Autoroute tolls

[rustic]

Off to the Ardeche next week from England,  about how much are the autoroute tolls now for say every 10 km travelled?  Do they differ from one route to another?

[krusty]

If you use viamichelin to plan your route it will tell you how much the tolls are.

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/viamichelin/gbr/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm

[AnOther]

I'm not certain that there is any defined relationship between distance travelled and cost although I've heard it said that it works out around 6 cents/km on average.

Just for information:

Worst times for traffic jams

13th to 17th July - the first big holiday departure.
Last weekend of July (the busiest of the summer) - 29th to 31st.
The first weekend of August - 5th to 7th.

Really bad traffic jams

Second weekend of July - 8th to 10th.
Fourth weekend of July - 22nd to 24th.
Second weekend of August - 12th to 15th (Assumption weekend).
Third weekend of August - 19th to 22nd (returning holidaymakers).
Last weekend of August - 26th to 28th (returning holidaymakers).

Finally, did you know that France holds the title for the longest traffic jam ever! February 16, 1980, from Lyon to Paris (return from the skiing holidays), due to "many" cars and bad weather, the congestion was 176 kilometers long (109 miles).

Have a safe trip [;-)] 

EDIT: Take a look at THIS thread

 

[Alex H]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

Finally, did you know that France holds the title for the longest traffic jam ever! February 16, 1980, from Lyon to Paris (return from the skiing holidays), due to "many" cars and bad weather, the congestion was 176 kilometers long (109 miles).

[/quote]

Which can be confirmed at this rather bizarre URL [:D]

http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/long70.html

[brianagain]

Hello Ernie,

Sorry if it's a bit off subject but there are either some strange weekends where you are (Tues to Thurs) or you might need to replace your 2005 calendar.

Brian

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

Those credit card reading machines on the tolls are awesome. They should put them in supermarket check outs and speed the paying process up twenty fold.

[AnOther]

[quote user="brianagain"]Sorry if it's a bit off subject but there are either some strange weekends where you are (Tues to Thurs) or you might need to replace your 2005 calendar.[/quote]Sorry, didn't actually check the calendar to validate the actual dates but you get the picture I'm sure and can apply a little extrapolation [;-)]

Frankly the whole month of August is likely to be pretty manic so the best advice I would give anyone is to travel at night. You might want to consider getting a Telepaeage doofah so you can go through the fast track lanes. I understand that you can get them over the counter at the so called 'Boutiques' at some petrol stations but you do need to sign up with a credit card.

Others may be able to reveal more about getting one this way, mine was ordered by post.

 

[Gardian]

Just to add a little spice to the motorway chaos over the coming weekends, I was told last night (by the President of one of the local Chasses in the Herault) that they're going to be demonstrating at one or more of the peages this weekend.

He reckoned that it would mean that everybody will pass through without paying, but who knows?  Don't know how widespread it's going to be either.

And what's the protest about?  Apparently over the date on which they can start hunting: seemingly they're able to start on 2nd August elsewhere, but not until the end of the month in the Midi. Sarko allegedly promised to fix it before he came to power, but has failed to deliver.  Obviously he's had more important things on his agenda.[:(]