A75 autoroute

The A75 is an autoroute (motorway) in France.

"La Méridienne" redirects here. For the Swiss-French film, see Lounge Chair (film).

A75 autoroute
La Méridienne (French)
Beginning of the autoroute at Clermont-Ferrand
Route information
Part of E11
Length	335 km (208 mi)
Major junctions
North end	A 71 / E11 / A 711 at Clermont-Ferrand
Major intersections	D 2089 at Aubière D 996 at Issoire N 102 at Lempdes-sur-Allagnon N 9 at Saint-Chély-d'Apcher D 806 at Sévérac-le-Château N 88 at Millau A 750 at Ceyras
South end	A 9 / E15 / E80 at Béziers
Location
Country	France
Regions	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitania
Departments	Puy-de-Dôme, Haute-Loire, Cantal, Lozère, Aveyron, Hérault
Highway system
Roads in France Autoroutes Routes nationales

Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the 335 km (208 mi) between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers. It was due for completion in spring 2011,^[1] but was fully open in December 2010.

South of St. Flour there are excellent 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 onto the A75 / La Méridienne / Have a good drive

A75 near Massiac

The building of a motorway across the Massif Central is, in itself, a formidable achievement. Much of the motorway runs at an altitude in excess of 800 metres (2,600 ft) with 50 kilometres (31 mi) in excess of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).^[2]

The single most impressive feature is undoubtedly 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.

Other impressive features include: Viaducts and bridges

• Viaduc de la Violette, 560 metres (1,840 ft) long, between junctions 21 & 22
• Pont sur la Truyère, 311 metres (1,020 ft) long, between junctions 30 and 31
• Viaduc du Piou, 414 metres (1,358 ft) long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc du Ricoulong, 342 metres (1,122 ft) long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc de la Planchette, 221 metres (725 ft) long, between junctions 38 and 39
• Viaduc de Verrières, 710 metres (2,330 ft) long, between junctions 44 and 44.1
• Viaduc de la Garrigue, 340 metres (1,120 ft) long, between junctions 44.1 and 42
• Viaduc de Millau, 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) long, between junctions 45 and 46

Millau Viaduct

Passes

• 990|m}} between junctions 24 and 25
• Col de la Fageole, 1,107 metres (3,632 ft), between junctions 26 and 27
• Col des Issartets, 1,121 metres (3,678 ft), the highest point on the A75, between junctions 36 and 37
• Col de la Fagette, 882 metres (2,894 ft), between junctions 40 and 41
• Col d'Engayresque, 888 metres (2,913 ft), between junctions 44 and 44.1

Tunnels

• Tunnel de Montjezieu, 616 metres (2,021 ft), long at an altitude of 650 metres (2,130 ft), between junctions 39.1 and 40
• Tunnel de Pas d'Escalette, 725 metres (2,379 ft) southbound, 830 metres (2,720 ft) northbound, between junctions 50 and 51
• Tunnel de la Vierge, 474 metres (1,555 ft), between junctions 52 and 53

