French Toll Roads: How to Pay, Toll Tags and Costs

Most French motorways (autoroutes) are toll roads, known as the péage. They’re fast and well kept, but the tolls add up: €25.20 from Calais to Paris, and around €92 from Calais to Bordeaux. Here’s how to pay at the booth in a UK car, whether a toll tag is worth it, what tolls cost, how the new barrier-free tolls work, and which motorways are free.

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How French toll roads work

• On most motorways you take a ticket from a machine as you join, and pay when you leave, by the distance you’ve driven. Keep the ticket somewhere safe.
• Some stretches charge a fixed toll at a single barrier instead, with no ticket.
• A growing number of motorways have no toll booths at all and charge by number-plate camera (see barrier-free tolls).
• Toll roads are marked with the word “Péage” on the blue motorway signs as you approach.

More on the motorways themselves, from services to speed limits: French autoroutes on our sister site, Driving France.

How to pay tolls in France

As you approach the toll plaza, signs above each lane show what it accepts. France’s official traffic service, Bison Futé, describes the lanes like this:

• Cards: Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards are accepted, and contactless works on most networks.
• Cash: euro coins and notes, at cash or attendant lanes.
• Avoid the “t” lanes if you don’t have a tag: the barrier won’t open for you.
• If something goes wrong, such as a refused card or a lost ticket, press the help button on the machine to speak to an operator.

Paying French tolls in a right-hand-drive car

French toll machines are on the left, built for left-hand-drive cars, so in a UK car they’re on the passenger side. Your options:

1. Let your passenger pay: hand them the ticket and card before you reach the plaza.
2. Pull in close and reach across, if the lane is narrow enough.
3. Stop and get out: handbrake on, hazard lights on, and walk round to the machine.
4. Get a toll tag: the barrier opens automatically and you never need to reach the machine. For a driver on their own, it’s the easiest answer.

Have your card and ticket ready before you join the queue, and pick a lane early to avoid weaving across the plaza.

French toll tags for UK drivers

A toll tag (badge télépéage) is a small box that sticks to your windscreen. It lets you use the orange “t” lanes, pays barrier-free tolls automatically, and bills you afterwards. You order it before you travel.

• Emovis Tag is aimed at UK residents and is promoted by LeShuttle and the Caravan and Motorhome Club, which have offered discounts on the application fee.
• Bip&Go says its tag is fully compatible with barrier-free tolls; check that it will deliver to a UK address before ordering.
• Tolls are charged at the normal price; the tag fees are on top, so it’s worth it if you drive a long way on motorways, travel often, or drive alone in a right-hand-drive car.

Barrier-free tolls (flux libre)

Some French motorways now have no toll booths. Overhead cameras read your number plate as you drive under the gantry, and you pay afterwards. The rules are the same for UK-registered cars.

• Where: in October 2026, the A13 and A14 between Paris and Normandy, the A79 in the Allier, and the A4 at the Boulay toll point.
• How to pay: online on the motorway operator’s website within 72 hours, either per journey or by registering your number plate; at a tobacconist using the Nirio service; or automatically with a toll tag.
• If you don’t pay: a fine of €90 plus the toll, reduced to €10 if you pay within 15 days, rising to €375 after 2 months.

If you’re sailing to Caen and driving to Paris, you’ll use the A13, so remember to pay. Beware of scam websites and texts claiming you owe a toll: use only the operator’s official site.

How much French tolls cost

Toll prices usually rise each February. To price your own route, use the toll calculators on the motorway operators’ websites or a route planner such as ViaMichelin, which show tolls alongside fuel.

Tolls and your choice of ferry

The further south and west you’re going, the more a short crossing to Calais costs in tolls. Sailing from Portsmouth to Caen or St Malo lands you closer to Normandy, Brittany and the west, and the A84 and Brittany’s roads are free. See our cheapest ferry guide and the best ferry guides for each region.

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Toll classes: caravans, motorhomes and motorbikes

A car towing a caravan or trailer that’s over 2 metres high is charged at a higher class than a car alone, and class 2 costs more than class 1, so check your height before you go. Classes 3 and 4 are for heavier vehicles and lorries.

Towing or touring? See caravans and motorhomes in France on Driving France.

