Toll roads in France how to pay. By car in France: unusual signs at intersections, polite drivers and many photo radars

Car rental and rent in France. Which company to choose. What is more profitable: book a car online or upon arrival. Toll roads, gasoline prices, parking, fines and traffic rules in France.

Car rental in France

Russian travelers are actively exploring abroad. Having made a couple of trips around Europe as part of an excursion group, having looked around and emboldened, tourists choose freedom of movement and comfort. In addition, it is much more convenient to explore the country, the castles of the Loire Valley, for example. Therefore, car rental is a service that is in high demand in the EU countries, including France.

Car rental in France

Rent vehicle will be cheaper if you take care of this in advance. By booking a car before the trip, you get the opportunity to compare the rental prices in different companies and choose the best deals. The range of prices sometimes reaches 40%.

In a competitive environment, rental offices often offer favorable conditions. Among them:

a large selection of cars, including premium brands;
high quality of service;
unlimited mileage;
russian language support;
profitable price.

When long term lease the total cost of the service is lower, that is, you will pay less for one day of using the car if you rent it for the entire vacation.

Remember that when placing an order, you have the right to choose not a specific model, but a car category.

To arrange a car rental online, it is enough to perform a few simple steps:

Fill out the booking form, indicating the city of arrival, date and time.
Select the type and class of vehicle.
Don't forget about additional options - navigator, child seat, etc.
Enter personal information, including e-mail and mobile phone number.
Indicate the details of your bank card.
Receive an e-mail voucher confirming your order.

Upon arrival in the country, you present required documents, sign the contract and pick up the car.

Which rental company to choose

Car rental in France is carried out by both large international companies and small local firms. Corporations with offices around the world enjoy the unconditional trust of consumers. A car rented from a company is the most expensive for customers. Hertzalthough the offer looks cheaper when booking online. But on the spot you will be required to pay extra for additional insured events... IN Avis and Sixt prices are an order of magnitude lower.

What distinguishes large companies operating under well-promoted brands is the high level of service:

technical support service works around the clock;
there are no mileage restrictions;
the staff speaks several languages;
a car can be returned at a rental point in another city at no extra charge.

Helpful staff will take into account all your requirements, in reliability legal contract you can be sure. Only minus - high rental cost... Today an economy class car together with insurance will cost you 20-30 euros per day, and for a copy of class C you will have to pay 60-70 euros.

Having studied numerous reviews, Russian tourists often prefer local companies where prices are more favorable - BuzzCar, OuiCar or Drivyand the lease conditions are less severe.

Some companies impose a mileage limit of up to 250 km per day. For exceeding the norm, they will charge you, in our money, from 10 to 15 rubles per kilometer. Therefore, before concluding a contract, you should carefully read the rules of the company. In small, inexpensive offices, it is possible to arrange a lease without a franchise.

Where can I find rental locations?

It couldn't be easier. Arriving at any airport in the country, a car enthusiast can rent a vehicle on the spot and go to the hotel while driving. And if your point of arrival is Charles de Gaulle - the largest airport in France, be prepared that there are many well-known firms will be happy to lend you their car.

Car rental companies take into account the popular destinations of the tourist flow, be it Paris, Nice, Geneva. Along the way, you will definitely meet rental companies, where you can favorable terms to rent a car.

Such offices are often located in the immediate vicinity of hotels. If a guest wants to travel around the country and admire its beautiful landscapes and castles, they will quickly arrange a rental car for you.

What Every Driver Should Know

As in other countries of the European Union, car rental in France is subject to certain conditions. The driver renting the vehicle is at least 21 years old. And in large companies with young man over the age of 21, but under the age of 25, the so-called "young driver's fee" is charged.

There are age restrictions for renting a car with an engine capacity over 1.9 liters. The temporary owner must be 23 years old.

It is possible to rent a car only if your driving experience is more than one year, and you have an international standard certificate.

Another important point: you cannot book a car through a third party with someone else's bank card. If the booking was made by a fellow traveler who does not have a driver's license, the company has the right to refuse to issue a car.

Insurance and additional services

The car rental service includes VAT (20.6%) and standard insurance. In an effort to protect himself from unforeseen situations, the client can take out insurance against accident, theft, damage to the car for a fee.

The CDW option is issued in case of a serious accident. You will not need to compensate for material damage at all, or within the limits of the franchise. You will have to pay extra for using the option from 3 to 7 EUR per day.

The price of insurance directly depends on the class of the car, the age and experience of the driver.

There are times when the renter delays the return of the car. A delay of up to 12 hours will cost him 60% of the daily rate. With a longer absence, you will have to compensate for 100% for every overdue day. The driver is obliged to report the delay, otherwise the company has the right to declare the car on the wanted list.

If there are several drivers in the company of tourists planning to drive a car, it is necessary to notify the lessor about this. Each of them must submit a corresponding set of documents. For the right to drive a rented car, you will have to pay an average of 20 euros.

The driver receives the car with full tank gasoline. According to the rules, he must return it in the same condition, that is, the tank must be full. Otherwise, the calculation will have to reimburse costs that will be higher than the cost of gasoline in France at a gas station.

