A20 (France)

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Autoroute A20

L'Occitane
Route information
Part of E 9
Length427 km (265 mi)
Existed1992–present
Major junctions
South end A 62 in Montbartier
North end A 71 in Vierzon
Location
CountryFrance
Highway system
  • Roads in France
A20 (France) Route marker.svg

The A20 autoroute or L'Occitane is a highway through central France. A part of France's national network of autoroutes, it is 427 kilometers (265 mi) long.

Regions Crossed

The road travels through the areas of Occitania, Limousin and Midi-Pyrénées. It starts at Vierzon in Cher and finishes in the south at Montauban in Tarn-et-Garonne. However further sections between Orléans and Vierzon (A71) and Montauban-Toulouse (A62) could be renamed the A20 in the not too distant future. L'Occitane is free from Vierzon to Brive-la-Gaillarde via Limoges.

The operating companies are ASF between Cressensac and Montauban, DDE in the department between Vierzon and Nespouls. The road crosses the following departments Cher, Indre, Creuse, Haute-Vienne, Corrèze, Lot, Tarn-et-Garonne

History

The motorway was proposed to reduce the travel time along the RN20 and to avoid congestion during holiday periods at Châteauroux, Argenton-sur-Creuse, Saint-Benoît-du-Sault, Limoges, Uzerche, Brive, Souillac, Cahors and Montauban.

Route

From Vierzon to Martel

The motorway is managed by the respective DDE in Cher, Indre, Creuse, Haute-Vienne, of Corrèze and Lot. It is a free motorway with 2x2 lanes, with certain sections with 2x3 lanes, for example the by-pass of Limoges.

History

  • Pre 1992: The Brive and Limoges by-pass.
  • 1992 to 2000: creation of the various sections of the motorway

Future

In the long term, a new by-pass for Limoges is proposed (The A20bis project), in order to return the section of the A20 motorway which crosses the Limoges conurbation to its original planned use as a major urban road.

Junctions

From Martel to Montauban

The motorway is operated by ASF. It is a toll road (closed system) with 2x2 lanes.

History

  • 1996 to 2003: Construction of the section.

Junctions

  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg55 (Souillac) to 303 km: served city Souillac
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg56 (Labastide-Murat) to 325 km: served city Labastide-Murat
    • Aire d'autoroute - station essence.png Service Area: Causses de la Lot
    • Aire de pique-nique.png Rest Area: Rauze
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg57 (Cahors-Nord) to 348 km: served city Cahors
    • Aire de pique-nique.png Rest Area: Cahors
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg58 (Cahors-Sud) to 371 km: served city Cahors
    • Aire de pique-nique.png Rest Areas: Bois de Dourre
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg59 (Caussade) to 393 km: served city Caussade
  • Péage.png Péage
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg60 (Montauban-Nord) to 409 km: served city Montauban

Deviation of Montauban and Montauban section - A62

This section is managed by the DDE of Tarn-et-Garonne. It is in 2x2 lanes and free. The Montauban by-pass is the last missing link of A20. The link is currently signaled the RN20 which has yet to be upgraded to autoroute standard. To the south of Montauban, the RN20 was upgraded to motorway standard in the Nineties, and has been re-numbered the A62.

History

  • 1992: Construction of the Montauban by-pass
  • 2007: Upgrade to the motorway standard

Junctions

  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg61 to 410 km: served city Montauban
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg62 to 413 km: served city Montauban
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg63 to 414 km: served city Montauban
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg64 to 416 km: served city Montauban
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg65 (Montauban-Sud) to 417 km: served city Montauban
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg66 (Bressols) to 418: served city Bressols
    • Aire de pique-nique.png Rest Area: Nauze-Vert
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg67 to 423 km: served city Moulis
  • Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg68 to 424 km: served cities Toulouse and Agen
  • Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg A62 to A20
  • A20 changes into RN20 and becomes a single carriageway road.

External links