FrenchDuck’s databank
64 Pyrenees Atlantiques

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

At last the mountains are now behind the riders (literally), and whislt this is not exactly a flat stage, there are now opoortunities for any of the surviving sprinters to show their stuff as the tour runs from Pau (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) to Castelsarrasin (82 Tarn-et-Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees) on the Canal du Midi.

Pau is the centre of the Jurancon AC and Jurancon Sec AC vineyards - superb white wines ranging from dazzlingly crisp dry white through to sublime dessert wines made from local grape varieties such as Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng. A little to the west of the town of Jurancon, Domaine de Cinquau is well worth a visit - other to look out for include Domaine de Cauhapé where Henri Ramonteau produces some really exeptional wines - such as the Domaine de Cauhapé Symphonie de Novembre. Jurancon AC Moelleux stocked by Andrew Chapman at www.surf4wine.com “The very intense nose combines citrus fruit and exotic perfume with hints of fine oak, resin, spice and toasty notes. The mouth is suave and very aromatic. Fruity, crystallized flavours and bursts with pineapple, chestnut and quince. “

For more info on the Tour de France 2007 see www.letour.fr or UK Eurosport where there are some good interactive maps of the route.

Orthez (64 Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Midi-Pyrenees) to Gourette (Col d’Aubisque) - after a rest day off the mountains, the tour now cruelly sends the cyclists back up the mountains for what is probably the hardest day of mountain climbing in the whole Tour. A quick detour into Spain is included before the finish.

For more info on the Tour de France 2007 see www.letour.fr or UK Eurosport where there are some good interactive maps of the route.

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.