Motorhomes just over 3m high and french tolls

We used to have an Autotrail at just over 3m and 3850kg, we used the Toll roads extensively and found that almost all the automated toll booths charged us Classe 2, many of the manned booths did too, only occasionally they charged Classe 3, Pont de Normandie is one I recall specifically.  Where possible we only use automated booths. 

We are also just over 3m and I have found that as the tolls are managed by different companies in the differernt regions, the class that you fall into also differs.

I can't remeber the breakdown by region, but we were class 3 in some regions and class 2 in others. 

We always used the automatic booths. From what I could see, there are infra red beams that are broken as you pass through and this will determine the class that you are in. 

Just been to Playa Joyel and our friends who were with us applied for a Sanef tag before we left but told they could not get one-Autotrail Mohican- and were chrged Class 3 on some, but not all, occaisions.

This is the question I asked Sanef in Harrogate:

"Can you advise if a motorhome which is listed by the manufacturer as being just over 3 metres high (say 3.03 or 3.07) mainly to allow for the height of a TV aerial would be identified by the automated barrier systems as a Class 2 or a Class 3 vehicle?"

This is their reply:

"The majority of tolls would read the vehicle as Class 3 as it is above 3 metres. Another company http://www.eurotoll.fr/en/home provide tags for class 3

Yours sincerely,

Customer Services Sanef Tolling Ltd"

Are there height barriers at French/spanish tolls? (By this I mean like bars set at a certain height similar to that outside multi storey car parks for example that prevent certain heights going through? 

On French autoroutes, only  on the 30kph car only lanes.

I suspect the quoted height is with no load. By the time you have filled the water & loaded I would imagine you will be within the 3M limit.

We are just over 3M at the back by the time we have loaded we are under. 1 other thing approach the toll booth slowly, it's surprising how much the rear rises under braking

Most N roads in France are tedious. Constant slowing down for small villages, roundabouts etc. and often very restricted stopping places. We prefer the fastest route possible to areas that we actually want to explore so the Autoroutes are brilliant. Plenty of stopping places; even overnight on occasions. I’m sure some of our motorhomes have been just over the 3m but using the tag we have never been billed Class 3.

All you want to know about motorways/autoroutes, and more in Europe can be found >here<

Weight in motion sensors (WIMS) have been introduced in this country and are beginning to be introduced on the Continent. Some believe they do exist on the French autoroutes  but I have not seen any evidence to confirm this.

My motorhome is well over 3.5 tons and 3 meters in height and I accept that on French autoroutes I will always be charged at Cat 3 rates at auto toll stations.

peedee

My MH is 2.89m in height, it is only the aerial that takes it to 3.05m & has never affected the charges at tolls in EU.