A75 autoroute

Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Expand French Template:Infobox road The A75 is an autoroute (motorway) in France.

Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project aiming to speed up, and reduce the cost of car travel from Paris to the south of France. Apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is free for the entire Template:Convert between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers. It was not due to be finished until spring 2011,<ref name="A75 2008, p3">Template:Cite news</ref> but was fully opened in December 2010. South of St. Flour there are views of the Garabit viaduct.

A large portion of the A75 is also part of the European route E11.

Engineering achievements

Northbound on the A75 after junction 59 near Pézenas.
Translation: You are entering the A75 / La Méridienne / Have a good journey

A75 near Massiac

The building of a motorway across the Massif Central, in itself, poses engineering challenges. Much of the motorway runs at an altitude in excess of Template:Convert with Template:Convert in excess of Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The greatest engineering challenge was the Millau Viaduct, which carries the road over the Tarn. It was constructed under a government contract with the Eiffage group, effective for 75 years. Eiffage collects tolls at agreed rates making this the only tolled part of the A75.

South of the Millau Viaduct in the Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette commune, the road descends from the Larzac Plateau into the Lergue river valley, losing several hundred meters in altitude in a short distance. Including the Tunnel de Pas d'Escalette, the relatively tight and twisty nature of the motorway at this point means that lower variable speed limits are imposed over this stretch of road.

Other features include: Viaducts and bridges

• Viaduc de la Violette, Template:Convert long, between junctions 21 & 22
• Pont sur la Truyère, Template:Convert long, between junctions 30 and 31
• Viaduc du Piou, Template:Convert long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc du Ricoulong, Template:Convert long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc de la Planchette, Template:Convert long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc de Verrières, Template:Convert long, between junctions 44 and 44.1
• Viaduc de la Garrigue, Template:Convert long, between junctions 44.1 and 42
• Viaduc de Millau, Template:Convert long, between junctions 45 and 46

File:ViaducdeMillau.jpg

Millau Viaduct

Passes

• Template:Convert between junctions 24 and 25
• Col de la Fageole, Template:Convert, between junctions 26 and 27
• Col des Issartets, Template:Convert, the highest point on the A75, between junctions 36 and 37
• Col de la Fagette, Template:Convert, between junctions 40 and 41
• Col d'Engayresque, Template:Convert, between junctions 44 and 44.1

Tunnels

• Tunnel de Montjezieu, Template:Convert, long at an altitude of Template:Convert, between junctions 39.1 and 40
• Tunnel de Pas d'Escalette, Template:Convert southbound, Template:Convert northbound, between junctions 50 and 51
• Tunnel de la Vierge, Template:Convert, between junctions 52 and 53

The route

Template:Jctbtm In May 2007, construction started on the final section of the A75, a connection from Pézenas to the A9 autoroute a kilometre or so east of the previous Béziers east intersection 35. The route to the south of the present D609 Pézenas-Béziers road bypassing Valros opened in February 2009. Further sections opened in spring 2010. The final section, a gap between Valros and Servian, was completed in December 2010. According to Serge Cuculière, construction operations manager, the delay was due to difficulties encountered on the section ("Les difficultés recontrées sur la section exigent un temps de réalisation plus important").<ref name="A75 2008, p3"/>

