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Our list of toll-free autoroutes raised some interesting questions - what was the rationale for making some stretches of autoroute free, whilst others are charged.
It appears that there can be several reasons:-

• where the autoroute acts as a city by-pass allieviating traffic in the already congested city centre - so the A16 from Boulogne to the French Border would be a good example

or

• where the autoroute has effectively replaced the main N road leaving no realistic alternative - eg. large stretches of the A75 Meridienne south from Clermont-Ferrand

or

• where there is an economic reason where it is hoped that the autoroute will generate the local economy in an underdeveloped region - e.g the A77 (Autoroute de l’Arbre (trees)) from Pouilly to Nevers

However, word has it that the other significant factor has been the family connections of the President - both Chirac’s grandparents come from the Correze in the Limousin, which may explain why the A20 autoroute (L’Occitane) is toll free from Vierzon to Brive-la-Gaillarde. Given that the Lot département (46) in the Midi-Pyrenees is one of the poorest economic regions in France, it does seem strange that the toll section only starts south of Brive-la-Gaillarde (down to Montauban and Toulouse).

However, who are we to complain when in recent years the A28, A20 and A75 autoroutes have given us much better, safer and faster access to the south and southwest.

The toll-free element can make some difference to your budget - e.g. Calais-Montpellier using the A71 and A75 from Paris costs €58.50 in tolls, compared to the journey from Calais- Cavaillon (Provence), which is exactly the same distance where the toll charge is €71.00.

Current Fuel prices in France
The other thing you need to factor in to your calculations for a trip to France by car is the cost of fuel and the exchange rate.

Effective fuel prices have risen by about 6p a litre since the Spring caused in part by an increase in French fuel prices and a less favourable exchange rate (tourist rates currently about €1.36=£1 at Sept 07).

Unleaded (sans plomb 95) € 1.3190 = £0.97 per litre
Super unleaded (sans plomb 98 € 1.2690 = £0.93 per litre
Diesel (gazole) € 1.0490 = £0.77 per litre

These are best prices at a Hypermarket - you will pay significantly more at autoroute service areas and many branded petrol stations - the difference can be up to €0.10 per litre or more - or 7p a litre - so it is worth shopping around if you are filling the tank. Many local supermarkets (Intermarche, Champion etc) can often offer good prices - but not always!!

Most French autoroutes between major towns and cities are toll motorways, which whilst often offering fast and uncrowded dual-carriageways, can nevertheless add significantly to the cost of a trip through France - e.g over €90 (over £60) on a one-way trip from Calais to Nice (1226km of motorway driving about 760 miles).

However there are significant sections of autoroute which are toll free - most often these are around major towns and Cities (Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon etc).

In the North, the A16 is toll-free from Boulogne (J29) to the Belgian border (J36) via Calais and Dunkerque. The A25 from Dunkerque (J20) to Lille is free, so you can reach Lille from the main Channel ports without paying a toll!. Also all routes from Lille to the Belgian border.
The following autoroutes are toll free (as at September 2007)
A16 (part of the Autoroute des Estuaires (estuaries)) from Boulogne-sur-Mer (J29) to the Belgian border(J36)
A20 (L’Occitane) from Vierzon (J6 junction with A71) to Brive-la-Gaillarde (J53) via Chateauroux, Argenton and Limoges
A25 from Dunkerque (J20 with A16) to Lille
A28 from Abbeville (J1) to Rouen (J14)
A30/A31 (Autoroute de la Vallée de la Fensch) from Thionville (J1) to Toul (J12) via Metz and Nancy
A38 from Dijon (J33) to Pouilly-sur-Auxois (J24 and the junction with the A6)
A63 (Autoroute de la Cote Basque) from Bordeaux to Bellin-Bellet (J20)
A64 (la Pyreneenne) from St Martory (J20) to Muret (J25)
A68 (la Tarnaise) from Monastruc (J3 NE of Toulouse) to Albi (J11) via Gaillac
A75 (la Meridienne) from Clermont-Ferrand (J15) to Pezenas (J59) (except for the Millau Bridge) via Issoire
A77 (Autoroute de l’Arbre (trees)) from Pouilly (J26) to Nevers (J37)
A84 from Caen (J46) to Rennes (J25) via Avranches

In the heart of the town of Brive-la-Gaillarde (19 Correze, Limousin) an artificial beach is created for 10 days with entertainments for kids, music and dancing for adults.

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The number of budget airline routes to France from the UK is continuing to grow, as is the number of French destinations - no longer restricted to the major cities. This really does open up some of the less well-known parts of France.
The list below shows the extent of the coverage - and this excludes flights to Paris which are available from most local airports. Some flights are seasonal, so please check with the airline for timetables and availability.