A map of the French autoroute system today looks very different from one of the mid-1990s.
Then, the autoroutes 鈥� the top tier of the French road system 鈥� had Paris at the centre of the web with roads radiating out to all compass points.
While there is still a Paris focus, today there are many more lateral routes 鈥� including the A89, completed in 2018.
Thanks to this, the 550km from Bordeaux to Lyon can be done in five-and-a-half hours instead of eight to 10.
Remarkably, it was built with little fuss, despite needing huge cuttings through virgin countryside and hundreds of local arrangements for crossings to allow people to go about daily business.
That contrasts with the A69, half-built between Tarbes and Toulouse. After years of protest, including activists installing tree houses to block work, judges recently ruled on the side of protestors: environmental damage was not justified by the need for a maximum of 20 minutes to be knocked off a trip between the two cities. A final ruling on appeal is still awaited.
Read more: Construction on half-built motorway can continue, rules French court
New autoroute era
Like the A89, the A69 was planned in the 1970s, after a first wave of building towards Paris ended. Its problems might signify that the era of autoroute building is now over.
French autoroutes belong to the state but were built by private companies, most of whom were handed 20 or 30-year concessions to collect tolls to pay for the roads.
The promise in the 1960s was that once the roads had been paid for they would be free to use. This did not happen by and large, though some free sections do exist, for reasons linked to the local geography and economics.
Instead, when the concession period was up, a deal was done for the firms to take charge of maintenance 鈥� with tolls, at the same or higher levels, to pay for this.
Read more: Can drivers choose different operators for motorway tolls in France?
Tolls vary, with those on newer roads usually higher than on old ones. They increase annually at rates limited by inflation.
It is sometimes suspected that politics also play a role, with critics noting that autoroutes linking Paris with the constituencies of certain past presidents have some of the lowest tolls.
The new A65 between Langon (Gironde) and Pau (Pyr茅n茅es-Atlantiques), which opened in 2010 mainly so the Bordeaux middle-class could get to the Pyrenees ski resorts faster, according to locals, is one of the most expensive.
Toll booth technology
Toll booths can cause jams, especially during holidays. However, things are gradually changing due to new technologies.
There has been a longstanding option to take a subscription to a 迟茅濒茅辫茅补驳别 system, with a small box installed at the top of the windscreen.
This is identified at the barriers, which open automatically, and you are billed by direct debit (this is about convenience, not saving money, and there is usually a small monthly fee on top of tolls).
Those without these must take care not to enter 辫茅补驳别蝉 marked as 迟茅濒茅辫茅补驳别 only (often with orange signs showing a T symbol). Subscriptions are taken with one motorway company (usually the local one) but the badges work all over France.
Watch out also for lanes marked as card-payment only (with no basket for coins).
In the event of getting stuck in the wrong 辫茅补驳别, there are buttons to press to speak to an assistant. Solutions include giving a bank card number or, if all fails, receiving a bill in the post.
The latest innovation has seen several sections of motorway in France equipped with 鈥榝ree-flow鈥� 辫茅补驳别 gates where you do not stop, and a camera reads your number plate. Nothing changes for those with a badge; in other cases, drivers have 72 hours to settle up on the internet.
There have been some complaints from people fined for non payment, saying they did not see the signs explaining the system.
Another feature of motorways is the various aires de repos which crop up every half hour or so. Signage will indicate the amenities on offer, which range from basic picnic tables, parking and a toilet block, to full-scale service stations with a restaurant and shop.
Run by the autoroute concessions, these have fuel prices often 20 centimes a litre higher than usual, and high prices for simple meals. But they are usually clean and well-maintained.
Most fuel stations have fast recharging stations for electric cars, but the fees are steep.
Speed limit controversy
Another ongoing autoroute controversy is demands from Green politicians for the speed limits to be lowered.
Before December 1973 there were no speed limits and a high rate of accidents. Then for three months a 120km/h limit was introduced, which rose to 140km/h the following year and then back to 130km/h as a 鈥榯emporary鈥� measure, which has stuck.
Now the government is floating the idea of a 110km/h limit, arguing the lower speed will save fuel and produce less CO2.
In any event, 110km/h is the speed limit when it is raining. Watch out 鈥� new speed traps can adjust for this. The law just says 鈥渁t times of rain or other precipitation鈥� [snow, hail鈥, so even light rain is enough.
Note also that despite the standard limits, speed limits on stretches can vary frequently (dropping to 90km/h in some places). So, take care to watch for signs. Popular sat nav phone apps (Google Maps, Mappy, Waze, et) also show the limit in the area.
Another rule is to avoid hogging the middle or fast lane, unless overtaking. In theory you can be handed a fixed fine of 鈧�35 for this (and you are likely to get flashed at by other users in a hurry).