Ways of payment

Cash is not accepted as payment for rent! It is accepted to pay at rental points only by credit card. In Europe, cards of international payment systems are accepted:

Visa;
Maestro;
MasterCard;
American Express;
PayPal.

The owner of the company may require a certain amount as a deposit, which he will return to your bank card after returning the vehicle.

Toll roads in France

Some highways in the country are toll roads, and a map of toll roads, tunnels and bridges will always come in handy when traveling. To distinguish toll roads France from free easy by special sign of blue color with the letter "A".

The fare directly depends on the class of the car and the distance traveled.

How to pay for travel? There is a barrier and a cash register in front of the paid section, where you can deposit cash or pay with a bank card.

You can find out how much the fare is on special boards located at the entrance. For example, to cross a toll bridge, you will pay from 3 to 10 EUR, the tunnel will cost more - from 40 EUR.

Parking in France

In Europe, it is not customary to leave your car anywhere. The French are law-abiding people and they demand the same from their guests. Parking rules in France are strictly enforced. Parking spaces are marked different colors... If you are not color blind, it will be easy to understand the notation:

parking up to 90 minutes - blue zone;
long-term parking - green;
it is forbidden to stand - red.

Paid parking in France highlighted in white and marked with the familiar “P” sign. The parking lots are equipped with payment terminals detailed instructions... Don't speak foreign languages? Not scary. The inscriptions are accompanied by drawings and icons that even a child can understand.

Traffic rules

The roads in France are so good that it is difficult to keep within the rules and not exceed the speed. But the traffic rules of France do not allow such offenses. All speeding attempts are recorded by security cameras.

The abundance of complex interchanges and the peculiarities of the location of the signs are unusual for Russians. Here they are installed just before the exit from the main road, and it is difficult for the driver to move to the desired lane.

The rest of the rules are the same as in Russia:

right-hand traffic;
mandatory use of safety equipment (belts, child car seats);
conversations on mobile phone only via Bluetooth;
driving with headlights on.

pay attention to speed mode - 50 km / h within the city, 90 km / h outside the city, up to 130 km / h on the highway.

Fines in France for speeding are high:

For incorrect parking you will be charged 40-100 euros, talking on a mobile phone while driving - 35 euros, not wearing a seat belt - 45 euros, and for speeding you will have to pay from 70 to 1500 euros.

How much does gasoline cost in France?

In large cities and on highways, gas stations work around the clock. In the vicinity and small settlements, filling station opening hours are limited - from 8 am to 10 pm.

Now, in March 2018, the price per liter of fuel:

1.51 EUR - gasoline 95;
1.52 EUR - petrol 98;
1.38 EUR - diesel.

Please note that prices for gas stations along highways are higher than in major cities in France. As a rule, they are fully automated, but the queues for them are quite impressive.

So, plan your itinerary, travel around France and have fun!

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Traffic features in France

If you are an avid motorist and are not going to deny yourself the pleasure of driving on the roads of France, then read this section especially carefully.

In France, the total length of roads is approximately 951,500 km, and they are all divided into groups. The prefix in front of the number indicates its purpose and permissible speed limit.
A - highways, permissible speed which should not exceed 130 km / h. There are gas stations on the motorways every 50 km. The main features of this type of road are the absence of pedestrians, traffic lights and the mandatory presence of a concrete dividing strip.
N - national roads, the maximum permissible speed on which should not exceed 90 km / h, and if there is a concrete dividing strip - 110 km / h
D - departmental roads, the permissible speed on which should not exceed 90 km / h
C - communal roads, the permissible speed on which should not exceed 30 km / h.

The city operates maximum limitation speeds up to 50 km / h. Ignoring seat belts is punishable by a fine, as is not wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle, scooter or scooter. You need to pay particular attention to the transportation of children. Availability child seat for transporting a child under 10 years old is mandatory.

Traffic in France, like in Russia, is right-hand. rules road traffic in some cases they are similar to Russian ones. For example, when driving through intersections, the priority is given to the car on the right, unless otherwise specified by the rules. When crossing roads, you need to be especially careful, French drivers have a reputation for being the most careless and undisciplined drivers in Europe, yielding only to Russian, in particular Moscow drivers.

The speed regime in France is not much different from the Russian one. In the absence of signs indicating the recommended speed, you must follow general rules: no higher than 50 km / h - within the city, no higher than 80 km / h - on circuit roads, no higher than 90 km / h - on highways and no higher than 130 km / h - on highways. Specialized dedicated lanes can only be used by route vehicles and cyclists.

If, while driving, you are stopped by a police officer to check your documents, then it is necessary, without leaving the vehicle, upon first request to show the policeman a driver's license, an insurance policy, which is mandatory, and documents for the car.

Main fuels

The main type of automotive fuel in France is gasoline (AI-95, AI-98), average price which is 1.50-1.80 euros per liter. Diesel fuel is also popular.

Parking spaces available

Parking zones within the city differ in terms of the permitted parking time and are color-coded:
- "blue zone": a short-term parking zone, the maximum allowed parking time on which is one and a half hours;
- "green zone": a long-term parking zone where parking time is not limited;
- "red zone": an area where parking is prohibited.
Be careful, for violation of parking rules you will be immediately fined.