Free motorways and avoiding tolls in France

Several motorways and major roads in France have no tolls, including:

• A84 between Caen and Rennes, the route from Caen ferry port into Brittany.
• A16 between Calais and Boulogne.
• Brittany’s expressways, such as the N12 and N165: Brittany has no motorway tolls.
• A20 between Vierzon and Brive-la-Gaillarde.
• A75 between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers, except the Millau viaduct.
• A25 between Lille and Dunkirk, A34 between Reims and Charleville-Mézières, A35 in Alsace and A47 between Lyon and Saint-Étienne.

Driving without tolls

Set your sat nav to avoid tolls and you’ll be routed on national roads (routes nationales, “N” roads) and departmental roads. They’re free and often scenic, but slower: most two-lane roads have an 80 km/h limit, they go through towns and villages, and a long trip can take hours longer. A good compromise is to use toll motorways for the long stretches and free roads near your destination. Speed limits and rules are in our driving in France guide.

To compare toll and toll-free routes for your own trip, try the France route planner on Driving France.

Who runs French toll roads

Most French toll motorways are run by private companies under government concessions. The main groups are:

• Sanef (with SAPN in Normandy): the north and east, including the motorways from Calais and the A13 and A14 between Paris and Normandy.
• APRR (with AREA): including the A6 between Paris and Lyon and motorways in the east and the Alps.
• Vinci Autoroutes (ASF, Cofiroute and Escota): the west and south, including the A7 between Lyon and Marseille and the A10 between Paris and Bordeaux.

Each publishes its toll prices and a toll calculator on its website.

Tolls in a hire car

You pay the tolls in a hire car, the same way as in your own car, by card or cash at the booth. Ask the hire company whether the car has a toll tag fitted, and how tolls and any fines are charged to you. On barrier-free motorways without a tag, pay online within 72 hours using the car’s number plate.

Before you go, check the rest of the rules in our driving in France guide, including the kit you must carry and the Crit’Air sticker.

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Hiring a car in France? See hiring a car in France on Driving France.

French Toll Roads: How to Pay, Toll Tags and Costs FAQs

How do you pay tolls in France?

On most French motorways you take a ticket when you join and pay when you leave. At the toll booth (péage), choose a lane that accepts bank cards, cash, or both; Visa and Mastercard work, including contactless on most networks. If you have a toll tag, use the lanes marked with an orange "t" and the barrier opens automatically.

How do I pay French tolls in a right-hand-drive car?

The payment machines are on the left, which is the passenger side in a UK car. Either your passenger pays, you lean across, or you stop, put the handbrake on and get out. A toll tag avoids the problem completely, as the barrier opens without you reaching the machine.

Do I need a toll tag for France?

No, you can pay by card or cash at every toll booth. A tag saves time, avoids the reach across in a right-hand-drive car, and pays barrier-free tolls automatically, so it's worth it for a long trip or if you visit France often.

Which toll tag is best for UK drivers?

Emovis Tag is aimed at UK drivers and bills a UK account. LeShuttle quotes a €20 refundable deposit and a €7 charge only in months you use it, capped at €14 a year. Bip&Go sells a tag for France, Spain, Portugal and Italy for €19.95 a year plus a €10 activation fee. Check current fees with each company before ordering.

How much are tolls in France?

In 2026, Calais to Paris (Roissy) costs €25.20 for a car, Calais to Reims €26.60, Caen to Paris €18.00 and Lyon to Marseille €28.10. LeShuttle puts Calais to Bordeaux at about €92 and Calais to Nice at about €126 each way.

What are barrier-free tolls in France?

Some motorways, including the A13 and A14 between Paris and Normandy, have no toll booths. Cameras read your number plate and you pay online within 72 hours, at a tobacconist using Nirio, or automatically with a tag. Unpaid tolls bring a fine of €90, cut to €10 if you pay within 15 days, rising to €375 after 2 months. The rules apply to UK cars too.

Can you avoid toll roads in France?

Yes. Set your sat nav to avoid tolls and you'll use free national roads, which are slower and go through towns. Several motorways are free too, including the A84 between Caen and Rennes, the A16 between Calais and Boulogne, the A20 between Vierzon and Brive, the A75 apart from the Millau viaduct, and Brittany's main expressways.

What toll class is a car with a caravan in France?

Class 1 if the whole outfit is no higher than 2 metres; above that, it's charged at a higher class. Motorhomes and vans between 2 and 3 metres high and up to 3.5 tonnes are class 2. Motorbikes are class 5.

Are there tolls in Brittany?

No. Brittany's main roads, such as the N12 and N165, are free expressways, and the A84 from Normandy into Brittany is free too.