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Driving from Calais to La Plagne/Les Arcs - avoidance of tolls

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We are thinking of taking the camper down to the slopes this year but I see from other sites that one of the tolls is quite a heafty 40 Euros Can anyone advise me where this toll is? I am thinking we could go rural for this stretch of the road in order to keep the euros in our pocket.

Also can anyone suggest a good Aire that we can stay in overnight that means we will only have a couple of hours to drive in the morning before we get to the slopes?

This is my first post on the site so eagerly awaiting some help from you all.

Kajaski Very Happy
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Kajaski wrote:
Can anyone advise me where this toll is?


Yes, on the autoroute.

Kajaski wrote:


Also can anyone suggest a good Aire that we can stay in overnight that means we will only have a couple of hours to drive in the morning before we get to the slopes?



In any village / town look for the sign

You can stay for free, get free electricity and you can also leave your rubbish where ever you like.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Unkind, @davidof, Laughing

You can avoid ALL the tolls by staying on the Routes Nationale. There is always a non-toll alternative (signposted in green, the autoroutes are signposted in blue). Might take a while, though....

Tolls to the Alps must be around 70 euros each way. I find it better to just get there, so I tend not to count.....
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Davidof, I know you pay your toll on the autoroute, but I'm asking if anyone knows at what point I would have to leave the aurotoute and rejoin in order to avoid the largest toll which i believe is about 40 euros. Didnt make myself clear enough!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Davidof, I know you pay your toll on the autoroute, but I'm asking if anyone knows at what point I would have to leave the aurotoute and rejoin in order to avoid the largest toll which i believe is about 40 euros. Didnt make myself clear enough!
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Kajaski wrote:
Davidof, I know you pay your toll on the autoroute, but I'm asking if anyone knows at what point I would have to leave the aurotoute and rejoin in order to avoid the largest toll which i believe is about 40 euros. Didnt make myself clear enough!


ah I see, this might help

https://fr.mappy.com/#/2/M2/TItinerary/IFRCalais%2062100|TOBourg-Saint-Maurice%2073700|MOvoiture|PRcar/N151.12061,6.11309,4.31112,48.358/Z5/
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I drove back from the alps one time just using the Routes Nationale, my car was down to three cylinders and wouldn't go much above 40mph, It took three days to get to Calais.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Kajaski, that’s not how it works. There are toll stations at every entrance and exit, you pay for each km you do it’s not possible to not pay. The alternative is not to use the motorways but it would be a slow journey.
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This was me in April, we made a detour after Lyon due to a smash. I wouldn't dream of doing any of it on the N roads unless I had to. You will need at least one extra night. We got to BSM in time for an evening meal including a supermarket stop. The last column is the toll in Euro. So it's the section after Rheims to Villefranche that is the costly one, and the most boring bit of the journey as well. The thought of that on N roads ( I did it as a kid) would drive me bonkers.

14/04/17 13:50 SANEF A26 CALAIS A26 REIMS (COURCY) 1 22.60
14/04/17 17:59 SANEF A26 REIMS NORD (ORMES) A26 LIMITE SANEF/APRR 1 10.80
14/04/17 17:59 APRR A26 LIMITE APRR / SANEF A6 VILLEFRANCHE-LIMAS 1 31.50
14/04/17 18:18 APRR 00000000 A432 LA BOISSE 1 2.20
14/04/17 18:42 AREA A43 ST QUENTIN FAL. BARR A43 7 ISLE D'ABEAU 1 3.10
14/04/17 20:10 AREA A43 8 BOURGOIN A43 CHAMBERY NORD 1 6.30
14/04/17 20:38 AREA A43 CHIGNIN BARRIERE A430 STE HELENE BARRIERE 1 5.20
22/04/17 17:04 AREA A430 STE HELENE BARRIERE A43 CHIGNIN BARRIERE 1 5.20
22/04/17 17:54 AREA A43 CHAMBERY NORD A43 ST QUENTIN FAL. BARR 1 11.40
22/04/17 18:07 APRR 00000000 A432 LA BOISSE 1 2.20
22/04/17 21:59 APRR A6 VILLEFRANCHE-LIMAS A26 LIMITE APRR / SANEF 1 31.50
22/04/17 21:59 SANEF A26 LIMITE SANEF/APRR A4U REIMS EST (TAISSY) 1 9.80
23/04/17 11:23 SANEF A26 REIMS (COURCY) A26 CALAIS 1 22.60
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I had time to spare in the summer so came back via Switzerland & Germany, via Porsche museum, didn’t pay any tolls
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If you're heading for Moutiers, as an example, expect around 85€ in each direction. There is a section where you can save on tolls and reduce mileage - by taking the A40 and then cutting across via Annecy. Won't save you much (any?) time and may cost you more in fuel.
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Autoroute when you pass Reims you enter the toll stretch that goes almost all the way to the alps.

Certainly past Dijon and down to Chambrey area. It's the longest stretch in mileage and will give you the highest cost obviously. Just depends where you come out as to final total. It's this one that is around that 40 € total.

We go that route down to Dijon area, then autoroute Blanche towards Geneva and get out of toll in Alps to go cross country to Annecy which makes it as short as possible for tolling. No more from there to Tarantaise valley for us.

Which is your first ski destination?
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I’ve just checked on Via Michelin for non toll options. It gives three options incl the Germany/Swiss one all are 14 hours plus. I guess if time isn’t an issue but cost is, and you can stay in your van it’s an option. I had a friend who took his camper to Sicily last summer avoiding tolls.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.

