Major problem on Sundays in France

[littleredrooster]

Be aware that obtaining petrol on a Sunday in France is no longer as easy as it was.

We have just returned from another holiday and found immense difficulty in buying petrol at any of the major (unmanned, as always on Sunday) outlets on a Sunday night. Between the three of us we had ten different cards, a mixture of pre-paid euro cards, debit cards, VISA cards and Mastercards from a variety of banks.

None- absolutely none worked in an unmanned Esso station, an unmanned Total station or an unmanned Super-U station; mysteriously though, my Barclays debit card worked in an unmanned Intermarche station and resolved the potentially disastrous episode.

Please do not respond with 'I have had no problems for the past 10 years' because neither have I, using a variety of different cards for the past twenty years. This is now, and the situation has apparently changed.

The written answer from Caxton is that they (and shortly the rest of VISA) do not permit their cards to be used in unmanned stations because of fraud. This now seems to have happened, and MasterCard seem to have followed suit.

The toll gates on the peage also frequently refuse UK cards, too, which caused us considerable grief.

If anyone knows of a solution to this problem, I would be very interested to hear it before we go away again next month.

 

[snelly]

Take cash.

 

[Nutty]

One bike next to another at the peage if there's two of you, or two and two, very close together if there's four of you. Then just one toll to pay, per group.

 

[ymfb]

Take cash.

errr at an unmanned forecourt ?

 

[Deleted account Cooperman]

How are the frogs paying?

 

[ymfb]

How are the frogs paying?

I have a french friend, who lives in the UK, but regularly travels back and have just e mailed her. If i get something other than she uses he French credit card I will let you know.

 

[wessie]

Surprised me too. Got back yesterday from a trip to Austria. On the way out an overnight stop in Haguenau in France resulted in 2x cards being refused at an Esso. Simply rode on and stopped at a LeClerc where the same card was accepted. On the way back, the same card was refused in a Carrefour just south of Verdun. Again, resolved by using a manned Total further along the road so had to use E10 shit.

Not had such a faff for years. I guess the French are still dragging their feet in regards to homologating to the latest chip/PIN technology.

 

[Wapping]

Lots of bods don't know the difference between:

(a) A pre-loaded cash card, like those offered by Caxton, using the Visa or MasterCard system

(b) A debit card, like those issued by their bank or building society for their current account, using the Visa or MasterCard system

(c) A credit card, like those issued by their bank or a building society, using the Visa or MasterCard system

This causes all sorts of confusion; I have watched it happen. I have also watched otherwise perfectly sensible blokes dissolve into a quivering mass when confronted by a card operated petrol pump 'in foreign'.

The opening post highlights the already known problem of using a pre-loaded cash card (in this example, Caxton's) at petrol stations and at motorway payage tolls.

What is surprising is that regular chip'n'pin credit and debit cards (assuming they are within their credit and overdraft limits and have not been blocked by the parent bank for sudden 'out of pattern' overseas use) do not seem to have worked. Of course it's quite possible that the bods were just unlucky..... Sometimes things just do not work.... My credit card was refused, my bank card was refused, then suddenly my credit card worked.... And sometimes nothing worked at all. Rare but it happens.

Further (accurate) reports required before doomsday can be announced.



PS One possibility is that card cloners have switched their markets. Selling fake UK cloned cards onto the Continent, rather than distributing them into the UK. If that has been happening, then maybe the vendors have been putting blockers on British cards? The card readers can certainly tell it's a UK card, often switching languages. It would be very easy to block all and any UK cards, for sure. That's something I just dreamed up.... From something in the opening post.

 

[Mr K]

Imagine wanting to retain one day a week where you're not required to work.

Stations on the main routes still work.

 

[littleredrooster]

Take cash.

Pray tell how that helps with unmanned petrol stations on a Sunday night when you have just done 180 miles...?

 

[littleredrooster]

Stations on the main routes still work.

Unmanned stations do not. Tell me how you find a manned station without making a fifty mile detour to get on - and off - an Autoroute?

 

[littleredrooster]

Further (accurate) reports required before doomsday can be announced.

The reply from Caxton seems to be the start of doomsday, to use your description.

PS One possibility is that card cloners have switched their markets. Selling fake UK cloned cards onto the Continent, rather than distributing them into the UK. If that has been happening, then maybe the vendors have been putting blockers on British cards? The card readers can certainly tell it's a UK card, often switching languages. It would be very easy to block all and any UK cards, for sure. That's something I just dreamed up.... From something in the opening post.

Whatever - the fact is that a mixture of Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Caxton debit/credit/prepaid cards would categorically NOT work!

 

[Wapping]

Imagine wanting to retain one day a week where you're not required to work.

