We travelled to South of France in the 1970s. On the way back to the ferry we needed to fill up with petrol. We filled up, went inside to pay and they would not accept our card. We tried to get them to agree to let my husband go to the bank while I stayed behind with the two children but they would not agree to that and instead siphoned the petrol out. I would not go motoring in France ever again. Judith Williams, Mansfield, Notts

Being aware of the problem, we have always filled up on a Saturday at a manned station. However, we were recently caught out on Bastille Day, July 14. A French lady kindly took our cash and paid with her card. Is there no British card company that issues a compatible card? Kay West, Pontypool, South Wales

The filling station at Cherbourg does at least have signs in English saying "Only French cards accepted". When trying to return a hire car with a full tank, I had problems in Italy. The automatic pumps only issued fuel to the value of the bank note tendered. This meant estimating the number of litres to fill (but not overfill) the tank, and then checking the fuel gauge each time to see if more could be added - and whether I had the correct note value - rather tedious - and the only occasion when I would have preferred to return the car with a part-full tank. David Rayner, Ambergate, Derbyshire

It's not just the petrol stations; it's some of the hypermarkets themselves. My card worked in most hypermarket shops except Carrefour. We tried my wife's card at the petrol station but stopped after two rejections in an attempt to stop it being blocked, and never tried mine for the same reason. The fault lies with the banks and the lack of suitable software interface between some of them. Stewart Wainwright, Swansea

Is it just me? My wife and I travel to France every year for 3-4 months. We use our UK Visa card and have never had a problem. I will agree years ago cards were not accepted. When we do our shopping at a supermarket we always "top up" while we are there for the main reason that their fuel is always cheaper than elsewhere. I notice that a number of writers seen to be running out of fuel when they have these problems. Just keep the tank full at all times. David is right about food. We have not eaten out in France for twenty years. We eat at our home or during the day when we go out, with flasks of hot water and an ice box filled with the food for the day, for morning tea and lunch. We live in France for 40 percent of the cost of living in Australia. The difference pays for the plane ride! Ken Horne, Brisbane, Australia

I know this is supposed to be about British drivers. Maybe it's more of a problem with British cards than foreign card. We've used our Swiss credit cards numerous times and have never had a problem. Agree with David, though. The food is really not at all what it's cracked up to be. On our holidays to England and Scotland we have had much better food than we've normally managed to find in France - Helen Hansen, Zurich, Switzerland

In nearly quarter of a century of driving the length and breadth of France (mostly on secondary and minor roads) I have never had any problems paying for petrol. But then, I almost always pay in cash when travelling. A couple of tips, though. Use supermarket filling stations for a discount. And on Saturday evening, if you plan to drive a long distance on Sunday, top up to avoid being stranded! - Mike Bent, Oviedo, Spain

This interesting debate is somewhat undermined by the similar experience I had recently in the UK. Living in Switzerland I naturally have Swiss credit cards. With the UK introduction of "Chip and Pin" I have recently had card payments refused at manned locations in the UK. The problem is not with France or Belgium, it's with countries which introduce their own "standards" with no thought to the consequences to others. Alan Cattell, Zug, Switzerland

I travel to France via Cherbourg often and fill up at the Auchen Hypermarket and have no trouble using my Visa card. Leclerc at Liseaux also take plastic. Most hypermarkets do. There may be a problem if you have an old credit card without chip and pin technology. David Livingstone, Taunton, Somerset

We have been caught out by this problem twice in France! On both occasions our solution was to persuade bemused French motorists to pay for our petrol on their card, which we were able to reimburse in cash. The second time, we had to wait quite a while before the next customer turned up. It was a teenager on a motor scooter who would have had some explaining to do when his parents received their statement! Alanna Jacob, London

We had the same problem on our way to Calais, but in Belgium. Running short on petrol and hoping to make it in time for our ferry, we got off the motorway to fill up only to find not a single manned perol station was open and the unmanned ones did not accept Visa, Mastercard or even cash! Luckily a nice young local man was kind enough to fill up for us with his card and accept cash payment from us. With 2 little kids on board this was a very stressful experience and shameful in an EU-member country. James Hunter, Cologne

My Dad lives in France and whenever I visit I leave the hire car at an airport on a Sunday... cue the mad dash around local petrol stations looking for a manned one or one that accepts my card. It is always fruitless and always frustrating. And adds more to the hire car bill. I once persuaded a rather bemused lady to pay for my petrol and I paid her back in cash. I don't do this anymore as I didn't like the look I got. The French tourist board's advice is unhelpful. What if you fill up on a Saturday and then drive 300km on the Sunday before dropping the car? Something for them to ponder on their lunch break. Ben Smith, London

We got caught out on a Sunday but fortunately a local used his card and accepted our cash, fortunately we had some with us. Rich Pay, Canterbury

When you get to the ferry terminal at Cherbourg the Shell Express (unmanned) filling station will only except French bank cards. Can you tell me when Shell are going to change this to except BritishIrish Bank cards? If not where is the handiest filling station for the ferry terminal in Cherbourg. Christopher Harris, by email - read our news story for details of alternative petrol stations in Cherbourg

If the French dislike having foreigners in their country so much, why bother going? I lived there and although the French are fine enough as people, it's not as beautiful nor the food as good as many people appear to believe. David Murphy, Cromer, Norfolk

David is right about the food - it is hard to get a decent meal in France. However it is a beautiful country provided you go to the right areas. Cevennes/Lot/Tarn would be my recommendations. As for this petrol business - we have all had the experience - can someone please come up with a solution. How do you get a card that will be accepted? Bill Geddes, London

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