France fuel strikes

[IJWS15]

We found out after half a day in Calais and are touring northern France for the next few days. Haven’t seen significant queue but when we did get diesel the pump stopped at 40 litres.

Would suggest filling up before crossing.

[Scrump]

Good suggestion.
There is a bit more info here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[belfry]

We're off to France next week in a pretty thirsty car. I wondered if anyone had actual, first hand experience of the situation there?

The media in the UK have not covered this issue for Brits heading to France, and the web based euro sites focus too much on individual cases of a nurse who couldn't get to work.

Has anyone got any experience of this please?

[Glosphil]

According to a friend who returned to UK from Cahors last week there was no problem in that region but there was in northern France. Diesel availability worse than petrol.

[Carbon Sasquatch]

belfry said:

We're off to France next week in a pretty thirsty car. I wondered if anyone had actual, first hand experience of the situation there?

The media in the UK have not covered this issue for Brits heading to France, and the web based euro sites focus too much on individual cases of a nurse who couldn't get to work.

Has anyone got any experience of this please?

I drove from southern France to the UK visa the tunnel last week - towing a large trailer so fuel economy not great.

Availability wasn't a huge problem as far as I could tell - I filled up before I set off and stopped a couple of times en-route (at about half full) and filled up again. There were a few motorway services that were out of diesel - I assume they were out as there fire was showing as all zeros. However, travel a it further and others were fine.

A lot can change in a week, but I'd suggest a similar strategy - start with a full tank & top up at sensible intervals without ever running too low.

[belfry]

We have been reading too much web based content on this! Reports of 20 litre rationing etc.

The lack of clarity has led to us looking at a non france route to Turin. But being able to drive through France would save several hours of travel time. I would prefer to stick to E5 unleaded if I can.

Many thanks for the first hand reports from PHers. Please keep them coming as they are like gold dust right now.

[omniflow]

I was in France from 6th Oct - 11th Oct - in the Charente region. I filled up when I was there at LeClerc.

I had zero awareness of this issue until I returned to the UK. I didn't notice any closures or queues on either the way down or the way back.

[LimaDelta]

Police at the nearest three petrol stations to me (SoF). The others all closed.

[belfry]

LimaDelta said:

Police at the nearest three petrol stations to me (SoF). The others all closed.

Thanks for the update from today. Quite a worrying situation for travellers.

[TheLurker]

I'll be driving down to the alps this time next month for a long weekend. It doesn't sound all that horrendous over there at the moment, and hopefully it will have all blown over by then.

Worse case I'll bung a few jerry cans in the boot to keep us going. Probably not legal on the tunnel though...

[seefarr]

We drove back from Switzerland (via Champagne) over the last two days and it was fine. There were signs up on the autoroute before each fuel station letting you know if they didn't have a particular fuel or if the station after didn't have something. Most of the missing fuel seemed to be diesel (gazole) with a only a couple of missing 98 (S.P.98).

My 21MPG V8 was well fed the whole way.

[pjv997]

I came through the West of France on Monday and Tuesday on the way back from the Algarve and filled up a couple of times.

We stopped for a rest near Calais and got chatting with another Brit who asked if we’d had issues with the fuel. First I’d heard of it and he had no issues getting fuel either.

The only thing I noticed was one service station had no regular unleaded but didn’t affect me as I use 98 Super-unleaded.

French fuel is much cheaper than the UK though - I paid about €1.65 per litre for Super (and also much cheaper than Spain and Portugal).

[belfry]

Thanks for the real world updates. It’s been a confusing picture trying to figure out what’s going on. Some reports of 30% petrol stations closed or rationing then others saying no problem.

We leave tomorrow morning. I was going to avoid France and travel via Germany but maybe that won’t be necessary.

[LimaDelta]

Still quite bad here in the south. We are trying to swap our car for diesel, as we have quite a bit of that in storage.

[blue_haddock]

Anyone know what the situation is like around Calais?

We are off to Germant via the ferry tonight and was planning on filling up on diesel when i get off the ferry.

Also are they still doing the 15c discount on fuel?

[Steviesam]

30c until end of Oct.

[Carbon Sasquatch]

Prices were all over the place when I drove back last week - seemed to vary between under 1.80 and over 2.20 for diesel

Depends how much you value the piece of mind - I'm travelling back next week and plan to fill up in Folkestone (just before the tunnel) and hit France with a full tank. Then I don't need to worry about it and can just fill up whenever I stop for a break (hopefully)

[belfry]

Carbon Sasquatch said:

Depends how much you value the piece of mind - I'm travelling back next week and plan to fill up in Folkestone (just before the tunnel) and hit France with a full tank. Then I don't need to worry about it and can just fill up whenever I stop for a break (hopefully)

Peace of mind is important.
I have persuaded my wife that we should drive to Italy in a 1995 V12 Italian GT. She would rather fly. If we run out of fuel she will give me a piece of her mind!