Advice For First Timer In France.....

[MARKSTAFF]

hi there
where did you get the small petrol containers from

mark

 

[MARKSTAFF]

hi
planning a trip to france this year , do you have a phone number for the MotorSport Travel

mark

 

[franco]

Don't speed!

Lots of good info here
Definitely watch the speeding. Used to be virtually no controls, but now Sarkozy is on a mission. They can impose large on the spot fines, and will even escort you to the nearest cashpoint so you can get the dosh out. Nice.
If you need any other specific info, feel free to PM me.

Bon route.../Rob

 

[Mav]

As has been said above, never wait until a Sunday to fill up as most garages are closed. Petrol can always be found on autoroute service stations though, but you're staying off those aren't you?

Is the fuel situation really that bad? We're going to be travelling two up on an HP2... not exactly a great fuel range!

We're hoping to go in late April - how's the weather that time of year?

feeling optimistic, we're going to try to get down to the South Coast... could be somewhat of a schlep on the HP2, but we'll give it a go

 

[luckylucian]

Is the fuel situation really that bad? We're going to be travelling two up on an HP2... not exactly a great fuel range!

We're hoping to go in late April - how's the weather that time of year?

feeling optimistic, we're going to try to get down to the South Coast... could be somewhat of a schlep on the HP2, but we'll give it a go

3 years ago I did a similar trip on a V-Rod (wait for laughing to stop) with a similar small range, 100miles between fill-ups, I strapped a 1 gallon can on the back but never had to use it, most big supermarkets have petrol stations open on Sunday, but we were never out in the sticks.

 

[Wapping]

Is the fuel situation really that bad? We're going to be travelling two up on an HP2... not exactly a great fuel range!

We're hoping to go in late April - how's the weather that time of year?

feeling optimistic, we're going to try to get down to the South Coast... could be somewhat of a schlep on the HP2, but we'll give it a go

France is a developed Western nation, with a seat on the Security Committee of the UN. It is not the Gobi Dessert. There is lots of fuel 24/7. You do not see loads of French motorbikes riding about with fuel containers strapped to the back.

However, France is a big country, with towns widely spaced apart. Rather like the UK, the petrol stations follow decent sized heads of population, so not every provincial village has a petrol station.

France is littered with small supermarkets, like our Tesco Express, except they are called Carrefor, or Auchan or something similar. Many of these have filling stations. The disadvantage comes that, like the UK, many are not manned 24/7, so they are automatic. This is no longer so much of a problem, as the machines are being converted to accept UK credit cards. The challenge is that they are widely spaced. That is why the French go to a lot of trouble advertising their supermarkets on big roadside hoardings, with clear directions and a little petrol pump symbol followed by the numbers 24/7.

Any decent sized town or city (and the motorways) will have manned petrol stations open 24/7. It’s where the people of Lyon or Troyes or Limoges (or on the A26) buy their petrol, after all.

The clever tactic is to fill up when you get the chance, not when it’s a must.

Let’s say you have to go 120 miles on a ride. If your bike has a range if 100 miles, and you see a petrol station after 50, fill up again. Your effective daily range has now become 150 miles, quite enough to do 120. Do not wait until 90 miles has passed, then panic, and fall 10 / 30 miles short. It’s as easy as that.

The weather in April? Rather like the UK: Can be warm, can be cold, can be dry, can be pissing down. Look at the weather forecast. Expect the worst, experience the best.

 

[drjohn]

Yes , you really should have no problems with PIN enabled card in France - sure a while ago their self serve petrol stations only took French Cards but in the last year of regular travel in France I have not come across one that has not been updated.

Good luck

And dont forget if you are realy stuck with a card that wont work , just wait at the station and a friendly local will do a deal and fill up with his card in exchange for the euros.

 

[Rambling Sid Rumpo]

France is a developed Western nation, with a seat on the Security Committee of the UN. It is not the Gobi Dessert

Does that mean I can leave these at home?