The A7 Autoroute, also known as l'autoroute du Soleil (English: the Motorway of the Sun) is a French motorway. It continues the A6 and links Lyon to Marseille. The autoroute du Soleil is 302.5 km (188.0 mi) long and forms part of European routes E15, E80, and E714.
A7 autoroute | |
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Autoroute du Soleil | |
Route information | |
Part of E15 / E80 / E714 | |
Maintained by ASF | |
Length | 302.5 km (188.0 mi) |
Existed | 1958–present |
Major junctions | |
North end | A 6 at Lyon |
South end | Marseille (Porte d'Aix) |
Location | |
Country | France |
Highway system | |
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The part of the road in Marseille was built by the Nazi invaders in 1941.[1]
This autoroute is fairly heavy throughout the year. Much of the transit of heavy goods between northern France and the Benelux countries and Germany and the Mediterranean passes through the Rhône valley, and thus along the A7. Traffic is also generated by local transit around the larger cities of the region (Lyon, Vienne, Valence, Orange, Avignon). During holiday periods, traffic is particularly congested, southbound at the beginning of holidays, northbound at the end. The last week-end of July and the first week-end of August are particularly crowded in both directions; jams can occasionally stretch for hundreds of kilometers.
The section of the motorway going through Lyon between La Mulatière and Perrache train station are in the process of being declassified, with the intent of turning this section into an urban boulevard. To compensate, a new motorway, the A44 will be built bypassing Lyon and connecting to the A7.[2]