# French restrict LPG filling



## witzend (Jun 7, 2021)

LPG filling for LPG powered vehicles only at Total stations in France.

https://www.lemondeducampingcar.fr/...s-interdits-de-plein-de-gpl-chez-total/198617


----------



## mblinko (Jun 7, 2021)

Very interesting to know.  Thank you.  We will be driving past Total stations now.


----------



## Morphology (Jun 7, 2021)

Hmmm, unimpressed by this news, which seems rather draconian. Quite how Total have decided that LPG used for anything other than propulsion poses a risk beats me.

I totally agree with banning the refilling of conventional LPG bottles, but fixed on-board ones fitted with the proper cut-outs etc., pose no more danger than LPG tanks used for propulsion IMHO.

Educating their forecourt attendants to understand and know the difference would have been a more sensible approach but, hey ho.


----------



## wildebus (Jun 7, 2021)

I would guess a taxation thing rather than safety thing?  (this is the case in Italy I believe?)


----------



## mblinko (Jun 7, 2021)

It's probably the last sentence They have trouble with, so rather than educate, it's cheap to ban   Otherwise it seems just an excuse to reduce the risk for them.


----------



## wildebus (Jun 7, 2021)

mblinko said:


> It's probably the last sentence They have trouble with, so rather than educate, it's cheap to ban   Otherwise it seems just an excuse to reduce the risk for them.


I don't read French so didn't get further then clicking the link and saying "non" to whatever the pop up asked


----------



## mblinko (Jun 7, 2021)

wildebus said:


> I would guess a taxation thing rather than safety thing?  (this is the case in Italy I believe?)


I remember once going to a large LPG depot in southern Italy to refill a mere 907 camping gas Bottle When camping.  Bless them, they found an adapter to fit, filled it in a micro second and then refused to charge me because it was probably less than escapes when they remove large nozzles from giant tankers.  Great service.


----------



## alcam (Jun 7, 2021)

witzend said:


> LPG filling for LPG powered vehicles only at Total stations in France.
> 
> https://www.lemondeducampingcar.fr/...s-interdits-de-plein-de-gpl-chez-total/198617


Had a problem in France a few years ago , think it was a Total garage
Apparently it was forbidden then .
Should add it was refillable bottles I had at the time


----------



## witzend (Jun 8, 2021)

I seem to remember reading some time ago that taxation rates for LPG for road fuel where different to LPG used for heating in some countries wonder if this is part of the problem ?


----------



## Morphology (Jun 8, 2021)

witzend said:


> I seem to remember reading some time ago that taxation rates for LPG for road fuel where different to LPG used for heating in some countries wonder if this is part of the problem ?



This is certainly the case in the UK for example, for Diesel in Narrowboats, where you currently pay a 'split' according to your estimation of whether you are using the diesel purely for propulsion, or also using some of it for cooking / heating / electrics.

I say 'currently', as I believe the use of 'Red' diesel in pleasure boats is being phased out?

Personally, I'd be happy to pay whatever the higher rate of tax is for LPG in whichever country I'm in - having a re-fillable LPG tank is, for me, mainly about the freedom and convenience rather than any saving in cost.

I guess having the tank fitted will probably pay for itself in the long run compared to swapping out calor cylinders at £20-£30 per time, but that's not why I did it - it's being able to head off across the channel and not worry about how much gas I've got. Previously, carrying 2 x 6Kg calor lights I could get through one a week no problem at all, so I was forever scrimping on heating / cooking / showers in order to make them last until I got home, or carrying adapters and trying to buy Primagas or similar from a Carrefour supermarket en route.


----------



## trevskoda (Jun 8, 2021)

Red derv for pleasure boats was banned 5/7 years back when in EU, we all use it here as no one to run round checking it, prop get drowned anyway..
AS for LPG only a few places to refill here these days as the price was lifted to almost that of petrol.


