 Poster: A snowHead
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We are looking to drive to our ski holiday for the second time.
The last time we were annoyed by how long we wasted waiting in peage queues and therefore have looked into getting hold of a Tag or Telepeage.
I have read previous discussions on this, but the suggested web site http://www.sanef.com/Offres-Liber-t/Formule-mensuelle mentioned suggests you need a French bank account?
I have also come across another link https://www.telepeagepourtous.fr/fr/particulier/souscrire which suggests cheaper prices.
Has anybody used this site and recieved their tag?
Is there a way around the need for a French bank account and how do you go about it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Llew, I got the APRR one, your second link, last January. No probs at all. No need for french bank account just used a credit card. Ordered it online came within a few days. Very good service. Used it on 3 trips now, no issues. I recommend it as it was significantly cheaper, only 10E I think. HTH.
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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?
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Llew, I've had the Sanef card for a while, no problems at all, you don't need a french bank account.
I pay €10 a year.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sarah, excuse me being thick, what is the cost to me and apart from not having to queue at the tolls will this save or cost me money.
For example we drive from Calais to the Alps twice a year for ski trips, each time we pay tolls on a credit card, and as we do not go at peak times there are not that many big queues TBH.
So if the card costs me 10E per annum, are the tolls cheaper with the card you got from the second link above, or am i paying 10E just on top of normal toll price to save a bit of queuing.
Thanks, a very thick Mr Bo Baggins 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Llew, just be aware that if you lose your credit card and get it replaced, or it expires, you'll need to give them a new credit card number. Also, of course, though a badge gets you quicker through the short queues, it's no help in the mahoosive ones where all lanes are jammed for a mile or more before the gates!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Timbobaggins, if you don't experience queues, don't worry about it. There is a monthly option with SANEF which only charges you 2€ in the month that you use it, not every month. It benefits us more in the summer when the roads around Lyon are busier with people heading to Provence
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Timbobaggins, it costs 10E one off charge not per annum for the actual tag with APRR, then it costs 2E for each month that you make a trip in. Well worth it to us as we travel at peak times. Also useful so that napping passenger - usually me - is not rudely woken to pay/take ticket  It is just very convenient.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Llew, just be aware that if you lose your credit card and get it replaced, or it expires, you'll need to give them a new credit card number. Also, of course, though a badge gets you quicker through the short queues, it's no help in the mahoosive ones where all lanes are jammed for a mile or more before the gates! |
Sanef is a standing order from my bank account, so don't need to worry about changing credit card.
Whilst it's right that when there's longer queues its doesn't help so much, IMHO opinion €2 a month / €10 year is a no brainer.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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mine now comes from my french bank account but I had a bit of a problem once when I was initially using a credit card, which had to be replaced when my OH lost his. Normally I never pay direct debits etc from that card, so I completely overlooked the telepeage till I got a very snotty letter! I never see the bills, and never think about them, which is really the best way with tolls!
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pam w, 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, I discovered that our card had apparently expired and my badge also reported lost when we used it in July. A quick trip into Reims office sorted it out with a different card, and a new little badge. I didn't have my French account details handy so had to use my UK card. It was originally registered on our French card, which doesn't expire for at least another year, and no, it wasn't lost, as I handed it in at the office.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Our previous one was linked to a UK credit card but when that died on the trip in December 2009 we stopped at the next possible place and secured a new one (and I think the old one still needs to be sent back to get our deposit returned) but this time it had to be linked to our French bank account so they all seem a bit different. When we really appreciate having it is when we are driving on our own so none of that nipping out round the front of the car to deal with the ticket and the credit card.
I think ours makes a charge of a couple of euros a month that it is used. Stupidly we took it with us last week when we flew into GVA, hired a car, drove to Les Gets and back so used it just twice for charges of around 1.70 - would have been much better to have thrown the cash in.
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I'm still wondering about the battery dying. Has that happened to anybody yet? I keep meaning to ask when I feel like stopping near one of their offices, but so far I've not got round to it.
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You know it makes sense.
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pam w, we had ours since Oct 2005 and it was still working when we exchanged it for a new badge in July. The office just as you leave Reims was OK in July, there's a few parking spaces just before you go through the booths.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| pam w wrote: |
| I'm still wondering about the battery dying. Has that happened to anybody yet? |
Apparently Sanef will give you a new one free of charge............
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Poster: A snowHead
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When our badge wasn't accepted, we just took a ticket, as the badge lanes also have a ticket machine , in case of broken badges I assume. When we got to pay station, we presented the badge and ticket at a manned booth, and she told me what the problem was, I paid with a card, and visited the next office to replace it. It wasn't dead, but I assume the procedure would be the same. I'll check out the lanes on our way down next time (providing there's any fuel by then).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I got a Sanef badge in August when I visited Les Arcs. They were happy to accept payments via my UK credit card, but from January 2011 they will only accept payment via direct debit from a bank account. I didn't ask if that could be from a UK bank as I'll set up the payments from my French account, so it might be worth checking before anyone gets a Sanef badge.
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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?