References

<references/>

External links

• {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

Region	Department	Junction	Destinations	Notes
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes	Puy-de-Dôme	A711 - A75 & A71	Lyon (A89), Saint-Étienne, Thiers
		Template:Jct becomes Template:Jct
		Template:Motorway exit	Billom, Cournon-d'Auvergne
		Template:Motorway exit	Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, La Bourboule, Mont-Dore, Aubière
		Template:Motorway exit	Cournon-d'Auvergne, Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, Z. I. Cournon, Grande Halle, Zénith
		Template:Motorway exit	Vic-le-Comte, Le Cendre, Gergovie, Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, La Roche-Blanche, Orcet
		Template:Motorway exit	Aydat, Saint-Amant-Tallende, Veyre-Monton, Orcet
		Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Besse, Saint-Nectaire, Champeix, Veyre-Monton
		Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Montpeyroux, Coudes
		Template:Motorway exit	Coudes, Vic-le-Comte
		Template:Motorway exit	Sauvagnat-Sainte-Marthe, Saint-Yvoine
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	La Ribeyre
		Template:Motorway exit	Issoire - centre	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Orbeil, Issoire
		Template:Motorway exit	Saint-Germain-l'Herm, Ambert, Sauxillanges, Parentignat, Issoire
		Template:Motorway exit	Besse, Saint-Nectaire, Champeix, Issoire - Aérodrome, centre
		Template:Motorway exit	Ardes, Saint-Germain-Lembron, Le Broc, Le Breuil-sur-Couze
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Broc
		Template:Motorway rest Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Jumeaux, Auzat-la-Combelle, Saint-Germain-Lembron, Le Breuil-sur-Couze
		Template:Motorway exit	Brassac-les-Mines, Sainte-Florine, Charbonnier-les-Mines
	Haute-Loire	Template:Motorway exit	Lempdes-sur-Allagnon, Auzon	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Puy-en-Velay, Brioude, Sainte-Florine, Vergongheon
		Template:Motorway exit	Ardes, Lorlanges
			Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Brioude, Blesle, Espalem
	Cantal	Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Aurillac, alt alt Le Lioran, Murat, Massiac	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Massiac	Entry and exit from Béziers
		Template:Motorway exit	Saint-Poncy
		Template:Motorway exit	Vieillespesse
		Template:Motorway exit	Coren, Montchamp
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Espalion, Chaudes-Aigues, Coren, Saint-Flour - centre, Bel-Air, Aurillac, Murat
		Template:Motorway exit	Saint-Flour - centre, Bellevue, Saint-Georges
		Template:Motorway exit	Ruynes-en-Margeride, alt Gabarit - Viaduc Eiffel
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Loubaresse, alt Gabarit - Viaduc Eiffel
Occitanie	Lozère	Template:Motorway exit	Albaret-Sainte-Marie - La Garde, Les Monts-Verts - Le Bacon
			Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Fournels, Le Malzieu-Ville, Saint-Chély-d'Apcher
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Malzieu-Ville, Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole, Saint-Chély-d'Apcher, Rimeize, Chaudes-Aigues, Fournels
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Aumont-Aubrac, Nasbinals	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Aumont-Aubrac	Entry and exit from Béziers
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Buisson
		Template:Motorway exit	Antrenas, Marvejols, Nasbinals
		Template:Motorway rest Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Monastier, Chirac
		Template:Motorway exit	Nîmes, Mende, Florac, Chanac, alt Gorges du Tarn
		Template:Motorway exit	Saint-Germain-du-Teil	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Banassac, La Canourgue, alt Gorges du Tarn, Saint-Germain-du-Teil, Saint-Laurent-d'Olt
	Aveyron	Template:Motorway exit	Campagnac, Saint-Geniez-d'Olt
		Template:Motorway exit	Rodez, Sévérac-le-Château, le Massegros, Laissac
			Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Massegros	Entry and exit from Béziers
		Template:Motorway exit	Engayresque, Verrières
		Template:Motorway exit	Cahors, Meyrueis, Pont-de-Salars, Vézins-de-Lévézou, Aguessac, Micropolis, Vezins de Levezon, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes, alt Gorges du Tarn
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Millau, Saint-Beauzély, alt Castelnau-Pégayrols
		Template:Motorway toll
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Albi, Saint-Affrique, Roquefort, Saint-Rome-de-Cernon
		Template:Motorway exit	Millau - centre, Nant, La Cavalerie, Saint-Affrique, Roquefort, alt Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon, alt Gorges du Tarn
		Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac, alt La Couvertoirade, Cornus, Alzon, Le Vigan
	Hérault	Template:Motorway exit	Le Caylar, alt La Couvertoirade, alt Cirque de Navacelles
			Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Saint-Félix-de-l'Héras, Les Rives	Entry and exit from Béziers
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette
		Template:Motorway exit	Lodève, Soubès, Le Vigan, Ganges, alt Cirque de Navacelles
		Template:Motorway exit	Lodève, Lunas, Bédarieux, Le Bousquet-d'Orb, Lamalou-les-Bains	Entry and exit from Béziers
		Template:Motorway exit	Le Bosc, Lodève - sud, Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière, alt Lac du Salagou	No southbound entry
		Template:Motorway exit	alt Lac du Salagou	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
		Template:Motorway exit	Ceyras, Salelles-du-Bosc, Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière, Saint-Félix-de-Lodez
		A750 - A75	Montpellier, alt Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Gignac, Saint-André-de-Sangonis
		Template:Motorway exit	Bédarieux, Canet, Nébian, Clermont-l'Hérault, alt Lac du Salagou
		Template:Motorway rest
		Template:Motorway exit	Paulhan, Adissan, Lézignan-la-Cèbe
		Template:Motorway exit	Sète, Mèze, Montagnac, Lézignan-la-Cèbe, Pézenas - nord
		Template:Motorway exit	Pézenas, Castelnau-de-Guers
		Template:Motorway exit	Agde, Bessan, Florensac	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Roujan, Tourbes, Valros, Pézenas
		Template:Motorway service
		Template:Motorway exit	Servian, Montblanc, Florensac, Valros
		Template:Motorway exit	Béziers - centre, Narbonne, Boujan-sur-Libron	Entry and exit from Clermont-Ferrand
		Template:Motorway exit	Valras-Plage, Serignan, alt Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport, Béziers - est
		A9 - A75	Montpellier, Sète, Lyon (A7)
			Narbonne, Barcelone, Toulouse (A61)
CitationClass=web }}: tourist information {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} (Note: The distances on this site are inaccurate) {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} Three noteworthy areas described with photo illustrations and sketch maps.