Transport in France: Difference between revisions
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This article concerns the systems of '''transportation''' in [[France]], a country in [[Europe]]. |
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== History == |
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France has a system of large, navigable rivers, such as the [[Loire]], [[Seine|la Seine]] and [[Rhone River|le Rhône]] that criss cross the country and have long been essential for trade and travel. |
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The first important human improvements were the [[Roman road]]s linking major settlements and providing quick passage for marching armies. These routes these roads followed are copied today by many 'N' class roads. |
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Throughout the [[Middle Ages]] improvements were sparse and mediocre and transport became slow and cumbersome. The early modern period saw great improvements. There was a proliferation of [[canal]]s connecting rivers (like the [[Canal du Midi]]). It also saw great changes in oceanic shipping. Rather than expensive [[galley]]s, wind powered ships that were far faster and had far more cargo space became popular on the coastal trade. Transatlantic shipping with the [[New World]] turned cities such as [[Nantes]], [[Bordeaux]], [[Cherbourg-Octeville|Cherbourg]] and [[Le Havre]] into major ports of international importance. |
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=== Railways === |
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{{main|French railway history}} |
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Even in France, where, because of water transport, railways were of lesser importance than in other nations, railways were still an extremely important area of economic development. Despite already having a well developed water transport system, by 1875 railways were carrying four times as much cargo as canals and rivers combined. |
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French railways started later, and developed more slowly than those in other nations. While the first railway built in France was in operation in 1832, not long after the first line had opened in [[United Kingdom|Britain]], French progress failed to keep pace over the next decade. |
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After the war of 1870 the French rail system was overhauled and made far more efficient. By 1914 the French rail system was a match for Germany's and played a crucial part in France's victory in the [[World War I|First World War]]. |
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In the 1930s [[Léon Blum]]'s socialist government nationalised the French rail system, along with many other industries, and the transport system was successful in [[World War II]]. |
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After the war the French railway system began a slow movement to electric trains. Eventually [[TGV]] [[high speed train]]s were introduced providing extremely quick links between France's urban centers. |
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==Railway== |
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There is a total of 31,939 km (31,840 km are operated by French national company) of [[railway]] in France.<ref>Map of the network: http://www.rff.fr/biblio_pdf/rf_inv_r_carte.pdf</ref> |
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*31,840 km {{standard gauge}} |
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*99 km 1m [[narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]] (1998) |
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Trains, unlike road traffic, drive on the left (except in [[Alsace-Moselle]]). Metro and tramway services are not considered trains and thus generally follow road traffic in driving on the right (except the metro of [[Lyon Metro|Lyon]]). |
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France has railway links with all adjacent countries, with the exception of [[Andorra]]. The connection with [[Spain]] involves a [[break-of-gauge]]. |
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See also: [[SNCF]], [[TGV]], [[high-speed rail]], [[French railway history]], [[Chemins de Fer de Provence]], [[Channel Tunnel]]. |
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===Métros=== |
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There are a number of [[rapid transit]] services operating in France. |
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* [[Paris Métro]], operated by the [[RATP]] (''Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens'') and the [[RER]] |
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* [[Laon]], [[Poma 2000]] |
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* [[Lille]], [[VAL]] (''Véhicule Automatique Léger'', "Light Automatic Vehicle"), operated by [[Transpole]]. |
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* [[Lyon Metro]] |
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* [[Marseille]], operated by the RTM (''Régie des Transports de Marseille'') |
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* [[Rennes Metro]], VAL |
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* [[Toulouse]], VAL |
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===Tramways and light railways=== |
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{{see also|Trams in Europe}} |
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Despite the closure of most of France's [[tram]] systems in previous decades, a rapidly growing number of France's major cities boast new tram or [[light rail]] networks, including [[Paris]], [[Lyon]], [[Montpellier]], [[St Etienne]], [[Strasbourg]] and [[Nantes]] (Nantes has the largest French network). Recently the tram has seen a huge revival with many experiments such as [[ground level power supply]] in [[Bordeaux, France|Bordeaux]] (to avoid the need for overhead wires) or [[trolleybuses]] masquerading as trams in [[Nancy, France|Nancy]] (to provide a quick fix for traffic congestion). |
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This [[mode of transport]] started disappearing in France at the end of the 1930s. Only [[Lille]], [[Marseille]] and [[Saint-Etienne]] have never abandoned their tram systems. Since the 1980s, several cities have re-introduced it. |
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The following French towns and cities run light rail or tram systems: |
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* [[Bordeaux]], since 2003 |
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* [[Caen]], since 2002, 'trams on tyres' [[guided bus]] system featuring a single guidance rail while running on tyres (partially separate tracks) |
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* [[Clermont-Ferrand]], since 2006, 'trams on tyres' |
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* [[Grenoble]], since 1987 |
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* [[Île-de-France (région)|Île-de-France]] ([[Paris]] metropolitan area) |
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**T1 between [[Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis|Saint Denis]] and [[Noisy-le-Sec]], since [[1992]] |
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**T2 between [[La Defense]] and [[Issy Plaine]], since 1997 |