To place a vehicle in the parking lot, you must purchase a parking ticket at a special terminal located near the parking lot, as well as at the tourist office, in the garage where the car was rented, or at the nearest tobacco shop. The coupon fits under windshield, and must remain there throughout the entire stay.

Underground parking is also common in cities in France, the cost of which ranges from 1.5 to 5 euros per hour. The device of paid underground parking resembles a device underground parking popular hypermarkets in Moscow and large cities of Russia. On the left in front of the barrier there is an automatic machine, after pressing the appropriate button you will be given a ticket with a time stamp of entry. You need to pay for parking in a special automatic payment terminal. Paying machines for parking are usually located on every floor near the elevators. You can pay in cash or by credit card. The time of leaving the parking lot is no more than 15 minutes after payment. You must be in time, otherwise you will not be able to leave the parking area. We'll have to go back and pay for a few more minutes of stay in the parking lot.

Necessity to pay road tax

In addition to public roads, the use of which is free for both residents and guests of the country, there are toll roads in France. To get to them, you need to pass the car turnstile, which, just like in the paid underground parking, will give you a ticket with a stamp about the time of entering the road, you will need it when leaving the paid section. You must follow the coupon carefully and in no case lose it! If you lose your ticket, you will have to pay the highest price according to the tariff plan of the section of the toll road that you are passing. There are two ways to pay for the toll road. Payment is accepted, depending on the type of road, either by employees on a certain section of the road, or by automatic payment terminals, where you must first place the previously issued coupon, and then the amount necessary and sufficient to make the payment.
Here are the approximate prices for toll roads:
- "Nice - Paris" - 74.1 euros;
- Lyon - Paris - 33.9 euros;
- Bordeaux - Paris - 53.9 euros.

The procedure for acquiring a compulsory insurance policy

Availability insurance policy, or a green card, which is an international model of insurance policy, will protect you from expenses in the event of a road traffic accident, up to reimbursement full cost car. In the absence of such, the responsibility lies entirely with the culprit of the accident. In addition, you will also have to pay a fine for the lack of insurance.

Possibility to use a national Russian driver's license

As for the driving license obtained in Russia, it will be valid for a year from the moment of entry into the territory of France. After a year, you must contact the district prefecture (police prefecture) and exchange the Russian driver's license for a French one. If you are planning a short stay in France, then you do not need to worry about it. However, if you are traveling on own car, it is necessary to issue a technical passport of an international standard before leaving. At the same time, you can also voluntarily take out insurance against theft of a vehicle, intentional actions of third parties, natural disasters, etc. This will protect you from unforeseen expenses.

Car rent

If you are planning to rent a car, you must have an international driving license with at least 3 years of driving experience. The age of the driver who intends to rent a vehicle must be over 21 years old, but less than 60 years old. Some companies have raised the bottom bar for drivers to 26. Some car models require one or two credit cards... The rental price varies depending on the car brand you choose and its age. The older the vehicle is, the less you will have to pay for its rental. The cost of car rental does not include payment for gasoline. If you want to rent a luxury car, be prepared for a deposit, the amount of which is also determined by the class and make of the car.
The rent, regardless of the chosen brand and model, includes:
- unlimited mileage;
- insurance against various types of damage;
- insurance against theft;
- airport tax;
- road toll;
- VAT: 20.6%.
If you rent a car for more than 3 days, you can leave it at any car pick-up point in the country.

From July 1, 2016, entry to the center of Paris is restricted! To enter the center on weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00, you must purchase an environmental sticker of the corresponding category.

Traveling on your own in a rented car in France is an opportunity to feel its unique charm and character, without squeezing yourself into the strict framework of the tourist route. Renting a car gives you the freedom and the chance to enjoy the beautiful views of the Loire Valley, the famous vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux. In one vacation, you can have time to ride from southern to northern France along your personalized path.

In French, "car rental" sounds like "louer une voiture", and it is advisable to make your reservation in advance. It must be remembered that the class of the vehicle is selected at the request of the customer, but the availability of a certain brand cannot be guaranteed. The approximate cost of category C rental varies from 200 to 300 euros per day, budget cars - from 70 euros.

The quality of French roads is high. Travelers have special routes to avoid traffic jams. They are periodically formed even on paid sites. Gas stations and service points, upon request, will give the tourist a card free of charge highways... The most unfavorable time for a trip to France is the beginning and end of August - a hot holiday season, as well as the time before the weekend when leaving the capital and Sunday evening at the entrance to it.

Car rental search

List of documents, insurance

Those who decide to ride this amazing country on their own need to have international driving license and credit cards with them. The driver must be 21 years old, and when choosing some categories of cars - 23 years, driving experience cannot be less than 12 months. In well-known large companies, it is customary to additionally charge an “age fee” for citizens under 25 years of age.

Traditionally, rental prices include unlimited mileage, vehicle damage insurance and tax. Additional options is the possibility of installing a seat for a child and insurance against theft. The client receives a fully fueled car and is obliged to return it also with a full fuel tank... If the rent is made on long term (at least three days), the car can be returned in another city at the end of the trip. This option is most often paid separately, but it is also free, you need to check with the rental office.

Traffic regulations in France

Conscientious observance of traffic rules by drivers is ensured by a large number of radars, while warning signs are completely absent. Special navigator options that allow detecting the location of monitoring cameras should be blocked. The use of detectors warning of the danger of radars along the route is completely prohibited.

