France fuel shortages due to industrial action

[smokie]

I'm sure they will sort this out soon but worth keeping an eye on.

http://www.itv.com/news/2016-05-23/britons-stranded-in-france-due-to-fuel-shortage/

[Barry]

Contigency plans already in place, I'm more worried about getting off the ferry.

1st strike starts Thursday ( 26th ), might be worth checking the issues then to get an idea of what is being targeted, especially cross channel services and road blocks.
However crossings are a bit difficult and expensive to change now.
Expect the latter to be centred around Paris LM week.

[Kev_mk3]

300 miles to a tank? Please my diesel will do alot more  Trains now on strike to.

[Kiters]

Looks like Brittany have cancelled some of their sailings for this round of strikes fingers crossed it all gets settled before the next one which I think is scheduled for the 14th June 

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/routes/sailing-updates

[JDS]

Would you like to know what the nation of the workshy is complaining about this time?

Currently, companies in France have to justify in court plans to cut their workforce due to economic downturn. The new law (loi de travail) would allow them to cite falling orders or sales, or operating losses as sufficient cause for laying off staff .... Welcome to the real world guys.

The work laws here are particularly medieval and heavily weighted against employers, especially small ones so the new law is a step, and only a step, in the right direction. However, if you're protected by the amazingly kushy laws here as an employee I can kind of understand why they would be worried, they'd actually have to work and do a half decent job for once before retiring at 55 on a 90% salary .... How France is not a third-world economy never ceases to amaze me, oh yeah, that's because it gets an enormous subsidy from the EU. Rant over.

[Kev_mk3]

prices for july have also risen as I was about to book a ferry to go back then but its gone up about £30! Mother is panicing as shes over at the moment. She has a full car and told her to just fill the jerry cans in the garage up as back up.

[aricus654]

the BBC have this on their website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36366912

A strike over new labour laws has spread to all of France's eight oil refineries, the CGT union says, in an escalating dispute with the government.

An estimated 20% of petrol stations have either run dry or are low on supplies.

Clashes broke out at one refinery early on Tuesday when police broke up a picket at Fos-sur-Mer in Marseille.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls insisted the labour laws would stand, and that further pickets would be broken up.

"That's enough. It's unbearable to see this sort of thing," he told French radio. "The CGT will come up against an extremely firm response from the government. We'll carry on clearing sites blocked by this organisation."

[Kristof]

Interesting link that show which fuel stations are out of stock

http://penurie.mon-essence.fr/w/

[lynxd67]

My garden tractor is stranded! No jerry cans allowed now. I suppose you call that the coup de grass. Currently there is a 30 euro limit on the pumps here at Le Mans, and rather than go through it all over again perhaps having a look here might be helpful.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=25&t=1596637

[Barry]

Thinking of going in the diesel if I have to, as I can do St Malo/LM/Chunnel easily on a tank.

Have checked the Brittany website, it's FOC to change the car details up to 5 days ahead, after that £25.

[NorwayNick]

looks like i should fill my pickup with gerry cans in Germany and see how rich i can get :-)

[Kristof]

Thinking of going in the diesel if I have to, as I can do St Malo/LM/Chunnel easily on a tank.

Have checked the Brittany website, it's FOC to change the car details up to 5 days ahead, after that £25.

Same here, might just make it border to border with the diesel but certainly not with the M (maximum range of 450 km if i don't push my foot down).

[Lord Steve]

Ah, therein lies the appeal of the BMW diesel engine which sips from the china teacup of diesel that is my fuel tank.
Currently averaging a range of 760 miles from a full tank - 68 miles per gallon.
Last fill up in Folkestone pre-shuttle and to LM and back to North Lincolnshire with plenty still slopping about in the tank.

[Kev_mk3]

Ah, therein lies the appeal of the BMW diesel engine which sips from the china teacup of diesel that is my fuel tank.
Currently averaging a range of 760 miles from a full tank - 68 miles per gallon.
Last fill up in Folkestone pre-shuttle and to LM and back to North Lincolnshire with plenty still slopping about in the tank.

which engine Steve? Ive not given my bmw a massive good run yet but I had 350 ish to half a tank on a run to Dover so Its not to bad being a cylinder if I go steady 

Certainly not the same as my vectra which did Chester - The Nurburgring via Luxembourg then a few laps of the ring lol Was near 750 miles to that tank

[Lorry]

You can tell its nearly time for Le Mans as the French have caught the "English disease".  Shame as French diesel is so cheap - I usually go back with a tankfull, but I have 350 miles to do, and with the 'van on the back its only 250 to the tank, so I'll be begging

As for BMWs, we all know they can do Berlin to Poland in one tank