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**T3, on the south edge of the city of Paris, between [[Boulevard Victor]] and [[Porte d'Ivry metro station|Porte d'Ivry]], since [[2006]] |
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**T4, a tram-train between Bondy and Aulnay-sous-Bois RER stations, run by the SNCF, since [[2006]] |
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* [[Lille]] — [[Roubaix]] — [[Tourcoing]] (non-stop since 1909) |
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* [[Lyon]], since 2001 |
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* [[Le Mans]], since 2007 |
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* [[Marseille]], since 2007 (historical network opened 1893 closed in 2004 for renewal) |
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* [[Montpellier]], since 2000 |
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* [[Mulhouse]], since 2006 |
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* [[Nancy]], since 2000, 'trams on tyres' [[guided bus]] system featuring a single guidance rail while running on tyres (partially separate tracks) |
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* [[Nice]], since 2007 |
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* [[Nantes]], since 1985 |
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* [[Orléans]], since 2000 |
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* [[Rouen]], since 1994 |
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* [[Saint-Etienne]] (non-stop since 1881) |
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* [[Strasbourg]], since 1994 |
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* [[Valenciennes]], since 2006 |
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Light rail and tram systems are under construction in the following locations in France: |
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* [[Angers]] |
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* [[Toulouse]] |
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Systems are planned in these locations: |
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* [[Brest, France|Brest]] |
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* [[Le Havre]] |
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* [[Reims]] |
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* [[Tours]] |
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* [[Fort-de-France]] |
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==Roads== |
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There is a total of 893,300 km of [[road]]s in the country, including 12 000 km of [[Motorway]]s and 30 500 km of [[Route Nationale (France)|Routes Nationales]] (1998 est.). |
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Most motorways in France are toll and operated by private companies such as the [[Société des Autoroutes de Paris Normandie]] (SAPN). |
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All French roads have [[tarmac]] surfacing. |
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;See also |
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*[[List of motorways in France]] |
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*Paris's [[ring road]], the [[Périphérique]] |
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== Waterways / canals == |
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There are 14,932 km of [[waterways]] in France, of which 6,969 km are heavily travelled |
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See also: |
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* [[List of rivers of France]] |
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* [[List of canals in France]] |
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== Pipelines == |
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[[Pipeline transport|Pipeline]]s in France total 3,059 km in length for the transport of crude [[Petroleum|oil]] and for petroleum products, 4,487 km. Natural gas pipelines total 24,746 km. |
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== Sea == |
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France possesses an extensive merchant marine, including 55 ships of size 1,000 [[Tonnage|GRT]] and above. The country also maintains a captive register for French-owned ships in [[Iles Kerguelen]] ([[French Southern and Antarctic Lands]]). |
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France also possesses a number of [[seaports]] and [[harbours]], including the following: [[Bayonne]], [[Bordeaux]], [[Boulogne-sur-Mer]], [[Brest, France|Brest]], [[Calais]], [[Cherbourg-Octeville|Cherbourg]], [[Dunkerque]], [[Fos-sur-Mer]], [[La Pallice|La Rochelle-La Pallice]], [[Le Havre]], [[Lorient]], [[Marseille]], [[Nantes]], [[Nice]], [[Paris]], [[Port-la-Nouvelle]], [[Port-Vendres]], [[Roscoff]], [[Rouen]], [[Saint-Nazaire]], [[Saint-Malo]], [[Sète]], [[Strasbourg]], [[Toulon]]. |
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==Air travel== |
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[[Image:France airport map.png|300px|thumb|right|Airports in France]] |
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There are approximately 478 airports in France (1999 est.) (see [[List of French Airports]]) and by a 2005 estimate, there are three heliports. Of the airports, 288 have paved runways, with the remaining 199 being unpaved. |
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Among the airspace governance authorities active in France, one is [[Aéroports de Paris]], which has authority over the Paris region, managing 14 airports including [[Charles de Gaulle International Airport]] and [[Orly Airport]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Laurine Feinberg appointed to guide the Parisian airports towards the ISO 14001 certification (Press Release) | date=February 16, 2005 | publisher=Aéroports de Paris | url=http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Groupe/Press/Communiques/January-March+2005/LaurineFeinbergappointed.htm?}}</ref> The former, located in [[Roissy|Roissy en France]] near [[Paris]], is one of [[Europe]]'s principal aviation centers and is also France's main international airport. |
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The main [[airline]] in France is [[Air France]]. |
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== See also == |
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*[http://www.sncf.com/ SNCF web site] |
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*[http://www.sncf.co.uk/ SNCF UK web site] |
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== Notes and References == |
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<references /> |
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{{CIA WFB 2003}} |
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{{Europe_in_topic|Transport in}} |
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[[Category:Transport in France|*]] |
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[[fr:Transport en France]] |
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[[hr:Promet Francuske]] |
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[[it:Trasporti in Francia]] |
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[[ro:Transportul în Franţa]] |
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