MAP: Where did French toll road fees increase the most in 2023?

With the summer holidays approaching, many are preparing for road trips across France and will therefore be encountering péages (toll booths).

While the cost of tolls in France have increased on average by 4.75 percent when compared with 2022, some segments of French autoroutes have seen much steeper increases, with some up by 10.5 percent.

France's autoroutes are run by private companies - hence the differing cost of tolls - although the government caps the maximum amount they can increase their tolls by each year.

Before travelling in France, you can estimate the amount your journey will cost you in toll fees by going to this website. 

French daily Franceinfo analysed 3,128 sections of autoroutes in France to determine where the cost of tolls had skyrocketed the most in the last year. They ranked the top 10 autoroutes where toll had increased the most, based on averaging how much it cost to drive 10km in 2022 versus 2023.

READ MORE: 7 ways to make your French holiday cheaper this summer

A48

The A48, from Bourgoin-Jallieu to Grenoble in eastern France, near Lyon, saw the highest average increase, equivalent to +10.5 percent. In 2022, it cost €1.06 to travel 10km, while in 2023 it now costs €1.17. 

Franceinfo asked the company managing this autoroute, Area, about the rise in pricing, and they said that "construction and maintenance costs are reflected in the toll price".

The A48 autoroute in eastern France (Credit: Google Maps)

Autoroute A65

In second place, the A65 in southern France, connecting Langon to Pau saw a 10.4 percent increase, with the average cost to drive 10km rising from €1.39 in 2022 to €1.54 in 2023.

Franceinfo also looked at the highest percentage increases for individual segments of toll routes. The top 15 smaller segments of toll routes that saw the highest rises between 2022 and 2023 were all along the A65, with the 70km stretch between Aire-Sur-Adour Nord and Captieux seeing the largest increase. In 2022, it cost €9.50 to travel this section of the A65, and in 2023 it cost €10.80.

The A65 autoroute in France (Credit: Google Maps)

A14

The A14 in the western suburbs of Paris, connecting La Défense to Orgeval,came in third place for the largest rise between 2022 and 2023, with an increase of 9.9 percent to travel 10km. The autoroute itself is only 21km in length, and it is one of the most expensive in France.

In 2022, to travel 10km, it cost €4.33, and in 2023 it now costs €4.76.

The A14 autoroute in France (Credit: Google Maps)

A75

The A75, also known as La Méridienne, connects Clermont Ferrand in central France to Béziers in the south west. Normally, it is free of charge to travel on this autoroute, except for the section around the Millau Viaduct over the Tarn Valley. This segment of the A75 saw a significant increase in its toll pricing in the last year.

Prices went up above the national average, rising by 6.8 percent. It now costs €10.42 to travel across, whereas in 2022 it was €9.75. Keep in mind, this is based on summer pricing, which is comparatively higher than the rest of the year.

Autoroute A75 (Credit: Google Maps)

A88

The A88, connecting Sées in the Orne département in north-western France to Falaise in the Calvados département, travelling toward the Normandy coast. 

Driving 10km on the A88 went up by 6.6 percent, representing an increase of €0.12, from €1.86 last year to €1.98 this year.

A88 autoroute in France (Photo Credit: Google Maps)

A28

Driving 10km on the A28, which runs from Rouen, northwest of Paris, to Tours, southwest of Paris, is also more expensive than the national average increase for French toll roads.

In 2022, it cost €1.40, which rose to €1.49 in 2023 - an increase of 6.5 percent.

Autoroute A28 in France (Credit: Google Maps)

A404

The A404 connects the A40 with Oyonnax, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France. 

The cost to travel 10km went up by 6.2 percent in the last year, rising from €2.29 to €2.43. 

A404 autoroute France (Photo Credit: Google Maps)

A68

The A68 is a 61.9 kilometres long motorway in southern France, connecting Toulouse to Albi.

The segment going from Toulouse to Montastruc-la-Conseillère saw a 6.2 percent rise in the price to drive 10km. This means that in 2022 it cost €1.45, and increased to €1.55 in 2023.

A68 autoroute in southern France (Photo Credit: Google Maps)

A9

The A9 in southern France passes through several cities, such as Montpellier, Nîmes, and Perpignan.

According to Franceinfo, the year on year increase between 2022 and 2023 was 6.2 percent, on average, to drive 10km between Perpignan near the Spanish border, to Orange. 

In 2022, this distance on average cost €0.92, and in 2023 it was €0.97.

A11

The A1 connects Paris with Nantes, in western France via the cities Le Mans and Angers. It is known as 'L'Océane', and runs 343km total in distance.

In 2022, it cost drivers on average €1.11 to go 10km on this road, and in 2023 that rose by 5.8 percent to €1.17.

A11 autoroute in France (Photo Credit: Google Maps)