Autoroutes in France - Administration

Administration

The status of motorways in France has been subject of debate through years, from their construction until recently. Originally, the Autoroutes were built by private companies mandated by the French government, and followed strict construction rules as described below. They are operated and maintained by mixed companies held in part by private interests and in part by the state. Those companies hold concessions, which means that Autoroutes belong to the French state and their administration to semi-private companies. The different companies are as follows:

• ALIS (SEM, SAPN 8%, Bouygues 20.2%, Ixis 26%, DTP Terrassement 13.44%), concessionnaire de l'A28 Rouen-Alençon 125 km, Alis, official site
• SAPRR (Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône), 1801 km, SAPRR, official site
• AREA (Société des Autoroutes Rhône-Alpes, SAPRR Subsidiary at 99.82%), 381 km, AREA, official site
• ASF (Autoroutes du sud de la France), 2325 km, ASF, official site
• ATMB Autoroutes et tunnels du Mont-Blanc, 107 km, ATMB, official site
• CEVM (Viaduc de Millau, groupe Eiffage), 2.5 km, CEVM, official site
• Cofiroute (Compagnie Industrielle et Financière des Autoroutes, private company part of Vinci group), 896 km, Cofiroute, official site
• Escota (Société des Autoroutes Esterel-Côte d'Azur, ASF group), 460 km, Escota, official site
• Sanef (Société des autoroutes du Nord et de l'Est de la France), A.C.S. group (Spain), 1317 km, SANEF, official site
• SAPN (Société des autoroutes Paris-Normandie, SEM, groupe Sanef), 366 km, SAPN, official site
• SFTRF, Société française du tunnel routier du Fréjus, 67 km, SFRTF, official site

Only in the Brittany region do most of the autoroutes belong to the government. They are operated by the regional council and are free from tolls.