# State of roads in S France



## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Hi everyone,
We travel fairly often France but this time went down to the South East where we hadn't been before. The roads were in a really bad state, worse than most other countries we have been to in Europe, and that includes Eastern Europe over the last twenty or so years! A French person we met said that the French Govt. has downgraded a lot of roads from N (National) roads to D (Departmental). This means that the Departments have to pay for them and that some in the South imply cannot afford to do so. Certainly there were quite a lot of road number changes from what were on our map, admittedly a few years old.
Anyone else noticed this?
Lala


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## 04HBG (Dec 9, 2007)

I have just returned after covering 4000 miles in Western France, Span and Portugal and to be honest I found the standard of the road surface far far better than the UK.

The only bad bit of road i found was the 125 just outside of Villa Real, the surface was pretty broken up but other than that i found no problems until returning to the UK.

RD


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

From our travels over the last 3 years in France I thought that the roads were far better than in the UK.

Mike


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Roads*

Have always considered overall the roads in France to be of a higher standard.

The downsides are

Heavily Used Non Toll Trunk Routes
Very Narrow Hard Shoulders
Some Safety Issues (Central Reservations etc)

Also, almost everyone, drivers, non drivers and passengers that we have taken along with us to France have also commented on superior levels of roads and surfaces.

In Particular, I like the much higher number of Service Areas.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Have always considered overall the roads in France to be of a higher standard as well, they have invested massive funds in the road scheme over the years, when we first visited France oxen carts were still in use and fields were miniscule strips.
c.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Blimey Clive, was that in Biblical times? _oxen carts were still in use _

Ah, your second name is Methusalah!

I would second the remarks about good roads in France, shame it doesn't usually extend to good pavements as well.

Some minor roads are very interesting to drive along with their endless patch-work of repairs.
How come they get it so smooth _cf_ the lumpy-bumpy repairs in UK?


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

Drove on some German motorways this year that were really bad, thought the motorhome would not get back in one piece. Alwayd thought that Belguim motorways were very rutted. in comparason some of our motorways have been relaid and are very smooth.

Derek


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

We were travelling in the Alpes de Haute-Provence and the Var. Our campervan is small so we do use some smaller roads but overall the road conditions were very poor. There was a noticeable difference between the North and the West and here in the south-west. The French didn't seem very happy either.
Agree with the comment re the German autobahns, we have never been fans.
We were also told that there had been far fewer British holidaying there this year, no doubt to do with the exchange rate,
lala


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Sorry, mistake in previous post. I meant the South-East, not the South-West. Have tried to edit it but couldn't find how to do so.
lala


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

lalala said:


> Have tried to edit it but couldn't find how to do so


Try the edit button on the top right of your post.


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Many thanks
I was looking for something complicated!


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