[F] Motorways in France • Autoroutes de France

[hofburg]

southern part of France lacks west-east links. all routes must go to Paris

[ChrisZwolle]

They are attempting at correcting the über focus on Paris by constructing new east-west expressways, often toll free. However, there aren't too many logical routes for long distance east-west traffic. For instance, Nantes - Lyon is 200 kilometers longer by road than it is as the crow flies...

[ChrisZwolle]

Eastbound to Vannes.

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N165-101 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr

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[Fane40]

Originally Posted by verreme

Boring? Landes de Gascogne are boring. This is as fun as it gets

Landes are boring ?
Noo ! You tell that just because you never visited the department.
If you like the rain and the silence, you will be the most happy .
But the speed limit on the future A 63 , actually always N 10, will be 130 km/h instead of 110 km/h.
Depressive people will be able to go through the department faster !
This in 2014, but with two more toll gates,, and with three lanes of each side..

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

They are attempting at correcting the über focus on Paris by constructing new east-west expressways, often toll free. However, there aren't too many logical routes for long distance east-west traffic. For instance, Nantes - Lyon is 200 kilometers longer by road than it is as the crow flies.

It seems to me that the biggest improvement to the Nantes - Lyon road trip will result from the ongoing upgrade of the N7 to the A77 and A89 (though the N7 is nominally a north-south road).

[g.spinoza]

Is there any plan for a Toulouse south bypass, connecting A64 and A61 between, say, Carcassonne and Saint-Gaudens?

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by g.spinoza

Is there any plan for a Toulouse south bypass, connecting A64 and A61 between, say, Carcassonne and Saint-Gaudens?

Not that I've heard of. If such a southern bypass of Toulouse were ever to be built, it would not pass south of Pamiers because of the terrain. The big improvement for Toulouse will be a direct link to Lyon (extensions of the A47 and A68 to meet the A75), which will probably be completed about 2020.

[ChrisZwolle]

I never heard about plans to shorten east-west traffic south of Toulouse. The bulk of the traffic is generated in the metro area of Toulouse (which is fast-growing), but through traffic is fairly limited, both A61 and A64 have low traffic volumes on the tolled sections.

I wonder though, why A66 was built with this weird alignment near the northern terminus, where it turns west for a while. It would make more sense to connect it more straight to A61. This would hardly impact traffic from Toulouse, but shorten the trip for traffic from Narbonne.

The A66 was the only motorway I've seen with mainline toll plazas with no cash options, only credit cards. (maybe they do have cash lanes at peak days).

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foto 036 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr

[spacetweek]

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

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N165-111 by Chriszwolle, on Flickr

I wonder why there is a "No Entry" sign in the central reservation there? Doesn't make sense.

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by spacetweek

I wonder why there is a "No Entry" sign in the central reservation there? Doesn't make sense.

There seems to be an entry ramp on the left. That sign might be to warn drivers, having made a sharp left turn at the base of the ramp, that they have made a mistake.

[ChrisZwolle]

Aire d'Assevilliers. The busiest rest area in France in terms of revenue.

[Coccodrillo]

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

The A66 was the only motorway I've seen with mainline toll plazas with no cash options, only credit cards. (maybe they do have cash lanes at peak days).

Is that legal? And those who don't have a credit card?

[g.spinoza]

Originally Posted by Coccodrillo

Is that legal? And those who don't have a credit card?

It's not unheard of. Italian tolled tunnel Valdagno-Schio in Veneto cannot be paid with cash.
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traforo_dello_Zovo

[Road_UK]

Most unmanned toll plazas in France have machines where you can put paper money in.

[hofburg]

Originally Posted by ChrisZwolle

Aire d'Assevilliers. The busiest rest area in France in terms of revenue.

France might just have one of the best rest areas in Europe that I know of. (Landzeit in Austria might be better)

too bad sandwiches are too expensive.

[Road_UK]

Originally Posted by hofburg

France might just have one of the best rest areas in Europe that I know of. (Landzeit in Austria might be better)

too bad sandwiches are too expensive.

I agree France and Austria are the best. I still prefer France. Netherlands and Britain are among the worst.

[mcarling]

In my opinion France has the best rest areas in the world. Unfortunately, they balance this with an idiotic tolling system. France should copy Hungary and Israel for tolling.

[sotonsi]

The problem with French rest areas is that they mostly smell very strongly of silage (or maybe it was just two or three that scarred me forever?). Lunch was the part of my trips through France that I looked forward too the least - struggling to eat a picnic due to the smell. The facilities were good, and the smaller rest areas are something that I (as a Brit) think should be encouraged here, but the smell!

[ChrisZwolle]

I also despise the prehistoric squatting toilets some rest areas have.

[Fane40]

About french restaurants on or near highways, prefer those outside toll highways if you can. Less expensive, generally good, meal between 11 and 13 € at noon. A little more the evening.
Other points: more you see vehicles ,more the restaurant is good.
Locals workers know them (see small vans, commercial vehicles,...)
About "truckers" restaurants, they are expensive for the quality.