Dipped headlights during daylight hours must be switched on only when driving through a tunnel passage and in conditions that prevent normal visibility. If you are on a secondary road and must let other road users pass, the following signs in French may signal this: "Vous n'avez pas la priorité" or "Cédez Le Passage", however, they are duplicated by the traditional and familiar red and white triangles ...

Small passengers under 10 years old are transported strictly on back seat in a special chair, also a chair or booster is required for children weighing less than 18 kg. All passengers, including the driver, must be secured with seat belts, non-compliance with this rule entails a fine of 135 euros. In France, there is an unspoken statement: no matter what happens, the pedestrian is right.

Speed \u200b\u200blimits in Napoleon's country are similar to those in Russia: when driving through a settlement, no more than 50 km. per hour, beyond it from 90 to 110 km. at one o'clock. There are rigid speed limits on the motorway: no less than 80 km and no more than 130 km. at one o'clock.

In order to be able to answer phone calls, the cellular device must be equipped with special equipment that allows you to keep both hands free.

It is important to remember that in accordance with French law, the concentration of alcohol in the blood is 0.05%, exceeding it up to 0.08% will result in a fine of 135 euros. A more significant degree of intoxication, as well as refusal to pass the appropriate test, can result in a three-year deprivation of a driver's license, a fine of up to 4.5 thousand euros, or a two-year term of imprisonment.

If you become the culprit of an accident while intoxicated, which led to the infliction of grievous bodily harm, the punishment will be a fine of up to 10 thousand euros and 2 years in prison.

Together with the rented car, you should be given emergency signs and vests that reflect headlights in the dark, a pharmacy kit and a fire extinguisher. In addition, all drivers, without exception, must take care of the availability of a disposable alcohol tester to check before the trip, if necessary, its absence is fraught with a fine of 11 euros.

Fines in France

Traffic inspectors have the authority to collect fines on the spot. Do not try to "negotiate" or enter into an argument with a representative of the law, such behavior can cost you dearly and ultimately ruin your trip.

Driving at a prohibited speed is punishable by a fine from 135 to 30,000 euros, parking in the wrong place - 135 euros, driving without wearing seat belts - 135 euros, low beam - 135 euros, driving while intoxicated - 4500/9000 euros, lack of a special vest - about 90 euros. The table with penalties is on the page.

Toll roads in France

Payment for individual roads marked with the letter “A” on a blue background varies depending on the length of the path and the vehicle chosen. The set fee is displayed on the monitor at the beginning of the paid section, it can be paid both in cash and by credit card.

Bridges and tunnels, for the ability to travel through which you must pay:

tunnel Mont blanc, 11.6 km long. It connects the French city of Chamonix, located in the Alps, and the Italian Courmayeur, which is popular with fans of alpine skiing. Presd on passenger car one way will cost € 44.40. It should be borne in mind that the cost of travel through the tunnel from the French and Italian sides is different.
another famous tunnel Frejusconnecting the two countries, its length is almost 13 km. Entry fee - € 44.40, in both directions - € 55.40.
tunnel Puymorens on the E9 motorway between Toulouse and Barcelona. Travel - 6.80 euros.
tunnel Maurice-lemaire located between Nancy and Freiburg on the N159. Travel - 6.10 euros.
viaduct Millau, length 2, 5 km. The fare is from 8.30 euros;
normandy bridge... The fare is 5.40 euros;
tancarville bridge... The fare is about 2.60 euros;
re island bridge - 8 euros.
famous tunnel under the English Channel length 51 km. There are three types of tickets: travel within a 2-day return - from 23 euros, within a 5-day return - from 59 euros, a standard ticket - from 79 euros.

Examples of prices for travel on some roads:

A1 Paris - Lille (221 kilometers) 16.60 euros
A2 Comble - border with Belgium (62 kilometers) 3.90 euros
A4 Paris - Strasbourg (489 kilometers) € 38.80
A5 Paris - Langres (288 kilometers) € 18.30
A6 Paris - Lyon (465 kilometers) 34.80 euros
A7 Lyon - Marseille (315 kilometers) € 24.70
A8 La Far-Les-Olivier - border with Italy (240 kilometers) 23.60 euros
A9 Orange - border with Spain (270 kilometers) 24.10 euros
A10 Paris - Bordeaux (571 kilometers) 55.60 euros
A11 Sainte-Arnoux-en-Yvelines - Nantes (326 kilometers) € 37
A13 Paris - Caen (221 km) € 15.50
A16 Paris - Dunkirk (261 km) € 20.90
A26 Trois - Calais (376 kilometers) € 33.70
A28 Abbeville - Tour (400 kilometers) 37 euros
A31 Beaune - Luxembourg (338 kilometers) € 19.20
A39 Dijon - Bourque-en-Bresse (146 kilometers) 11.60 euros
A40 Macon - Mont Blanc Tunnel (202 kilometers) 22.30 euros
A43 Lyon - border with Italy (185 kilometers) € 24.20
A63 Sal - Saint-Geur-de-Marin (66 kilometers) 3.60 euros

The fare for toll roads in France can be calculated using the fr.mappy.com service

Gasoline and filling stations

In France, 95th, 98th gasoline and diesel are most common. At the same time, gas stations outside the cities operate around the clock, but fuel is much more expensive.