----------



## witzend (Jun 8, 2021)

Morphology said:


> I was forever scrimping on heating / cooking / showers in order to make them last until I got home, or carrying adapters and trying to buy Primagas or similar from a Carrefour supermarket en route.


The difference between Pump LPG and Bottled is very little in France there's no need to worry about running out most supermarket filling stations sell bottled gas Intermarche have 24 hr self service for bottle gas at a lot of their stations has been €1 deposit for several yrs  it's all I've used in the last 12 yrs.
Adaptor UK to French Intermarche propane 








						BES.co.uk | Next Day Delivery On 15,000 + Plumbing Supplies
					

Wall Block & Fittings / Gas Cylinder Adaptor - PN: 21123 - Order Gas and Plumbing Supplies online at BES.co.uk. Low Prices, Free Next Day Delivery Available, 15k Plus Products in stock




					www.bes.co.uk


----------



## DTDOG (Jun 9, 2021)

trevskoda said:


> Red derv for pleasure boats was banned 5/7 years back when in EU, we all use it here as no one to run round checking it, prop get drowned anyway..
> AS for LPG only a few places to refill here these days as the price was lifted to almost that of petrol.


Not true. I buy red diesel at the marina and along the canal's all the time. And declare a 30%/70% split when I buy it. To be honest I think you'd struggle to buy 'white' diesel.


----------



## trevskoda (Jun 9, 2021)

DTDOG said:


> Not true. I buy red diesel at the marina and along the canal's all the time. And declare a 30%/70% split when I buy it. To be honest I think you'd struggle to buy 'white' diesel.


Not here as it was in boat mags years back for uk, they as you say changed it but no one here bothers and use red


----------



## witzend (Jun 9, 2021)

DTDOG said:


> Not true. I buy red diesel at the marina and along the canal's all the time.


Fraid Trev's right our sales of red to the pleasure boating community almost stopped at a guess at least 10 yrs ago.


----------



## Millie Master (Jun 9, 2021)

alcam said:


> Had a problem in France a few years ago , think it was a Total garage
> Apparently it was forbidden then .
> Should add it was refillable bottles I had at the time


For at least the last 10 years it has been illegal to fill stand alone gas bottle in France, I know as I lived there.  However LPG installations with a side filling point are normally 100% OK, this new Total ban is beyond me, but hey ho the French are more than somewhat bonkers!!


----------



## alcam (Jun 9, 2021)

Millie Master said:


> For at least the last 10 years it has been illegal to fill stand alone gas bottle in France, I know as I lived there.  However LPG installations with a side filling point are normally 100% OK, this new Total ban is beyond me, but hey ho the French are more than somewhat bonkers!!


I did have a very quick glance at the translated text . Was there not some reference to refillable tanks ?


----------



## Mobilvetta (Jun 9, 2021)

witzend said:


> Fraid Trev's right our sales of red to the pleasure boating community almost stopped at a guess at least 10 yrs ago.


The EU threatened to take the UK to court for not banning red diesel for pleasure vessels, the RYA and others lobbied our government, stating it would not be worthwhile for marinas to stock white diesel for private pleasure vessels and red diesel for commercial used vessels, it would have meant less places for pleasure vessels to fill up while cruising in our coastal waters, making it unsafe.

 So our government decided you would pay full duty for propulsion purposes and the discounted rate for diesel used for heating and generator use. It was suggested a 60/40 split would be acceptable to HMRC, so most marinas I used would automatically do this. 

In 2005 I was paying 34p litre, by 2011 I was paying 96p litre average at marinas.

 Whilst in Portree in 2009 the guy on the pump there which only opened on a part time basis, you rung him to get him to attend, he saw my fishing rods and decided I was a fishing vessel, he charged me the discounted rate to fill my 1000 litre tank, I thought it was all my birthdays rolled into one that time. 

Just before we left the EU they were raising there ugly head again wanting red diesel totally banned for pleasure craft and again threatened to take the UK to the European court, I guess we can now put two fingers up to them now we have left.


----------

