Paying tolls with a credit card

Most of the time we had no issue paying the tolls with a credit in card in France. We never had to use a PIN. There were a few times it wouldn't take a cc no matter what. I believe it was Loire. We paid those with cash. We never quite figured out what was going on with the gas stations on the toll roads. We always managed to get gas but it was frustrating. It seemed that mostly the issue there was PIN, but there were other things going on as well. Sorry for lack of detail.

I understand that the roads may be operated by different entities, so how easy it is to use a US card may depend on the operator. We'll be driving from Bordeaux to Sarlat, and then in that area before returning to Bordeaux. I suppose that apps like Google could find routes that avoid toll roads, and they may be more scenic, but if time is a bit limited, toll roads may be needed. I guess that having a supply of cash is a good idea.

Just carry cash to cover the tolls. Sometimes the cc’s (with true chip and pin) work and sometimes they don’t.

When I checked the route on Google, it said that there were tolls, as did Bing where I printed directions. We're going to Tremolat first, and will be on E70 and N89, which my printed directions note is a toll road. The distance for that road is about 51 miles.

Viamichelin.com has always been a favorite of mine for route planning and predicting tolls. You don’t need to download their app to just check out routings in advance.

Here is a link for Bordeaux to Tremolat showing 1 route without tolls, and 2 options with tolls. The cost of the tolls is listed along with fuel estimates. https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Routes/Route-Bordeaux-33000-Gironde-France-to-Tremolat-24510-Dordogne-France

Hope this helps. Tom is right, you don’t save any time with the autoroute for this leg of the trip.

Thanks--this will be helpful. There is about a 15-20 minute difference, which wouldn't be that much, but we have a 12:30 lunch reservation and can't pick up the car until 10, so we might want the faster trip. At least we now know that having about 10 euros in cash will do the trick if necessary.

We ended up using our debit card for the tolls as neither of the credit cards we brought worked at all in the drive throughs

Has anyone ever been asked to provide a PIN for a purchase anywhere with a credit card, here or abroad?
I think PINs are just for ATM cash advances.

I assume you just mean for American chip and signature cards. And yes, I've had to use my PIN at unattended gas stations and metro/tram machines, but otherwise no, since the first verification is a signature.
As for tolls, I'm not sure whether a PIN has any relevance. I don't even know if there's a PIN pad to use. Whenever my Andrews FCU card has worked at toll booths (it's worked everywhere the last 2 years, but not before), I just put the card in, it pops out, and the gate goes up.

I've been able to get my cards to work to pay tolls, usually after trying a second time (sometimes the second or third card). I've only had two out of about 40 toll booths that I had to pay cash because the machine wouldn't take anything I had. It asks for a pin and I use the one associated with the card, but a pin doesn't help. I did get a true chip and pin card, for traveling, from Andrews FCU but I like them so little I don't use it.

I think PINs are just for ATM cash advances.

This depends entirely upon your card issuing bank. Some chip & signature credit cards have PINs allowing you to make purchases at unmanned locations such as ticket kiosks, toll booths, or fuel pumps.

There are a number of separate companies operating the French toll roads. What cards are accepted on one autoroute may not be on another. There is no one response applicable to all possible toll booths.

I did get a true chip and pin card, for traveling, from Andrews FCU but I like them so little I don't use it.

I'm with you on that except for the last 4 words. The card is fine, as long as you don't have to deal with Andrews beyond paying the bill.

We just arrived back in Paris after driving through a lot of western & eastern France. Paid our tolls with a visa cc (no pin). Amex is not widely accepted in our experience. We couldn’t get any of our cards to work in an unmanned gas station in Bayeux & 1 other attended station.No problem the rest of our trip with sometimes using the cc & sometimes the debit with a pin. The tolls are frequent in France & the speed cameras too. Come to think of it, I think we did pay 1 toll in cash. Don’t remember why but it must have been a small charge.

Thanks to all for the info--leaving tomorrow night, and plan to be equipped with cash (will try to stock up on 2 euro coins) just in case we have trouble with our Visa card. I'll post to let you know how I made out.

Well, some roads may not accept American chip credit cards, but the A 89 between Sarlat and Bordeaux did with no problems--didn't even ask for a PIN! Interestingly enough, some of the automatic parking meters did. Since I had one to enter, I'm not sure if you could have continued without one, but coins would have worked, too.

We found that some toll booths took our cards and others run by different companies didn't (the glories of privatization). They work fine in metro machines but not for gas stations. And things change all the time. You really don't want to be in a non-cash lane with a credit card that doesn't work and people stacked up behind you.

Another random factoid is that the ratp (transit) navigo card recharge machines in the Paris area will not take some american credit cards if you use french as the selected language. Switching the language to english fixes this.

Lois, most American credit cards have a pin number associated with them but use the pin number you will be charged as if it were a cash advance (i.e. way too expensive). We have a card from Andrews credit union for just this reason. There is no cash advance charge when using the pin with this card. We have had good luck 2 years ago when using it at gas stations and France but when we tried again 2 weeks ago and France the unattended gas station would not accept our card much less let us put in a pin number. I Do not know what's going on with this. If you have a contactless card (check with your credit card issuers) that might work. Another suggestion: if you are driving at night bring along a small flashlight. I had a great deal of trouble reading the directions and seeing where to insert money because it was so dark! We finally turned on all the inside lights in the car and my husband looked as well finally he guessed right. I have not yet tried losing a credit card on the toll roads but I may try next time.

Robert, I guess I should've read through all responses before posting mine! It looks like I also should've tried my Andrews card at the tollbooths! I will certainly try it next time after verifying with Andrews that it does not need to be a contactless card (RFID). My contactless card is issued by Chase. It worked well for London transport in lieu of an oyster card. No pin number required.

Kay, I don't know what could have happened with your Andrews card at the gas station. Maybe there was just something wrong with the machine. My Andrews card has always worked at unattended gas stations in France. That's the principal reason I got it.

FYI - if you are eligible, USAA offers a chip and PIN credit card with no fee that works well in Europe.