Prices different types gasoline in France as of March 2017:

Sans Plomb 95-E10 - € 1.461
Sans Plomb 95 - € 1.483
Sans Plomb 98 - € 1.545
Gazole - € 1.395
GPL - € 0.861

Usually, the parking lot on the street is graphically divided into several zones: blue for short-term parking of the vehicle, green for long-term parking, and red, where it is prohibited to leave a car. The "P" designations are used to highlight the paid parking area. The most problematic is to find a place for your car in the capital and in resting places on the Cote d'Azur.

The fine for violation of the parking rules is 17 euros.

Possibility of short-term parking

Additionally, for a short period of time, you can leave the vehicle in specially designated places for short-term parking. They can be easily identified by the bright markings on the roads, sometimes control over the observance of the established time limit (15-30 minutes) by drivers is carried out using electronic equipment. It effectively performs its functions by sending SMS to the dispatching service in case of exceeding the time spent by the car in the parking lot. This system makes it possible to ensure the availability of vacant places in the busiest parts of the city.

In France, the mayor may temporarily prohibit parking at certain times of the day or decide to limit the parking time in the territory under his control. The corresponding order obliges the owner of a parked vehicle to install a "parking disc" under the front glass in the line of sight for supervising employees, on which the time when he left the car is recorded.

The appearance and parameters of the disc were installed in 2007 and are an exact copy of the standards that have been officially distributed in the rest of Europe since 1979. A year later, the signs responsible for establishing the boundaries of the parking lot also changed. So, if the road sign is provided with numbers 1-15 or 16-31, on these days (from 1 to 15 or from 16 to 31 of the month) a long stop in this area is prohibited.

Car parking outside of settlements

When traveling in France in your rented vehicle, you should be aware that when driving out of settlements, you can stop it on the side of the road in the direction of travel. An exception is the sections with a solid line, signaling the ban on parking.

On motorways, parking and stopping are carried out in strictly designated areas; on highways with two-way traffic, the driver may be allowed to park on the opposite side if specially designated places in the direction of travel are occupied. Such a maneuver is permissible only in the absence of a continuous strip prohibiting crossing the route. As a rule, this is one lane in each direction.

In France, there is the concept of "dangerous parking or stopping", it means parking a car in an area inaccessible to the visibility of other road users. This definition includes a stop near an intersection, on an uphill, near a railway crossing or a winding turn. This offense belongs to the highest category, the traveler who committed it risks paying a large fine.

An abandoned car should not cause inconvenience to pedestrians crossing the road. It is strictly forbidden for those in the car to open the doors if such manipulations can pose a real threat to the life and health of road users.

The vehicle owner has the right to park it after being absolutely sure that he has done everything necessary to minimize the risks of an accident during his absence. A car left on the roadside for a period of more than seven days is recognized as being parked in violation of the established rules and is sent to a special parking lot.

In France, traffic rules prohibit parking near a fire hydrant to ensure timely access emergency services at the onset emergency... In the absence of free seats, it is allowed to park the car in the second lane, if this does not prevent other drivers from passing and does not force them to cross the continuous dividing strip.

The most common amounts of fines for parking in the wrong place are 35 (minimum) and 135 (maximum) euros, however, late payment threatens to increase them several times.

For drivers who have violated the parking rules, there are several convenient payment methods. The traditional way is by wire transfer at a bank branch; online payment at amendes.gouv.fr, as well as an interesting option - buying fiscal stamps at kiosks, sticking them on special coupons and sending them to regulatory authorities.

A car parked in violation of the rules receives a fine, an hour later - a second, and then can be evacuated. Leaving a car in the wrong place, do not forget that you will have to pick it up from the parking lot.

So life has developed that I now live in the west of Germany. It was a sin not to take the opportunity to evaluate European roads and what it is - a European road trip. Despite the fact that almost anywhere in Europe you can fly cheaply and quickly by plane (with budget Ryanair or Wizzair), it was decided to go somewhere by car from the very beginning. Where? The main thing is that it is far away, sea and warm, many friends speak well of Barcelona - we are heading to Spain! There - 1360 kilometers endless toll autobahns, back - 1,500 kilometers of European country roads ... Let's go!

Part 0. Car rental.

Our (me, @ lit-katya and 2 more people) criteria when searching for a car were as follows:
1. Size - golf class
2. Manual transmission only
3. Desirable diesel
4. Minimum surcharge for a second driver and full comprehensive insurance
5. Unlimited mileage

There were many options on the websites of rental offices (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt), but after we personally went to all offices, it turned out that only Avis has an unlimited car for these dates, and with the smallest surcharge for a co-driver. The rent cost 300 euros for 5 days, later they added 7 euros per day for the navigator (not in vain).
The fact that there were no unlimited cars in other offices at that moment does not mean anything - in the summer they took them to Hertz, so you have to ask everything.

