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| A77 autoroute | |
|---|---|
| Name | A77 autoroute |
| Country | FRA |
| Route | 77 |
| Length km | 156 |
| Established | 1971 |
| Terminus a | Auxerre |
| Terminus b | Nevers |
| Maintainer | Véolia Autoroutes |
A77 autoroute is a French motorway linking the Paris region hinterland with central France, running between Auxerre and Nevers. Opened in stages from the 1970s to the 21st century, the route connects with major axes such as the A6 autoroute, serves regional centres including Montargis and Moulins, and provides access to cultural sites like Vaux-le-Vicomte and Bourges Cathedral. The corridor supports freight and tourist flows to destinations such as Clermont-Ferrand, Orléans, Dijon and Limoges.
The motorway begins near Auxerre where it interfaces with the A6 autoroute and traverses the Yonne countryside, crossing river corridors associated with the Yonne River and skirting landmarks such as Chablis vineyards and the chateau at Guédelon. Proceeding south, the alignment passes close to Montargis, links with secondary routes toward Sens and Nemours, and negotiates the Loire basin approaching Nevers where it meets the A71 autoroute and regional roads toward Bourges and Clermont-Ferrand. The corridor includes multiple viaducts, interchanges with the national network such as the N7 and N151, and runs through mixed agricultural, forested and peri-urban landscapes near Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, Nièvre and Allier.
Planning for a high-capacity link between the Parisian approaches and central France dates to post-war infrastructure programmes that also produced the A6 autoroute and the expansion of the Route nationale network. Initial sections opened in the early 1970s parallel to older routes like the N7, while later extensions in the 1980s and 1990s reflected national motorway concessions held by operators such as Véolia and predecessor companies. Major milestones include the completion of southern links to Nevers which improved connections toward A71 autoroute and long-distance itineraries used by freight from ports serving Le Havre and Rouen. Recent upgrades addressed safety standards promoted by the Directive 2008/96/EC and environmental mitigation measures influenced by rulings from the Conseil d'État and regional authorities in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
Key interchanges provide multimodal connectivity: the northern terminus connects with A6 autoroute near Auxerre allowing transfers toward Paris and Lyon; central junctions give access to Montargis and link to the N7 and N60 corridors toward Orléans and Sens; southern interchanges near Nevers interface with A71 autoroute toward Bourges and Clermont-Ferrand. Other notable exits serve towns such as Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, Moulins and rural communes in Allier and Nièvre. Freight distribution points near industrial zones connect to rail hubs like Gare de Nevers and inland waterways on the Loire and Canal du Centre.
Traffic volumes vary seasonally with tourist flows to destinations such as Château de Fontainebleau, Vichy and Le Creusot; commuter movements concentrate near Auxerre and the Loire valley. The motorway has a mix of tolled and untolled sections administered under concession agreements with operators linked to companies like Véolia Autoroutes and subjected to tariff oversight by the Ministry of Ecological Transition (France). Heavy goods vehicle flows reflect connections to logistics centres serving Lyon, Dijon and the Normandy ports, and the route is monitored using traffic management systems influenced by standards from the European Union agencies and coordinated with regional prefectures in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
Service areas along the corridor offer fuel, catering and maintenance services branded by major operators including TotalEnergies and national chains comparable to those serving the Autoroute A6. Facilities provide rest zones, truck parks, electric vehicle charging points introduced following policies from the French Ministry of Transport and links to local tourism information for sites such as Guédelon Castle and the historic centre of Nevers with the Ducal Palace of Nevers.
Planned works focus on capacity improvements, safety enhancements and environmental measures consistent with European and national directives such as Directive 2014/52/EU on environmental assessment. Proposals have included widening sections, improving junction geometry near Montargis and upgrading service areas to support alternative fuels including hydrogen projects promoted by entities tied to ADEME and regional development agencies in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Coordination with rail freight initiatives like the Lignes à Grande Vitesse network expansion and river transport revitalisation on the Loire may shift modal balances and influence long-term investment decisions by concessionaires and regional councils in Nièvre and Allier.
Category:Autoroutes in France