3,994
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
'''Péage''' is a French word for ''[[toll road]]'' in [[France]] and other countries where French is spoken, such as [[Morocco]]. Don't mix up the word with ''autoroute'' which means "motorway" in French and is not necessarily a toll road. Hitchhikers usually use this word as refering to [[toll station]]s.
In France, most of the motorways are toll roads which are the fastest way to hitch across the country. There are two types of toll stations on péages. First, there are big ones where all traffic has to stop to pay a fee (or to get a ticket) - these are ''barrières de péage'' and usually they are excellent spots to get a long-distance ride. They are often located near big cities on the autoroute. Another type is a side barrier situated on all exits in the toll part of the motorway. On latter ones traffic is much smaller, therefore one can expect a longer waiting time, although sometimes congested toll stations (the first type) can be a difficult place to hitch from, too, as drivers have to pay a lot of attention to not cause any accidents.<!--why should that be? Then again, the more cars, the more possible rides, if you manage to show your [[sign ]] to as many people as possible. Often they will not stop in the péage, maybe, but tell you indicate that they are going to pull over just after it. my experience.-->
To reach the ''barrière de péage'', you may need to walk along the highway; with a help of a proper map check if the distance needed to be walked is not too long. It is actually illegal to walk on a side lane of the highway (same is valid for some parts of national roads (''voie express'') in France); if police sees you, you will be driven somewhere safe and may be fined for ~90€. Péage toll stations are considered a part of the motorway, and legally you do not have the right to solicit rides there. You may be asked to wait in the parking area which is after each ''barrière de péage''. In practice, this is rarely enforced (maybe 5% of the time), most toll station employees simply want to make sure you're not endangering yourself or others. Having a sign with your destination (or the next city) is recommended and will distinguish you as a serious hitchhiker, and not a vagrant.
