A75 autoroute

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The A75 is an autoroute (motorway) in France.

Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the 340 km (210 miles) between Clermont-Ferrand and Pezenas, with extension planned to Béziers.

South of St. Flour there are excellent views of the Garabit viaduct.

Contents 1 Engineering achievements 2 The route 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Engineering achievements

The building of a motorway across the Massif Central is, in itself, a formidable achievement. Much of the motorway runs at an altitude in excess of 800m (2600ft) with 50km in excess of 1000m (3250ft). ^[1]

The single most impressive feature is undoubtedly the Millau Viaduct, which carries the road over the Tarn River. It was constructed under a government contract with the Eiffage group, effective for 75 years. Eiffage will collect tolls at agreed rates: in 2006 for cars these are €5.10, excluding the peak months of July and August (€6.80).

Other impressive features include:

Viaducts and bridges

• Viaduc de la Violette, 560m long, between junctions 21 & 22
• Pont sur la Truyere, 311m long, between junctions 30 and 31
• Viaduc du Piou, 414m long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc du Ricoulong, 342m long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc de la Planchette, 221m long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc de la Verrières, 710m long, between junctions 44 and 44.1
• Viaduc de la Garrigue, 340m long, between junctions 44.1 and 42
• Viaduc de Millau, 2500m long, between junctions 45 and 46

Passes

• 990m between junctions 24 and 25
• Col de la Fageole, 1107m, between junctions 26 and 27
• Col des Issartets, 1121m, the highest point on the A75, between junctions 36 and 37
• Col de la Fayette, 882m, between junctions 40 and 41
• Col d'Engayresque, 888m, between junctions 44 and 44.1

Tunnels

• Tunnel de Montjezieu, 616m long at an altitude of 650m, between junctions 39.1 and 40
• Tunnel de Pas d'Escalette, 725m southbound, 830m northbound, between junctions 50 and 51
• Tunnel de la Vierge, 474m, between junctions 52 and 53