The route

A75 Autoroute junctions, listed north to south
km	Junc. No.	Northbound exits	Southbound exits	Notes
0				A71 becomes A75 at Clermont-Ferrand
1.5	1	La Pardieu, Billom, Cournon	Billom	No northbound entry
4	2	Bordeaux, La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Aubière	La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Aubière
5	3	Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, Z.I. Cournon, La Roche Blanche, Orcet, Le Cendre	Cournon
6.5	4	Orcet, Le Cendre, Vic-le-Comte, La Roche-Blanche	Le Cendre, Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, La Roche-Blanche
10	5	Veyre-Monton, St-Amant-Tallende	Orcet, St-Amant-Tallende, Aydat
15	6	Veyre-Monton, Murol, Chambon sur Lac, Champeix, St Nectaire	Veyre-Monton
18.5	7	Montpeyroux, Coudes	Montpeyroux
21	8	-	Coudes, Vic-le-Comte	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
23	9	Sauvagnat, St-Yvoine	Sauvagnat, St-Yvoine
26.5	10	La Ribeyre	La Ribeyre
28.5	11	Issoire centre	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
31	12	Issoire-les-Prés, Orbeil	Issoire-les-Prés, Orbeil
31.5	13	Issoire couze, Parentignat, Sauxillanges, Ambert, St Germain	Issoire couze, Parentignat, Sauxillanges, Ambert
34	14	Issoire aérodrome	Issoire centre, Champieux, St Nectaire, Besse	No northbound entry
39	15	Le Broc, St Germain, Ardres, Le Breuil	-	No northbound exit
38	16	-	Le Broc	No southbound exit
41	17	St-Germain-Lembro, Jumeaux	St-Germain-Lembron, Le Breuil
45.5	18	Charbonnier, Brassac, Ste Florine	Brassac, Charbonnier
50	19	Lempdes	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
51	20	Lempdes, Vergongheon, Brioude, Le Puy en Velay	Lempdes, Vergongheon, Ste Florine, Le Puy en Velay
56	21	Lorlanges	Lorlanges, Ardres s. Couze	Aire de Lafayette via this junction
61	22	Espalem, Blesle, Brioude	Le Puy en Velay, Espalem, Blesle, Brioude
66	23	Massiac, Aurillac, Murat, Le Lioran	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
68.5	24	-	Massiac	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
81	25	St-Poncy	St-Poncy
85	26	Vieillespesse	Vieillespesse
87.5	27	Coren, Montchamp	Montchamp
92.5	28	St-Flour, Chaudes-Aigues, Espalion	St-Flour bel-air, Coren
96.5	29	St-Flour belle vue, St Georges	Aurillac, St Flour centre, Murat, Le Lioran
100.5	30	Ruynes-en-Margeride	Ruynes-en-Margeride
108.5	31	Loubaresse	Loubaresse, Viaduc de Gabarit
117	32	La Garde, Le Bacon	La Garde, Le Bacon	Access to La Lozère services and Geoscope
122.5	33	St-Chély-d'Apcher, Le Malzieu-Ville, Fournels	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
128.5	34	St-Chély-d'Apcher, Rimeize, St-Alban-sur-Limagnole	St-Chély-d'Apcher, St-Alban-sur-Limagnole, Le Malzieu-Ville, Fournels
134	35	Aumont-Aubrac, Nabrinals	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
138.5	36	-	Aumont-Aubrac	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
146.5	37	Le Buisson	Le Buisson
153	38	Antrenes, Marvejols	Antrenes, Marvejols, Nasbinals
162	39	Le Monastier, Chirac, Chanac, Florac	Mende, Le Monastier, Chirac, Chanac, Florac
163	39.1
168.5	39.2	St-Germain-du-Teil	-	Southbound exit only
172	40	La Canourge, Banassac, St-Germain-du-Teil	La Canourge, Banassac, St-Germain-du-Teil
182.5	41	Campagnac, St-Geniez-d'Olt	Campagnac, St-Geniez-d'Olt
190	42	Rodez, Sévérac-le-Château, le Massegros, Laissac	Rodez, Sévérac-le-Château, Laissac	A68 junction. Access to Aveyron services
193	43	-	Le Massegros	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
200.5	44	Engayresque	Engayresque
210	44.1	Aguessac, Micropolis, Vezins de Levezon, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes	Cahors, Aguessac, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes
215	45	St-Germain, St Beauzély, Castelnau de Petgarolles	Millau, St Beauzély, Castelnau de Petgarolles	TOLL SECTION SOUTH TO JUNCTION 46
				Toll barrier
223	46	La Bastide-Pradines, St-Rome-de-Cernon, Roquefort, St Affrique	-	TOLL SECTION NORTH TO JUNCTION 45
234.5	47	Millau sud, la Cavalerie, Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon	Millau, la Cavalerie, Roquefort, St Affrique
244	48	L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac, La Couvertoirade, Cornus, Alzon, La Vigan	L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac, Cornus, Alzon
257.5	49	Le Caylar, Lunas, Bedarieux, Cirque de Navacelles	Le Caylar, La Couvertoirade	Access to Le Caylar services
260	50	-	St-Félix-de-l'Héras	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
267	51	Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette	Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette
271.5	52	Lodève nord, Soubès	Le Vignan, Ganges, Lodève nord, Soubès
275.5	53	-	Lodève sud, Lunas	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
280	54	Le Bosc	Le Bosc	No southbound entry
283	55	-	Le Bosc, Lac du Salagou	Southbound entry and northbound exit only
285-289.5	56	Salelles	Salelles, L'Oasis	No Southbound entry
289.5		Montpellier	Montpellier, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Gignac, St André-de-Sangonis	Junction with A750
294.5	57	Clermont-l'Hérault, Nébian, Canet, Bedarieux	Clermont-l'Hérault, Bedarieux, Canet, Lac du Salagou
305.5	58	Paulhan, Adissan, Lézignan-la-Cèbe	Paulhan, Adissan
310	59 †	Pézenas nord, Sète, Montagnac, Mèze, Marseillan	Sète, Montagnac, Mèze, Marseillan
	59.1  †	Pézenas sud, Castelnau-de-Guers	Pézenas sud, Castelnau-de-Guers
	60 †	Agde, Cap d'Agde	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
	61 †	Pézenas ouest	Roujan, Pézenas ouest
324	62	Servian, Montblanc	Florensac, Servian, Valros, Montblanc
331	63	Narbonne, Béziers Centre	-	Southbound exit and northbound entry only
332	64	Valras-Plage, Serignan, Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport, Béziers	Béziers Centre
333				Toll barrier
334				Junction with A9

† The section between junctions 59 and 61 (the Pézenas by-pass) was not technically motorway and was still designated as the N9, despite the depiction on most maps. Work to upgrade the section to full motorway status was carried out between September 2013 and June 2014.

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").^[1]

References

1. "A75: Le point sur les travaux entre Pézenas et Béziers". Midi Libre (in French). 16 June 2008. p. 3.
2. "Association La Méridienne: On n'a pas tous les jours...". Decouverte & Patrimoine (9). Projective Groupe: 28. 2006.

External links

• "A75 La Méridienne" (in French). Archived from the original on 15 September 2013.: tourist information
• "A75 La Méridienne". Saratlas. (Note: The distances on this site are inaccurate)
• "aires on the magnificent A75 autoroute". Three noteworthy areas described with photo illustrations and sketch maps.