis fans, but wasn't there a change in the rules for new subscribers at the end of last year. Use the doofer on Alis for at least x times per year (think it may have been x=12) or you will be charged an annual fee.[/quote]

It's a once-off fee of 20€, not an annual fee.

[PaulT]

In my first post on this thread I did put the link.

Here it is again:

http://www.alis-sa.com/fr/offres/libertConfort.php

and part of it says:

of 25% reduction on the section of the A28 Rouen / Alençon (between an input and an output row) of your choice,

a Liber-t badge , without posting a bond or management fees, provided complete at least 15 passes during the first year on the Alis network. If this condition is not met, 20 euros fee will be charged the following year only .

This offer is for individuals using a vehicle of Class 1, 2 or 5 .

[andyh4]

I stand corrected.

[Mrs Trellis]

I saw the advantage when we had to get to hospital in a hurry the other day - friends who took us had the doofer.

Are they transferable? If so, why not borrow/share them if you don't use motorways a lot?

[Benjamin]

Having decided some time ago to get another Badge I contacted ALIS and asked for the "Seniors" contract. I actually returned the Mandat Sepa on 7 July and waited for my badge to arrive.

Yesterday I sent an email to ALIS asking where my badge was. Received a quick reply today basically saying that in the terms and conditions (three very closely typed and small lettered A4 sheets) I should have returned the Mandat within 15 days and since I hadn't they had cancelled my request.

No wonder France is in recession!!!!!!!

Just sent an email asking for anothe Mandat to be sent which I will complete with exactly the same info I sent on 7 July.

AGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vette]

[quote user="Mrs Trellis"]I saw the advantage when we had to get to hospital in a hurry the other day - friends who took us had the doofer.

Are they transferable? If so, why not borrow/share them if you don't use motorways a lot?[/quote]

Hi. Yes, you can transfer them between different cars. I do that myself as I own 2 cars and there is no problem as the doofers are not registered to a particular vehicle.

Hope that helps. Les.

[Judith]

Yes, we are transfer ours between cars, though we are not with Alis or Sanef, can't remember which, but it's out local one which works all over France.  I really miss it when we go to Spain but we don't go very often ... I wouldn't be without it either when alone or travelling with others, it speeds up the journey even when there is little traffic, no waiting for someone to take the ticket, or find their credit card, at the other end - just sail straight through.  Bliss.

[Pickles]

On a related point, I read on a newspaper's website in the last couple of days that if you use your UK-provided credit card to pay for road tolls, they are treated as cash advances, and therefore interest runs on them from when the payment was made.

[Clark Kent II]

[quote user="Pickles"]On a related point, I read on a newspaper's website in the last couple of days that if you use your UK-provided credit card to pay for road tolls, they are treated as cash advances, and therefore interest runs on them from when the payment was made.
[/quote]

 

I have just checked my Nationwide credit card account. The payments I have made for autoroute use have NOT been treated as cash advances. They are normal payments with no interest added if payment is made in full.