Part 1. Preparation.
Part 1.1. Accommodation
To find accommodation, I first tried the airbnb website, where you can find an apartment relatively inexpensively (they decided it would be better than a hotel). On the site full description apartments, photos, reviews. There were a lot of offers and very different ones, they chose near the center and were cheaper. Total: 2 our rooms in a three-room apartment in the center of Barcelona for 187 euros for four people for three days (the site charges 23 euros). The only payment feature on this site is to pay only by card (Visa, Mastercard) or PayPal. I didn’t know this and got used to the system used for example by booking.com - a card is needed for booking, cash payment upon departure. The card had 70 euros (and there was no opportunity to put money on it - the card was Russian), and 4 days before the trip, a notification about unsuccessful attempt withdraw money from the card ... Nobody had a Visa card with the required amount, so I began hastily to open a Paypal account and link it to a bank account in a German bank. Since it was a weekend, money did not come to me for a long time and an angry letter has already come from airbnb that if there is no money by the end of the day, the reservation will be canceled. Tuesday - no money, Wednesday morning - departure. I wrote them a letter, asked them to wait one day and not cancel the reservation, in the end, at 4 in the morning before leaving, I transferred money to them from PayPal and everything worked.

Part 1.2. Road

Everything is standard here - we looked at how Google Maps laid the shortest route, checked with viamichelin.com:
Bonn, Trier, Luxembourg, Dijon, Lyon, Barcelona. The latter site also has a convenient function for calculating the cost (gasoline + toll roads) and calculating the time. By the way, it turned out exactly as much as he showed. But with toll roads, I burst out - I did not pay attention to the site for 85 euros for toll roads (toll roads), but I myself was sure that the toll is purely symbolic and there will be few toll sections ...

Part 1.3. They do not look at a given horse's teeth.
I thought that most likely they would give us Focus or Golf, of which there are thousands on the streets, in extreme cases Astra. But we were immediately told that the diesel was not found, so gasoline. Hopes to save on fuel were finally lost when we saw a dazzling white Seat Leon in the "sporty" performance of FR on the street.

Engine 1.4 TSI 140 mares, 6-speed gearbox, wheels 225 \\ 45 \\ 17, lowered roof at the rear, small trunk and other attributes of a "lighter". The mileage is 2000 kilometers, so we were one of the first. The navigation is built-in and I even wanted to start arising about the surcharge of 7 euros per day for this navigation, and what would have happened if they had not ordered it, but soon there was an SD card with maps in the glove compartment, without which navigation did not work.
The salon turned out to be more spacious and more comfortable than it seemed from the outside - with my height of 194, out of habit, I pushed the chair all the way back and could not fully squeeze the clutch. I had to move closer, sinking the steering wheel - the long-travel clutch, in my opinion, is a problem for all VAGs. The equipment was one of the complete: dual-zone climate, navigation, cruise control, parking sensors front and rear, four adjustments of the driver's and passenger seats, a start-stop system, a lane tracking system, a tire pressure monitoring system.
I don’t know how many grams of gasoline the start-stop system can save, which turns off the engine at every stop (and starts when the clutch pedal is depressing), and allows the light and climate to work, but for 4 kilometers in a completely non-plug Bonn, it turned off the engine 15 times. Probably, I'm old-fashioned, but I was always taught that the starter will not be delighted with such actions, and how the battery will withstand all this, let it go at -20 on the Moscow Ring Road in a 2-hour traffic jam. I'm even interested in how actively this option is used in Russia. But be that as it may, the system can be turned off and precious gasoline burned by running the engine at idle speed.

Part 2. The road there
The departure was scheduled for 5 am, 5.15 am - we started. Easily and naturally we got to Luxembourg, and there France appeared, the first paid section began. On toll roads the limit is 130, we were traveling 137 on a cruise (exactly 3000 rpm on the 6th). By the way, the thing, of course, is convenient (the first time I traveled with one), but there was a feeling that I was not driving the car. You sit, hold the steering wheel, talk, listen to music, unpleasant sensations arose from the absence of a brake pedal next to your right foot - probably a matter of habit. After 300 kilometers of the toll road, we began to think about how much it would cost. As a result, the first section is 30 euros. We were a little shocked, and then after 1 kilometer the second toll section began .. As a result, we drove all over France on toll roads.

Endless French and Spanish deserted autobahns.

Every 20-30 kilometers there are large complexes with gas station, free toilets, shops and coffee. By the way, with a tank volume of 55 liters (and probably all 60 fit) and a consumption of around 5.9 liters, Leon has a good range, we needed stops more often than a car :) As a result, by 7 pm we were approaching Barcelona, \u200b\u200bwhich met with traffic jams , 5 lane roads to the entrance and kuuuuchey of mopedists and motorcyclists. In general, the traffic in this city is rather nervous, the driving style is not German at all (hot southern guys, yeah). I read horror stories of reviews that motorcyclists grab bags from the cars of tourists, pierce the wheels and follow you while you change and they rob you there .. But since half of Barcelona moves in Seat "ah, we merged with the crowd, we must have been mistaken for our own. I thought that parking was bad in Moscow. But when we drove up to "our" house ... It is absolutely impossible to become at all, neither on the emergency gang, nor the second row .. And a bunch of one-way streets makes a search parking space a particularly fun process. As a result, the car stood for 2 days where we left it, since it is 10 minutes by metro to the center (10 tickets for 10 euros) ..
Total: 1380 kilometers, average speed 108 km / h, consumption 6.0 (at the entrance to Barcelona it was 5.9), which I think is not bad at all, considering the speed of 120-140 on most roads ... Still, something in these tSI engines there is. Or maybe good aerodynamics influenced. I just remembered from my Fiesta that as soon as the speed exceeded 110, the consumption began to grow.