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| ...from January 2011 they will only accept payment via direct debit from a bank account. I didn't ask if that could be from a UK bank ... |
Definitely do.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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allanm, is there an extra charge for taking a Euro payment from a UK account via direct debit? Wonder if it's possible to set up my tax payments in France to come from my UK account by DD?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Has anyone any tips about how to inform APPR of new credit card details when an old card expires? I received a reminder from them in the summer when my old credit card expired but the email seems to just tell me to renew using whatever method is convenient without specifying what those methods are. Anyone found a place to renew details on the website or is it better to find a booth when in France?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rob@rar, thanks, they didn't mention it when I changed mine, but they will probably contact me when it's necessary.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| allanm, is there an extra charge for taking a Euro payment from a UK account via direct debit? Wonder if it's possible to set up my tax payments in France to come from my UK account by DD? |
Doesn't appear to be... on 15th September my account:-
Sanef Liber-T SENLIS EU 71.30EUR at 1.195. £59.63
There's no more entries, exchange rate looks correct for that date, so, I seem to pay the exact amount at the current exchange rate.
Not sure if that helps??
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allanm, thanks.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The APPR one looks like a bargain at the moment - the badge is free, but you pay 10 euros to "register", which is cancelled off your first bill.
BUT...
sarah, how on earth did you register your address?
I can't even enter my postcode correctly...?
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FlyingStantoni, enter 00000 in the postcode box (french postcodes are 5 digits). , and add your postcode in the Address field I suspect.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hells Bells, if only it were that easy!
Wish me luck I've tried randomly inputting our address. God only knows if it'll arrive.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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ok, just tried this out, add the UK postcode to the complement box. See it is easy . 
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FlyingStantoni, can't remember it was ages ago! But I don't remember any issues, probably fudged it a bit as per Hells Bells suggestions, but it definitely arrived and very quickly too 
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You know it makes sense.
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| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
| The APPR one looks like a bargain at the moment - the badge is free, but you pay 10 euros to "register"...? |
Guys... If you're quibling about the cost of a Telepeage tag, either one, then maybe you ought to fly. It's going to cost > 400 squids in tolls, petrol, insurance, etc etc, never mind depreciation.
But.... with either, you'll feel pretty damn smug when you shoot past the hordes. Done it. Many times.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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blizt, I did this a couple of seasons ago and it was a right pain then - may be different now as I didn't even get a reminder, so at least you already have a point of contact.
Basically, I e-mailed them to say I wanted to update my credit card details. They e-mailed me back with a specific persons e-mail address who handled things like that. Then, and this was the problem, they requested my credit card details to be sent to them in an open e-mail to input it manually into their system. Not secure at all, but I eventually gave up trying to discuss a more secure way of doing it with them - they wouldn't even do it over the phone whilst talking to them. (May be different now)
Anyway - it all seemed to work ok with the usual 'will it or won't it' fear at the first barrier!
At a later date, if you need to replace the 'badge' when the batteries run out (5 years of occasional use with me), just stick it in an envelope to them and they will send a new one - I am about to do just that with mine now!
Hope that helps..
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
At a later date, if you need to replace the 'badge' when the batteries run out (5 years of occasional use with me)
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How do you know when the batteries have run out? Other than it failing to work at a telepeage?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sbirring, I found that at a couple of barriers it started to get a bit flakey, in that I had to wave it outside the window for it to 'beep'. Alongside that, a friend of mine who got his badge about a year after me found his stopped working altogether on the same journey (we were in convoy). Other than that, neither him, nor I got the low battery warning beep that some people claim may happen before it stops working?
I'm sending mine back this week anyway - for me it's a pre-emptive action just in case - I guess 4 to 5 years is a good lifespan (dependant on use)? Anyone had longer without changing so far?
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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?
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Tatty, thanks for the info but I'm very wary of putting my credit card details into an open email.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hmmm. Disappointingly misleading thread title - I had visions of everyone getting out of their cars, chasing each other and shouting "tag". I'll get my coat...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
Hells Bells, if only it were that easy!
Wish me luck I've tried randomly inputting our address. God only knows if it'll arrive. |
Well, bless the Royal Mail (the way the package was addressed, you couldn't thank the French particularly) - the tag arrived yesterday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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.....just a note to everyone, if the battery runs out in your tag, stop at the Telepass shop on the Autoroute and they change the whole unit for free as you can't change the batteries in them.
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Pablito,
Do you have to go to the shop for the comapny you originally got the tag from? e.g. APRR/Sanef?
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sbirring, I think you are correct - but someone may come along and disagree. When ours didn't work last December at the first toll we then stopped at the first place that had the office onsite - but they didn't want to know about our original one and just sold us a new one from their company/region.
I recall the first one had been obtained further down south on a return trip about four years ago. That one was attached to a UK credit card. The new one is attached to our French bank account. We still have the original one in the travel bag and do need to return it and get our deposit back.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Is there anywhere i can pop in and get one, such as a shop near the French side of the Chunnel
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Timbobaggins, there's an office at the first toll booth after you leave Calais I think.
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FAQ