:

Imagine imagining the same day as one when you refrain from alcohol and go to church. I tried and failed... And I have a very vivid imagination.

 

[Mr K]

Unmanned stations do not. Tell me how you find a manned station without making a fifty mile detour to get on - and off - an Autoroute?

Plan ahead.

Admire the fact that one nation at least doesn't force it's people to work on Sundays.

 

[Wapping]

The reply from Caxton seems to be the start of doomsday, to use your description.

The reply from Caxton as to why their cards are not operating at fuel and payage tolls (and have been troublesome for some time) is well known already. Doomsday, postponed.

Correct.

I posted this topic on another Forum and thought it would also be pertinent here as a note of caution to those visiting France by car or motorcycle.


Please be aware that when paying for Petrol /Diesel by card there is a possibility that your Bank account will have an amount blocked ( known as a 'Caution' in French) until the transaction has been cleared by the Bank.

The amount varies from Supermarket to Supermarket and can be as much as €500 if you use a pump that dispenses to H.G.V.'s as well as cars .

In our case in 2012 we filled up our Motor bike at a large Supermarket close to the C.W.G. cemetery in Bayeux. We put in €27 worth of petrol on Saturday Lunchtime and in addition had €500 blocked from our account until the following Thursday.

After enquiring at our French and English Banks we were told that this is normal practice and theoretically can happen on each occasion when using a card for purchasing petrol/diesel.

We only became aware of this after having lived in France for ten years, it now happens more frequently and affects French citizens in the same way.

The following link ( in French) is one of many which can be found on the internet concerning this practice which is causing problems.

http://lesmoutonsenr...-sur-le-compte/

And a reply from someone living in Belgium,

It certainly happens in Belgium as well. It seems to be a feature of countries with a large number of 'pay at the pumps' service stations. It's designed to stop those with too little in the way of funds from obtaining a pecuniary advantage.

In theory and in the past, it seemed to be a maximum of about 100 euro and to clear within a few minutes once the final debit has been processed. However, thanks to 'improvements' in the software, it seems to be an increasing feature here for the 'reservation' to remain in place for days, although the money doesn't leave the account. As has been mentioned, if the amount is sufficient to cover a fill-up on a 40-tonner then it can be substantial.

It's the responsibility of the debit card processing companies.

Consumer groups here have been kicking up merry hell about it but only seem to receive the usual mealy-mouthed excuses. It shouldn't be happening in the way it is and officially, it doesn't....but it certainly is in reality...

Armageddon pending on the other broader problem.

 

[ymfb]

Plan ahead.

Admire the fact that one nation at least doesn't force it's people to work on Sundays.

I for one don't have a problem with them not working on a Sunday, providing we can buy petrol from unmanned fuel stations with our perfectly legal and usable debit/credit cards

 

[Wapping]

Whatever - the fact is that a mixture of Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Caxton debit/credit/prepaid cards would categorically NOT work!

We had exactly the same thing happen in a small automatic station near Verdun in May and previously (on another jaunt) somewhere else. It's never been entirely unknown for it not to happen. A sort of Russian roulette, but with a very large multi-cylinder chamber.... Sometimes, it's just not your day.

 

[pjm-84]

Just got back as well from 3.5 week in France however took the Volvo and dogs. (700miles to the tank)

I never had any success with the unmanned fuel pumps. As such I haven't tried them for a few years. As for the tolls I use the use a Liber-T telepeage tag (using the French version rather then the UK option). Great system made better by the 30kph option gates.

Strangely I did have a problem getting cash out using the debit card from Natwest this year whilst my HSBC debit card was fine.

Tunnel was in mega busy on the Sunday.

 

[littleredrooster]

We had exactly the same thing happen in a small automatic station near Verdun in May and previously (on another jaunt) somewhere else. It's never been entirely unknown for it not to happen. A sort of Russian roulette, but with a very large multi-cylinder chamber.... Sometimes, it's just not your day.

I too was (technically we were...) in and around the Ardeche and Verdun for almost 3 weeks in May and had no problems. We returned to the Massif Central in June and ended up with major problems within our group.

I'd love to think that this was just a little glitch, but I fear the worst.

 

[Wapping]

I'd love to think that this was just a little glitch, but I fear the worst.

Time will tell.

The best tip? Use pre-loaded Caxton cards to withdraw cash from ATM's and for settling known 'definite amount' bills, for instance in shops, restaurants, hotels and manned petrol stations. Do not use them in unmanned petrol stations and motorway tolls.

For everything else proffer up cash (where feasible) and / or low or no charge credit or debit cards. If they do not work, rage at the heavens, the perfidious nature of ALL foreigners and make a note to holiday in Skegness next year and / or forever more.