Part 3. There.

From what we liked - Mount Tibidabo (incredibly beautiful view from above and a mesmerizing temple at the very top), Park Guell, the whole center, a boat trip (1.5 hours for 12 euros for a student, 15 without) and, of course, the sea and beach:)

Gas station in the city center as an extension to the house

Downtown Barcelona - wide streets and a bunch of two-wheelers

In such cities, you understand the beauty of small cars.

How about a cart with rear disc brakes?

The brakes are not ventilated - probably not the Sport edition of the horse.

On the streets there are rare cars in our area

Ride and be happy - like all Europeans, Spaniards love bicycles

The night sea is incomparable

Subaru is not the same!

Parallel parking with gaps of half a meter? Easy!

And I am kefir! For a long time they tried to understand what this sign on the store means - in Spanish "milk" Leche, in English Milk. Bait for Russian tourists? :)

Boat trip - how pleasant it is to breathe the sea air!

A dream come true - we saw a large cruise ship up close

They wanted to climb the mountain by car, and on the way back to the park - they were in the same direction from the house. But then, frightened of either traffic jams, or the lack of parking, or decided to save money - but it was a stupid decision. First by metro, then by bus, then by the so-called "funicular" - although it is difficult to call a funicular something like a tram that climbs the mountain on the rails. This 5-minute pleasure costs 11 euros. So it turns out that a trip for four - almost 50 euros, by car would obviously be cheaper, and faster.

Breathtaking view from the mountain

And when I saw the road to the mountain, my heart completely began to bleed ...
"I never traveled along winding roads," I thought, not knowing what awaited us on the way back ...

Part 4. The road back

Paying 80 euros for the road back on the Autobahns was not part of our plans, and we also wanted to change the boring and monotonous driving on the Autobahns for something more exciting. I read a couple of reviews about free roads in France, from "everything is bad, a lot of radars, a lot of roundabouts, permanent settlements, restrictions, lack of gas stations, spend more on gasoline, after 3 hours I went back to the autobahn" to "the beauty is indescribable, cannot be compared with driving on high-speed roads, you can see a lot of interesting, true Europe ". But in all the reviews they said that without a navigator there was nothing to even try. What turned out to be true in the end? Both the first and the second at the same time. I checked - the clever navigator Leon "a has the option" Avoid toll roads ". We drive in the route, calculate ... and we get a little more than 20 hours on the way back (instead of 14). Only driving. Distance 100 kilometers further. Collected advice, decided I decided to leave at 10 in the morning, go to dark for free, then go to the autobahn, according to calculations it turned out that it was 17 hours to go and pay about 30 euros - golden mean, generally. We left Barcelona at about 10.40, and immediately at the entrance to France we turned onto a free road. In all settlements (it was often difficult to name it as cities) the limit is 50, in places 30 with speed bumps, the first 20 kilometers of roundabouts were every 1.5 kilometers, outside settlements - 90. What is 90 on modern car on a good road? Just distracted - 105. Speed \u200b\u200bmode tried to maintain up to +10 km / h on the speedometer. But the road is very picturesque and picturesque - landscapes that cannot be seen from any autobahn, cars, people, everything else.

Nice, slow and long

Typical French village and beauty Alfa romeo Giulietta.
Tall road bridges overhead

Even the gas stations are different - we stopped at one along the way, there was no one, the window was closed, there were no signs. Dinner? Output? We decided to make a detour for a couple of kilometers and call Total (found by the navigator) - the same story. After a couple of tens of kilometers we drove past a large shopping center with a gas station. Since the situation with gas stations seemed tense, I decided to refuel, although there was still half a tank. There is a credit card machine right at the petrol station. When I started to learn how to refuel with cash, it turned out that I couldn't. Okay, where ours did not disappear - I take out a Visa card of a Russian bank and ... it does not work. I don’t know what the problem was, but later I heard that it was not only me who didn’t pay with a Russian card. Well, let's go further. More and more wonderful and more wonderful :) Then the road more and more went into the mountains ... and the serpentine began. A lot and a long time. I didn’t regret at all that we went uphill in Barcelona by public transport! I switched the mode from economical to Sport (see part 5. Auto) and raced. We forget about the 6th gear, the revs are higher - the descents came across long and steep enough with a warning to brake the engine. And all this against the backdrop of stunning mountains, cozy villages and a mesmerizing view of tall car bridges. In general, I got a lot of pleasure, the passengers also liked it - only the first 2 hours. In the end, I arrived at 9 pm. And to the house is still almost 800 kilometers, the average speed is only 73 .. As a result, we decided not to rush along the night serpentines, especially since the girl got behind the wheel - we turn off the option of bypassing toll roads in the navigator, recalculate the route and after 2 minutes we find ourselves on a paid section. The 130 speed seems unusually high, the roads are unusually wide, the turns are unusually smooth :)
The next time I got behind the wheel at half past midnight, after 2 hours we were already in Germany, on the endless autobahns. Here I sometimes got impudent and accelerated to 150. But this is an extreme and unnecessary risk. But it is quite safe to maintain speed 130. Another extremely useful feature was discovered - when driving for more than 1 minute at a speed of more than 110, the beam of the low beam rises, which is really noticeable and convenient - because even on the German Autobahn it was not always possible on the far one - then someone will overtake you (yes, at night , yes, at a speed of 140), then the oncoming flow becomes close. Then the navigator took it into his head to lead us on a short march - not like we were going there. It seems to me that I have chosen an option in the preferred route (minimum by distance, minimum by time, optimal by two criteria). As a result, 60 kilometers to the house, arrival time in an hour. What? This is Germany, what the hell is it! At 5 o'clock in the morning, it starts to get light, you just want to get there. We turn off the autobahn and find ourselves on an ordinary country winding road. And then Seat decided to please us - a warning lights up on the main screen and that the right front wheel deflated. The steering wheel does not pull anywhere, there is no noise, but still I stop.

