Tolls in France
Information at a glance
- Almost all French motorways are subject to tolls.
- On average, you can expect to pay a toll of just under 10 cents per kilometre in France (as of 2024), although significantly more expensive routes can cost up to 21 euros per 100 kilometres.
- No toll is charged on country roads.
- For some tunnels and bridges an additional toll has to be paid.
Tolls on French motorways
The entire motorway network in France is operated by different companies and is subject to tolls with a few exceptions. Motorways (A) are marked in blue (subject to tolls), national roads (N) in green and departmental roads (D) in white (both toll-free).
These toll-exempt routes include some feeder roads, motorways in Alsace, Lorraine, Auvergne and Brittany as well as sections of urban motorways and the bypasses of Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse and Marseille, including i.e. A10-A25-A23 (Calais - Valenciennes), A20 (Vierzon - Brive-la-Gaillarde), A28 (Abbéville - Rouen), A31 (Luxembourg to Nancy), A34 (Sedan - Reims), A35 (border to Mulhouse/further to Basel), A36 (Mandeure - Bessoncourt), A63 and A660 (Bordeaux - Arcachon), A68 (Garidech - Albi), E70 (Lyon - Saint-Etienne), A75 (Clermont-Ferrand - Montpellier), A75 D789 (Millau-Saint-Germain), A77 (Saint-Père - Sermoise-sur-Loire) and A84 (Caen - Rennes).
To enter environmental zones such as those in Paris, a chargeable environmental sticker is required (city toll). For the "t" lanes a toll box is required, which you can order quickly and easily from us.
Further information on the summer olympics 2024 in Paris as well as the annual increase in toll charges and the plans for a digital toll system can be found in our maut1.de blog.
French toll stations
In France, there is a difference between closed and an open toll systems.
- Closed system ➺ A ticket must be taken on entry, which is paid when leaving the motorway. The amount is calculated on the basis of the distance travelled.
- Open system ➺ On some sections, a flat fee is charged at a toll station regardless of the distance driven.
Lanes are marked according to payment option and staff:
- Lanes with a green arrow are available to all categories of vehicles.
- At the automatic "cb" booths, only credit card payment is possible.
- The lane with a "t" is the quickest way to get through the toll booth. Here you need a toll box, which you can order online from us. This automatically records the toll charges, which are debited via your deposited means of payment.
There are toll calculators for France on the Internet that you can use to easily calculate the toll costs before travelling. You can also search online for an overview of toll roads in France to calculate the toll costs. Click here for an overview of toll operators in France with a direct link to the respective operator's website, where you can calculate the toll charges for your journey in advance.
France Flux-libre / FreeFlow
Instead of stopping at toll stations and paying in cash or by credit card, drivers on FreeFlow routes simply drive through the toll booths (metal arches spanning the motorway without barriers) without stopping. The vehicle's licence plate number is recorded digitally and the corresponding charges are billed electronically.
The toll box from maut1.de can be conveniently used to register the FreeFlow systems in France.
Drivers without a toll box have 72 hours after travelling on a FreeFlow route to pay the toll (online or at special terminals).
In France, all FreeFlow routes are labelled with the additional sign "Péage Flux Libre". The FreeFlow system is already in use on these routes:
- A79 motorway between Montmarault (Allier/Auvergne) and Digoin (Saône-et-Loire/Bourgogne).
- A4 motorway (Paris-Strasbourg): Boulay exit
According to the French motorway operator Sanef, the system is to be installed on the A13 by the end of 2024 and will make the toll stations on the route between Paris and Caen redundant.
Amount of the motorway toll: vehicle categories
The amount of the toll to be paid in France depends on the actual data that the vehicle or vehicle combination has during the journey through the toll station.
The vehicle class, which is determined automatically at the toll station in France, is based on:
- Vehicle height, measured without superstructures at the front edge of the vehicle,
- actual weight and
- number of axles
and is categorised as follows:
Toll box from maut1.de: Your advantages
Long waiting times at the toll station? Not with our toll box! Thanks to our toll box, you can simply drive past France's toll stations - because the charges are recorded automatically. This way you avoid the traffic jam at the toll station and we take care of the payment.
The advantages at a glance:
- Our toll box up to 3 metres high can be used in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.
- Our toll box over 3 metres high for motorhomes can be used in Austria, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.
- Our toll box for commercial trucks can be used in Italy, France, Spain, Austria and Portugal.
- Cashless payment
- Faster through the toll stations
- No need to buy tickets
- Simple and affordable pricing model
Convinced? Then order our toll box conveniently online now!
Additional tolls in France
In France, the bridges Ile de Ré, Pont de Normandie, Pont de Tancarville and the Viaduc de Millau can be charged via the maut1.de toll box.
These tunnels in France cost an additional toll per vehicle class, which cannot be paid with the toll box, but must be paid separately on site.
Tunnels subject to tolls
- Fréjus road tunnel (France-Italy)
- Mont Blanc road tunnel (France-Italy) - Information on the renovation of the Mont Blanc Tunnel
- Maurice Lemaire tunnel
- Tunnel de Puymorens
- Prado Carénage Tunnel Marseille
- Prado Sud Tunnel Marseille
- Tunnel Duplex A86
City toll in France
In France, there are so-called environmental zones in several cities, so that the environmental sticker Crit'Air, which is subject to a fee, is required. While some environmental zones are permanent and affect large metropolitan areas, others are temporary. Temporary environmental zones only apply for a short period of time after certain concentrations of air pollutants have been exceeded. The measures are known as "Circulation différenciée" and have so far been defined in Paris, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes, Saint-Étienne, Strasbourg and Toulouse, as well as in many départements. To enter environmental zones, Crit'Air (certificat qualité de l'air) environmental stickers are required for a fee. Vehicles without a sticker are not allowed to drive.
Other French metropolitan regions are also planning to introduce ZFE-m environmental zones, for example Aix-en-Provence, Clermont Ferrand, Montpellier, Nice, Toulon and Toulouse. Travellers should find out about the current situation in the travel region in question before starting their journey and, if necessary, purchase a Crit'Air badge.
Note: When travelling to and in France, please note that the traffic regulations are sometimes different or stricter than in Germany. All important information about the traffic rules, penalties and fines in France can be found in our maut1.de blog.
Tollbox from maut1.de - relaxed driving through France
No traffic jams, no stopping and no ticketing: Our toll box makes it possible! So you can drive through the french toll stations without waiting - because payment of the motorway tolls takes place automatically.
Cars and vehicles in categories 1, 2 and 5 can use our toll box in France as well as in Italy, Portugal and Spain. Vehicles in categories 3 and 4 require our toll box for large motorhomes, which can also be used in Austria.
Do you have any other questions? You may be able to find the answer to your question in our FAQ section or contact us.
In the maut1.de blog you will find more tips and advice from the maut1.de team as well as additional travel information for your next holiday.
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