[edit] The route

A75 Autoroute junctions, listed north to south Km No. Southbound exit for Northbound exit for Notes 0 A71 becomes A75 at Clermont-Ferrand 1.5 1 La Pardieu, Billom, Cournon Billom No northbound entry 4 2 Bordeaux, La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Aubière La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Aubière 5 3 Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, Z.I. Cournon, La Roche Blanche, Orcet, Le Cendre Cournon 6.5 4 Orcet, Le Cendre, Vic-le-Comte, La Roche-Blanche Le Cendre, Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, La Roche-Blanche 10 5 Veyre-Monton, St-Amant-Tallende Orcet, St-Amant-Tallende, Aydat 15 6 Veyre-Monton, Murol, Chambon sur Lac, Champeix, St Nectaire Veyre-Monton 18.5 7 Montpeyroux, Coudes Montpeyroux 21 8 - Coudes, Vic-le-Comte Southbound entry and northbound exit only 23 9 Sauvagnat, Ste-Yvoine Sauvagnat, Ste-Yvoine 26.5 10 La Ribeyre La Ribeyre 28.5 11 Issoire centre - Southbound exit and northbound entry only 31 12 Issoire-les-Prés, Orbeil Issoire-les-Prés, Orbeil 31.5 13 Issoire couze, Parentignat, Sauxillanges, Ambert , St Germain Issoire couze, Parentignat, Sauxillanges, Ambert 34 14 Issoire aérodrome Issoire centre, Champieux, St Nectaire, Besse No northbound entry 39 15 Le Broc, St Germain, Ardres, Le Breuil - No northbound exit 38 16 - Le Broc No southbound exit 41 17 St-Germain-Lembron, Jumeaux St-Germain-Lembron, Le Breuil 45.5 18 Charbonnier, Brassac, Ste Florine Brassac Charbonnier 50 19 Lempdes - Southbound exit and northbound entry only 51 20 Lempdes, Vergongheon, Brioude, Le Puy en Velay Lempdes, Vergongheon, Ste Florine, Le Puy en Velay 56 21 Lorlanges Lorlanges, Ardres s. Couze Aire de Lafayette via this junction 61 22 Espalem, Blesle, Brioude Le Puy en Velay, Espalem, Blesle, Brioude 66 23 Massiac, Aurillac, Murat, Le Lioran - Southbound exit and northbound entry only 68.5 24 - Massiac Southbound entry and northbound exit only 81 25 St-Poncy St-Poncy 85 26 Vieillespesse Vieillespesse 87.5 27 Coren, Montchamp Montchamp 92.5 28 St-Flour, Chaudes-Aigues, Espalion St-Flour bel-air, Coren 96.5 29 St-Flour belle vue, St Georges Aurillac, St Flour centre, Murat, Le Lioran 100.5 30 Ruynes-en-Margeride Ruynes-en-Margeride 108.5 31 Loubaresse Loubaresse, Viaduc de Gabarit 117 32 La Garde, Le Bacon La Garde, Le Bacon Access to La Lozere services 122.5 33 St-Chély-d'Apcher, Le Malzieu-Ville, Fournels - Southbound exit and northbound entry only 128.5 34 St-Chély-d'Apcher, Rimeize, St-Alban-sur-Limagnole St-Chély-d'Apcher, St-Alban-sur-Limagnole, Le Malzieu-Ville, Fournels 134 35 Aumont-Aubrac, Nabrinals - Southbound exit and northbound entry only 138.5 36 - Aumont-Aubrac Southbound entry and northbound exit only 146.5 37 Le Buisson Le Buisson 153 38 Antrenes, Marvejols Antrenes, Marvejols, Nasbinals 162 39 Le Monastier, Chirac, Chanac, Florac Mende, Le Monastier, Chirac, Chanac, Florac New junction under construction 168.5 39.2 St-Germain-du-Teil - Southbound exit only 172 40 La Canourge, Banassac, St Germain-de-Teil La Canourge, Banassac, St Germain-de-Teil 182.5 41 Campagnac, St-Geniez-d'Olt Campagnac, St-Geniez-d'Olt 190 42 Rodez, Séverac-le-Château, le Massegros, Laissac Rodez, Séverac-le-Château, Laissac A68 junction. Access to Aveyron services 193 43 - Le Massegros Southbound entry and northbound exit only 200.5 44 Engayresque Engayresque 210 44.1 Aguessac, Micropolis, Vezins de Levezon, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes Cahors, Aguessac, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes 215 45 St-Germain, St Beauzely, Castelnau de Petgarolles Millau, St Beauzely, Castelnau de Petgarolles TOLL SECTION SOUTH TO JUNCTION 47 223 46 La Bastide-Pradines, St-Rome-de-Cernon, Roquefort, St Affrique - Southbound exit only. Full junction under construction. 234.5 47 Millau sud, la Cavalerie, St Eulalie de Cernon Millau, la Cavalerie, Roquefort, St Affrique TOLL SECTION NORTH TO JUNCTION 45 244 48 L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac, La Couvertoirade, Cornus, Alzon, La Vigan L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac Cornus, Alzon 257.5 49 Le Caylar, Lunas, Bedarieux,Cirque de Navacelles Le Caylar, La Couvertoirade Access to Le Caylar services 260 50 - St-Félix-de-l'Héras Southbound entry and northbound exit only 267 51 Pégairolles de l'Escalette Pégairolles de l'Escalette 271.5 52 Lodève nord, Soubès Le Vignan, Ganges, Lodève nord, Soubès 275.5 53 - Lodève sud, Lunas Southbound entry and northbound exit only 280 54 Le Bosc Le Bosc No southbound entry 283 55 - Le Bosc, Lac de Salagou Southbound entry and northbound exit only 285-289.5 56 Salelles Salelles, L'Oasis No Southbound entry 289.5 Montpellier Montpellier, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Gignac, St André-de-Sangonis Junction with A750 294.5 57 Clermont-l'Hérault, Nebian, Canet, Bedarieux Clermont-l'Hérault, Bedarieux, Canet, Lac de Salagou 305.5 58 Paulhan, Adissan, Lezignan-la-Cèbe Paulhan, Adissan 310 59 Pézenas nord, Sète, Montagnac, Meze, Marseillan Sète, Montagnac, Meze, Marseillan Current end of A75 - becomes motorway standard D609 (ex RN9)

D609 (ex RN9) extension of A75, listed north to south Km No. Southbound exit for Northbound exit for Notes 60 Pézenas sud, Castelanu de Guers Pézenas sud, Castelanu de Guers 61 Agde, Cap d'Agde - Southbound exit and northbound entry only 62 Pézenas ouest - End of dual carriageway - continues as normal road.

Work has not yet started on the final section of the A75 which will see it connected to the A9 autoroute a kilometere or so east of the Béziers east intersection 35. The route will be to the south of the present D609 Pézenas-Béziers road.

[edit] References

1. ^ (2006) "Association La Méridienne: On n'a pas tous les jours...". Decouverte & Patrimoine (9): 28. 

[edit] External links

• La Meridienne official website (French): tourist information
• A75 autoroute in Saratlas
• Rest areas on the magnificent A75 autoroute Three noteworthy areas described. Photo illustrations, sketch maps.

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