Fuel Stations
Hello to you all, this is my first post on here 
In September I will be travelling over to France for a month and will be sailing with Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth. My question is are there any caravan friendly fuel stations close to the port which will be easy to navigate with car and caravan my overall train length is just shy of 43'
Thank you for your help 
Moderator Edit:
You don't specify which side of the water you're referring to but, assuming you mean in France, I've moved your post to Overseas Sites and Touring
Comments
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Which port? Ours or theirs? If you are landing at Ouistreham (which they call Caen) the first fuel is a few hundred yards outside the port, on the right. Use the pumps on tne left side nearest the road, the automated pay at the pump ones.
Otherwise go out from a campsite ,ours or theirs, and fill up solo .
Have a good holiday. Stay safe.
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I didn't think there was much difference in the fuel prices either side of the Channel these days? Might it be easier to fill up on the UK side to save the hassle of looking for somewhere on the French side?
David
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You're right David. We didn't bother last time we went to France. Filled up in the UK.
If Jeffrey isn't familiar with French pumps and the language for pay at pumps then it will be easier to check them out without the caravan at his leisure.
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The cheapest fuel in France is generally at the supermarkets and I can’t think of many I have filled up at with the MH that I would have fancied taking our caravan. Therefore much better to fill up here. Perhaps at the large Tesco extra off the M27 opposite Port Solent. Then the OP will be to fill up again solo whist shopping in France.
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We spent June in France this year. Petrol was typically 2.25 Euro/L on the toll roads and 1.80 Euro/L at the supermarkets. The large supermarkets can generally accomodate large caravans.
Colin
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I think Google Street View is a good tool to work out the best fuel stations, whether its here in the UK or in France. Usually the exit is the problem but Street View will give an idea of ease of getting in and out as per Steve's post above.
David
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Not clear which direction you are coming from but there is a Morrisons supermarket just east of the ferry terminal. Google Maps and StreetView should tell you all you need to know.
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Most French supermarket 'pay at the kiosk' have a dog leg exit and are unsuitable for a car and caravan: they're barely useable by shorter motorhomes. The 'pay at the pump' pumps are generaly straight through, but be aware that you'll have the cost of 100 or so litres placed on your account until the actual amount is processed.
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I thought that things had been streamlined for automated fuel pumps.
I know that when I use aMastercard credit card to pay at a pump a computer checks that the card in question actually has enough credit available in case I spend £100 on fuel. But when it finds that the card does have that credit then it only charges me for the smaller amount of fuel I put in. Instantly.
That’s how the Mastercard website describes the procedure and that’s how I find it. I have never found a delay in being charged the correct amount. Perhaps other cards or other banks differ.
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ChasnCath, Please don’t think I was criticising you. Your point about the dog leg chicane to pay at a kiosk in France is absolutely true, and to make things worse the ladies who staff those kioks are often not there. One often has no option in France except to pay at pump. It’s tricky with the instructions in French but newcomers need to learn it.
We had an occasion when a family needing fuel there arrived with cash but the kiosk was closed and the machine would not take cash. They gave me 50 euros and I bought fuel with a card for them.
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I think there is a little bit of confusion about pay-at-the-pump process. The pump checks that your card is OK for a £100 or whatever payment. If it is, you can fill up. If not, you can't. The £100 isn't taken from your account.
I think the situation is slightly different in France, depending on the bank that you use. In my case,the pump checked the card, got the OK and released the pump. I never saw a 100 Euro charge on my statement, just the cost of the fuel that I bought.
I echo the thoughts on Google Maps. I absolutely always check where I think I am going to fill up. That's just common sense isn't it? I should also add that there are websites that will tell you where the cheapest fuel is for most locations. I should add that I'm a bit of a nerd about planning our trips. I can't take the ear ache if something goes wrong!
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Dunclair
My understanding is that the £100 is reserved whilst the transaction goes through the system. It won't appear as being "taken" from your account but it will impact on your available credit. If you have a healthy credit allowance it will probably go unnoticed but if people are close to their credit limit the reserved £100 could make a big difference. I have heard of people having an issue with pre-paid cards where they limit, probably quite sensibly, they amount they have on the card at anyone time.
David
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Like many who have responded here we are regular travellers to France and beyond. We tend to leave UK with a full fuel tank and have used the Tesco's near Portsmouth mentioned earlier with no problems (our outfit is just shy of 12m). Interesting as the discussions re pre authorisation of payment is I have never even noticed it happening and most of the machines see your UK card and give instructions in English, if they don't fairly obvious what to do even with my poor French. Chasncath dead right, ensure any payments are in Euros. Have a lovely trip.
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Last time we were in France in June, we came across a LeClerc fuel station, which didn't take British credit cards. Never come across that before. I don't know if it's the case at all LeClerc fuel stations, but we didn't try another one. Mostly use Total Energies, they're usually competitively priced and are bigger than the supermarkets for getting in and out of.
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Yes, use street view before you go. No problem this year with 7.3m caravan in France and using free app 1-2-3 Fuel which will also give directions. Used over 2000 miles to find cheapest fuel. Easy to find just off toll roads as well if using them. Cheapest fuel in France in diesel not petrol and can be less than the UK.
Worst petrol station for a caravan was Newhaven Sainsbury nextr to the port - never again.
Oh one thing is the way they charge your card - all stations initially took the max amount you are allowed to fill (say 150 euros) and then within 24 hours credit you back for the correct amount. I only realised when i looked at the card statement later.
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Comments regarding cards not being accepted are interesting. In many years travelling in France I have only had Visa and Mastercard credit cards rejected at Carrefour in Pontorson. Have used the same cards at the same fuel station many times before without problem. Went to another Supermarket and no problems. Since COVID I have found many shops and restaurants prefer card payment rather than cash.
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Just catching up with this thread. I use my pre-paid FairFX credit card to pay for everything abroad including 6 refuels of my MoHo on my visit a couple of weeks ago. That included PFS pumps in France, Luxembourg, Germany and Switzerland. Two of the pumps in France were the pay at the pump and no option variety. Again no big problem.
Just one minor problem - the auto PFS at Auchan in Dieppe chose to take payment for the diesel from my sterling balance on the card rather than the Euro balance. I think I had more than 100 Euros on the card at the time but it was my 2nd fill up of the day. I had put circa 83 Euros in earlier that same day. I have emailed FairFX querying that transaction. Maybe it was checking for a balance of say 120 Euros and, not finding it, swapped to Sterling where there was circa £150. I just want to avoid that happening again. I could so easily have exchanged sterling to Euros before that fill up.
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I never really understand why people go through the faff of things like pre-paid cards. I just use my Nationwide Select credit card to pay for everything - no fees or loading and get the current Interbank rate - and a Halifax Clarity for ATM withdrawals. This does incure a slight interest charge if not paid off immediately - a couple of quid for withdrawals of €500 or so - but very convenient.
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I totally agree with Iansoady. I gave up having a pre paid card years ago and use my Halifax Clarity Card. I also carry my Bank Debit Card just in case but have never had to use it in Europe. Note how this discussion has changed from finding a caravan friendly fuel station near Portsmouth to Cards!!!!
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Just to continue the thread drift onto the subject of cards!
Only 2 days ago I had 2 UK visa credit cards refused at a Leclerc filling station in Fougeres. I don't know if it makes any difference but it was a Leclerc Drive, no previous problems at other Leclerc supermarkets.
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