Options
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Oops, just looked at the title Embarassed

Going to La Plagne, if you want the junction we use from autoroute to Annecy, I can look it up but route is then via Annecy, Albertville, Moutier to Lp.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@ski3, ditto. A31/A39/A40 then follow signs for Annecy, Albertville, Tarentaise and La Plagne
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@Kajaski, welcome to sHs, seems like you have lots to mull over now.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Kajaski, my apologies. Welcome snowHead to snowHeads.
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Just looked up my old paper map Very Happy A40 we go to junction 11 signposted to Frangy on local roads to Annecy. It's a long way down from Reims but gives the lowest toll I think.

I know people say this is not so convenient but I've always liked driving down along lake Annecy to get to the mountains, bit like seeing the sea as a child when going on holiday in the UK Madeye-Smiley
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@ski3, Yes, it's a beautiful drive.
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It is a lovely drive agreed, but likely to be in the dark. I've stopped outside Annecy and done it in the morning, but then I only got to resort mid morning rather than for first lift. Horses for courses.
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You can also turn off near the A39/A40 junction and cut across to Chambery avoiding a bit of autoroute.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Also I've passed Montreux, North shore of Lac Léman while listening to "smoke on the water" Deep Purple, Blush
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Kajaski wrote:
We are thinking of taking the camper down to the slopes this year but I see from other sites that one of the tolls is quite a heafty 40 Euros Can anyone advise me where this toll is? I am thinking we could go rural for this stretch of the road in order to keep the euros in our pocket.

Also can anyone suggest a good Aire that we can stay in overnight that means we will only have a couple of hours to drive in the morning before we get to the slopes?

This is my first post on the site so eagerly awaiting some help from you all.

Kajaski Very Happy


Are you aware that there is a considerable difference in the toll rate above 3.500 kgs Larger UK vans pay a lot more if they are class 3
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@Kajaski,
If time and an extra overnight stop is not an issue I can quite understand wanting to avoid the tolls if you are in a large camper.
The following links should help give you a gide to the costs of the major segments.

Link to Autoroutes.fr 2017 list of costs for major segments split into the 5 classes of vehicles.
http://www.autoroutes.fr/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/Dépliant%20tarifs%202017.pdf

Link to the vehicle classifications
http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/vehicle-classification.htm

Campers under 3 metres high and 3.5 tonnes weight will fall into class 2 and those over will go into class 3.
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@ski3 yes that's that's what i used to think and @kajaski welcome to snowheads.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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If you have the extra time the Belgium, Luxembourg, Nancy route is absolutely fine to do. You are on free motorways most of the time and the scenery is a lot nicer than on the peage, especially when you are back in France.
There is an option on Google maps to avoid tolls and vignettes, the route will update as you are driving to avoid any closures/ crashes etc.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I'd always assumed the toll cost was proportional to the length of the section rather than the avarice of the operator and therefore avoidance was proportional to the time you were prepared to spend on the road?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

I'd always assumed the toll cost was proportional to the length of the section rather than the avarice of the operator and therefore avoidance was proportional to the time you were prepared to spend on the road?

You assumed right wink
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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On the way down we stick to the toll roads just to get down in daylight in case we need to put chains on. On the way back we go via Chablis, off the toll road for an hour or so and it adds half an hour, saves about 8 euros, prettier drive and further saving on cheaper fuel at the Carrefour. Savings then spent on Chablis.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If the weather is fine I drive over the Jura through Poligny - turn off the autoroute near Dole and re-join the Swiss autoroute not far from the airport. It's shorter than going down past Bourg en Bresse and along the A40 "Autoroute des Titans" and saves tolls. It's a decent road and a more interesting drive. But if it's dark and/or snowy I stick to the motorway.
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Which class of vehicle is the camper?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
The aire I like is Nantua. You can leave the motorway at Macon and you don't need to go off-route to find the aire. Its between Bourge en Bresse and Geneva. The aire is on the far side of the lake and its really pretty. There's a small charge at the parking meters. There's usually a few more campers there too, which is nice - safety in numbers and all that. It's about 3 hours to La Plagne, so if you're on the road early you can get a full days skiing.
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Quote:

If the weather is fine I drive over the Jura through Poligny - turn off the autoroute near Dole and re-join the Swiss autoroute not far from the airport. It's shorter than going down past Bourg en Bresse and along the A40 "Autoroute des Titans" and saves tolls.

How to you avoid the toll on the Swiss motorway?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
johnE wrote:
Quote:

If the weather is fine I drive over the Jura through Poligny - turn off the autoroute near Dole and re-join the Swiss autoroute not far from the airport. It's shorter than going down past Bourg en Bresse and along the A40 "Autoroute des Titans" and saves tolls.

How to you avoid the toll on the Swiss motorway?

You drive through Geneva not using the motorway.

I go the same way through the Jura as pam w if I'm going to the Beaufortain, sometimes I will still have a valid vignette, sometimes I won't.
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If you have no vignette it's probably easiest to take the more south-westerly pass down into Ferny Voltaire (ie through Gex - can't remember the name), then go straight down into Geneva and round the end of the lake. But I usually do have a vignette as I'm often picking people up from the airport.
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@rjs, Yes but the the quote was "and re-join the Swiss autoroute". I believe you haave to pay a toll, a vignette, for that
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@johnE, If you already have the vignette then there isn't anything to save by avoiding the Swiss motorway, the vignette lasts up to 14 months.
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wow, thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to reply and give advice. So i now have loads of info & routes to mull over. I shall look forward to heading off to the slopes in my beloved T5 Camper and it looks like no matter where we go I will have the toll money ready and waiting Very Happy
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OH who does our towing says to think really carefully about fuel consumption on non-autoroute roads, all the give and take driving really pushes usage up as opposed to steady gentle cruising on the autoroute.

For the best likely balance of toll avoidance/fuel consumption he would recommend accepting auto route charges to Lons Le Saunier, then going off the autoroute to Oyonnaz (sp?) - Nantua - Frangy - Annecy and onwards.

Good luck.
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