roads in france

what are the roads like in france??? is it similar to the UK motorways with service stations every now and again? or like the A-roads and have small resting spaces on the side of the road? just so i can get an idea. as in another one of my post i am thinking of travelling to luxembourg through france. but i wanted to stop off here and there, not necessary at particular towns as i might not have time to stop and get going again. but would it be possible to stop on the side of the road to take quick pictures? what sort of roads would this be?

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There are actually different kinds of roads in France:

- %26quot;autoroutes%26quot; are toll highways, appropriate if you wan to get quickly from one point to an other but not enjoy the landscape that much and not stop

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoroutes_of_France

- %26quot;routes nationales%26quot;, probably more adapted to what you are looking for (may be combined to highway itinerary for some portion of your trip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_nationale

-and %26quot;routes départementales%26quot; that are small roads, often very scenic, ideal when you have plenty of time and want to explore an area; if you buy a Michelin map, these are the %26quot;yellow%26quot; roads, whereas the main roads (nationales) are red on the map.

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If you are asking about the Autoroutes, they have excellent services: restaurants, restrooms, gas stations, and picnic grounds all available at rest stops called %26quot;aires%26quot;. Aires are spaced at varying intervals but are seldom more that 30 minutes apart. Of course, Autoroutes are mostly toll roads, one notable exception is A75.

National roads generally have fewer facilities, particularly along lonely stretches, but are excellent roadways none the less. There are generally many informal locations at which can make impromptu stops.

Overall, highway travel in France is a pleasurable affair, just be careful of the radar cameras, they are everywhere.

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thank you for both of your fast replies. the national routes sound just great, and just like one mentioned i guess i will add in the autoroutes when necessary!

may i ask what are radar cameras? and are these just on the highways? and at what points do you have to pay the toll, and how much would this be?

could either of you, or anyone else suggest me a good mix of these roads to get to luxembourg? i would really love to see the scenic side of france as much as possible but get to my destination quite soon!

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There are 3 varieties of radar cameras:

1. Announced

2. Unannounced or completely hidden

3. Mobile, or those whose location often change

If you exceed the speed limit, your license is noted and you will be sent a fine by mail.

If you are caught by a policemen with a hand held radar, you will be levied a fine payable in cash on the spot.

Fines vary contingent upon by how much you have exceeded the limit.

http://www.radars-auto.com/

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I suggest you use Michelin website that provides an excellent route planner (you may choose the quickest, the most scenic, the most economic, etc):

viamichelin.com/viamichelin/…MaHomePage.htm

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