 Poster: A snowHead
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We are planning to drive for our ski trips this season (at least 2 in France), we now have too much gear for flights 
Looking at checklists for driving in France (its been a while!) I came across the Sanef web saying it now offered the Automated Toll Payment Service for UK drivers for various fees + tolls (not discounted).
We aren't good at waiting in queues when we could be looking at snow but wonder if the additional cost is worth it, there will be 2 of us in the car so no problem with right hand drive/toll booth handing money across.
We'll be driving on Saturdays, not in February though.
Does anyone have any recent experience with French tolls and thoughts whether this is worth it or not? Any experience using the automated toll system, does it work OK?
https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/support/faq/support-Faq.List/#1.0.
Thanks
Mac
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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depending on the time of travel you may sail straight through, but i know what you mean......i ve spent probably best part of two hours queueing at various tolls both ways..........although that was the boxing day week a few years back.
I always now start early to get ahead of the crowds
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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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SnowMac, there are loads of discussions about this on Snowheads. The short answer is yes, it is worth it, given that it costs next to nothing extra, but don't expect to dodge queues entirely. On Saturdays, even outside the mid-Feb/mid-March French school holiday period, you still might encounter queues (if there are two miles of solid traffic the whole thing will be jammed up). And you definitely would encounter some queues on the main New Year travel days.
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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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we have had one for years and the convenience of not having to get out a card or money is great as well as skipping the queues at busy times ( still get odd looks when a RHD car goes to one of the telepeage lanes ) brings a smaile as you pull up the barrier raises and you are on your way
think theres a €30 euro deposit against the doofer for the windscreen but on balance i'd keep mine as it is good in case the passenger is asleep or you are on your own
we use ours if we fly into gva too, in case we havent change or a card to hand
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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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We have one its fab, did half term last Feb and loved waving at brits who passed us sat in a que...
Also good for summer holls and you get the bill a month later 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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SnowMac, went for this last year and is well worth it IMHO - while we were travelling at quiet times, you still get through quicker than other methods. The 30KPH tolls are fab, although a little unnerving the first time!!!
There is also a pause at first one out of Calais while your tag registers.
I also find it mildly amusing to have French drivers flashing at beeping at the idiot UK driver in the wrong lane.
We also used it this year with the caravan on and still works, just head to the far right and go through the lorry lane. You get charged as Class 2
We can also get through the 2m barriers in a MPV withbox measuring 2.4m in height.
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Call me stupid, but where does one acquire such a doofer whilst actually resident in France?...
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Mr Piehole, Generally see them being promoted just after tolls on some of the larger toll booths, usually a little SANEF office. Otherwise I would assume that SANEF have online website for them
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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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Thanks for all the responses, seems its comes highly recommended. I've seen previous threads on this but was curious to know just how reliable it was. I've worked in transport for a long time in the UK and have had regular problems with similar units for some of our toll roads which did not work out of the box and which was discovered at the toll plazas. I didn't want to spend time when we should be driving trying to get a unit to work/using my poor French to explain it wasn't working to some bemused toll assistant!
I like the idea that it is transferable (between ski buddies?) and thanks for the suggestion cheztichot, about using from GVA, not even thought of that one 
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I like the idea that it is transferable (between ski buddies?)
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providing whoever gets the bill will be happy....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Boris,
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livetoski, what do you mean by a UK version?
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Well the stand at the London Ski show was a UK based operation still all the same company I know  Probably wrong phrase to use!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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livetoski, yeah sorry I realised what you meant and deleted post, you must have just copied as I was doing so 
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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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Mr Piehole, I got one from the APRR website. There was a one-off charge of 10 Euros, then they charge 1.60 Euro for each month you actually use it (so no charge if you don't use it in any given month). The toll charges are the same, but for convenience and queue jumping it is well worth it.
There are different options if you are a more regular user - I have the Liber-T Balade subscription
http://www.telepeagepourtous.fr/fr/particulier/toutes_nos_offres
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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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There is also a pause at first one out of Calais while your tag registers.
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Useful to know.
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I also find it mildly amusing to have French drivers flashing at beeping at the idiot UK driver in the wrong lane.
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Looking forward to that already
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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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| Mr Piehole wrote: |
| Call me stupid, but where does one acquire such a doofer whilst actually resident in France?... |
In your case the AREA office at Annecy nord.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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And just rember the new lanes are 30KPH not MPH
Just saying
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SnowMac, Highly recommend getting the electronic 'tag' from Sanef, I think its called a LiberT, I didn't pay for the actual tag. You order it online and it arrives the next day. Saves all that faffing around getting change at the tolls, especially if you are driving on your own and have to scrabble over the passenger seat to pay.
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Boris, 
Ordered mine yesterday at 2.30pm Tag arrived in the post today, pretty good service so far, just got too stick on my windscreen and head for the Alps on the 29th of Nov yipppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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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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livetoski, Make sure you stick it in the blacked off area beside the rear view mirror, it wont work if you have a heated screen and you just plnk it anywhere....not hat I would have done such a thing...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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a lot of them have now been removed
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ah, have they? I vaguely thought there were a lot fewer of them, when I drove up to Calais in August. And I'd not managed to do more than about 25 kph....
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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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They've just added a 30kph lane on the toll plaza that didn't have one previously between Geneva and Chamonix, so now both toll plazas have them, which will be great this winter
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livetoski, don't forget to register it online.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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And with one Les Flics have less chance to stop you and go through the palava of triangles, breathalysers ad nauseam, especially if you are doing 29.99kph!
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FAQ
I think so could be wrong, that they are now only on the tolls that have subways for the staff to cross. Or the 30k lane doesn't require staff to cross through it.