Bonn is 50 kilometers away, there is no one around, there is no spare wheel, only a compressor and a repair kit. But everything worked out - the wheel did not look and feel the same, it was a false alarm :) The warning burned until the very end, the car was handed over .. As a result, we were at home at 6 am - the road took 20 hours of fascinating and unforgettable experience.

Part 5. Auto

They wanted a diesel to save on fuel, but they were 100 percent satisfied with the car, quite suitable for fast travel on good roads. For good - because even on insignificant irregularities by Russian standards, the car trembled with its entire body and transferred everything to the salon. I have always been a fan of large-liter low-powered engines, but this engine, coupled with 6-speed mechanics, left such a good impression (thrust, consumption) that I would be ready to change my beliefs, if not for doubts about reliability and resource.
Available with 140 hp engine (like ours) and more powerful is the ability to choose a profile:
Part 6. Money

Accommodation: 187 euros (4 people, 3 days)
Auto:
rent: 300 euros
petrol: 272 euros (175 liters, 2900 kilometers, all-time average 6.03)
toll roads: 120 euros
Total for each car: 173 euros

Thank you all for your attention, if you have any questions - ask!

A separate post has matured on the roads of France. It seems like something to write about them, roads, and roads ... But when you make a circle around France, you want to talk about it and share all the beauty that we saw from the car.

First of all, I confess, and in general we had such a long road trip for the first time, so we did not take into account a lot, did not know much. For example, that moving more than 300-500 km a day is very stressful, even when there are two drivers. And driving in such a rhythm is not at all comfortable at all. That is, you can, but you absolutely don't want to. And having exchanged the first thousand kilometers from, we relaxed and drove quite a bit during the day, while not reaching the right place. Complicating this situation and the fact that the roads of France simply need to photograph a lot, and for this either stop or catch frames from the window. There are so many unimaginable landscapes around!

The latter became sometimes just a problem. Nobody wanted to get behind the wheel, everyone wanted to look out of the window at the beauty passing by and take photographs. Although sometimes it was possible to combine.

We deliberately traveled on free roads, but not to save money (with gas prices, this is doubtful), but to see France, to see its mountains and plains, as well as stone houses in small towns. On the Autobahn all this is not, or flies very quickly.

Another indisputable plus of the secondary roads of France is the opportunity to spend the night in a tent. Sometimes, however, you have to spend a little time looking for a place. Once we spent the night in one single island of pine trees in the middle of bare and endless fields.

The roads of France are good because they are not monotonous - you drive along the plain, then the mountains begin. And sometimes you come into such a jungle at all, what do you think, and do they go here at all. We once drove up some high mountain, one lane only, around a solid wall of trees and not a soul. Doubts were dispelled only by good asphalt and the navigator persistently showing the direction.

Sometimes not only landscapes changed, but also climatic zones. You go, the sun shines, the grass turns green, just that the swallow does not fly in the canopy, and then bam! Winter has begun, everything around is like a black and white movie, snowdrifts and ice on the road. And then we have summer tires ...

Most of all love in France is spinning, that is, roundabouts. Their darkness is simply dark. Naturally, we are not talking about the autobahns, which are direct and fast ...

Curiosite de Lauriole - an energetic place

French friends told us about a mysterious place on one of the secondary roads in the south of France. More precisely, the road itself was this most magical place, where energy lines converge and diverge, and magnetism rolls over. The bottom line is that the car itself drives up the hill. Since we were almost on the way, we could not miss this phenomenon.

And indeed everything turned out to be so! And the wizard of the emerald city, could envy such miracles. The car, which is not started, drives up the hill by itself! Hooray! And this is contrary to all the laws of physics!

All but one - optical. After 15 minutes of delight and hooting, and after everyone rolled down the hill, we noticed that this was just an optical illusion. The road at a very slight slope still goes down, not up, although visually the opposite is true.

Features of French drivers

After Germany, it seemed to us for a moment that we were in Russia. They overtake, cut, turn signals do not always turn on, there are a lot of racers, pedestrians are running to red. In fact, of course, not everything is so terrible, but there are violations, either because of French carelessness, or Arab culture has entered tightly into the masses.

Roads of France - just a photo

Well, just photos ...