Motorways in France, the French Autoroutes

Travelling by car is a comfortable and efficient solution to visit France as the roads are well-maintained and the highway network is largely developed. In fact French motorways represent 8,000 kilometres of limited-access roads called "Autoroutes" (speed highways) in France.

Getting to France using motorways (named A6, A31, A7, etc) is a quite relaxing and original way to travel, making you discover the outstanding French landscapes. One of the plus of this way of travelling is that you can self-manage and schedule your journey as you like; you can even decide to rent a car once in France, making your choice amongst one of the French hire car companies.

The French highway network is run by several private companies, this mainly explains why they are not free. The multiple tolls on the French autoroutes can be paid by credit card and cash, but now specific subscriptions and magnetic Travel Cards allow regular drivers like salesmen, lorry drivers and locals, to pay monthly with discounts.

French Highway Companies:

. ALIS

APRR

ATMB

CEVM

Liane Autoroute

Sanef / SAPN

SFTRF

SMTPC

Vinci Autoroutes

Safety on Highways in France has been highly improved for the last years, enforcing the existing laws on speeding, drink-driving, safety distances and overtakings.

Mainly to reduce the annual death toll on the roads of France (which often frighten foreign drivers!), many speed cameras called Radars have been set throughout the French motorway network since 2002, limiting highway speed at 130kph in general (and 110kph when raining).

To learn more about the French driving rules and Code de la Route (Highway Code), you can visit our special Information Guide about Driving in France.

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