Route nationale 12
Encyclopedia
The Route nationale 12, or RN12, is a trunk road (nationale
) in France
connecting Paris
with Brittany
. The road forms part of European route E50.
and Rennes
. At Mayenne
, the RN 12 was going south to Laval
(now RN 162) then going west to Vitré
and Rennes
(now RD 57 and 857, former RN 157). The itinerary from nowadays was named RN 155 until Fougères
and RN 177 from Fougères to Rennes.
The RN12 has been superseded into a freeway in a big part of its itinary, the old road has been re-numbered as the RD912, RD812 and RD712.
, the old road at Trappes
starting as the Rue de Dreux and heading west. The new road is autoroute standard a starts as an extension of the RN286 at its junction with the A12 autoroute
.
Both routes pass round the Étang de Saint-Quentin before merging at Plaisir, the old road course is often numbered RD912. The road heads West crossing the Forêt des Quatre Piliers (184m). The road now bypasses the small town of Houdan
and crosses the river Eure
into the city of Dreux
one of many that circle Paris
.
and heads broadly Southwest through rolling countryside of southern Normandy
. It passes the town of Saint-Lubin-des-Joncherets
, now in the upper valley of the river Avre
. It next comes to Verneuil-sur-Avre
where the RN26
heads North east to Caen
. The countryside is more wooded now as the road crosses the Les Bois Francs before coming to the Forêt du Perche.
At Mortagne-au-Perche
the road becomes autoroute standard again and the old course of the road taken by the D912. The area is classified a Parc naturel régional du Perche, featuring forests and hills up to 256m. After Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe
the road enters the Parc naturel régional Normandie-Maine. The road then crosses the A28 autoroute
and RD138 at the town of Alençon
.
The road continues West through increasingly undulating countryside. In the Forêt de Multonne Mont Souprat rises to 385m. At Pré-en-Pail
the RD176 heads north west to the coast and Avranches
. The road heads south west below hills such as Mont du Saule and Bois de Buleu both 327m high. The road next enters Mayenne
. The RN162 heads South from here to Laval
. The road next reaches Ernée
crossing the Forêt de Mayenne (215m). The road crosses open country to Fougères
which the RN12 passes to the Southwest. The RN12 then joins the A84 autoroute
, the old road is now the RD812. It passes the village of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier
then the Forêt de Liffré and then Forêt de Rennes. The road then enters the city of Rennes
.
to Lorient
. The RN12 now heads Northwest into Brittany
also classed the European route E50. The road passes up the Garun valley south of the Forêt de Montauban. The countryside is now a mix of rolling hills and tight river valleys. Due to an old royal act of parliament, roads cannot be tolled within Brittany and so the RN12 was upgraded to autoroute standard but not numbered as such. The RN12's old course is numbered RD712. The road has a junction with the RN176 (E401) to Dinan
. The road passes Lamballe before reaching the coast and a bay at Yffiniac
. The road then enters the town and port of Saint-Brieuc
on the south west corner of the Baie de Saint Brieuc on the English Channel
.
The RN12 heads West with the old road the RD712. It passes through the Bois de Malaunay before reaching the town of Guingamp
. The road continues west past the Menez-Bré (302m). The countryside becomes more and more undulating with steeper river valleys the Monts d'Arrée lie to the South (394m). The road comes to Morlaix
at the head of the river Jarlot. The road continues Southwest to Landivisiau
where the old road follows the scenic river Elorn
past the Moulin de Brézal. The new road takes a more direct route to the North. At Landerneau
the RD712 heads Northwest leaving the estuary of the Elorn
.
The roads both enter the large Atlantic coast port of Brest
from the East. Becoming the Rue de Paris on to the city centre. The RN165 heads South from the town to Quimper. The city lies on the North side of the Rade de Brest protected from the Atlantic by a headland with access through the natural channel of the Goulet de Brest.
Route nationale (France)
A route nationale, or simply nationale, is a trunk road in France. Trunk roads are in France are important roads which cross broad portions of the French territory, as opposed to secondary or communal roads who only serve local areas....
) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
connecting Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. The road forms part of European route E50.
History
Until the fifties, the RN 12 followed a different itinerary between MayenneMayenne, Mayenne
Mayenne is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is situated on the river Mayenne.-History:In medieval times, the town was the seat of the Lords of Mayenne...
and Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
. At Mayenne
Mayenne, Mayenne
Mayenne is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is situated on the river Mayenne.-History:In medieval times, the town was the seat of the Lords of Mayenne...
, the RN 12 was going south to Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
(now RN 162) then going west to Vitré
Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine
Vitré is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.Vitré, a sub-prefecture until 1926, is the seat of a canton of around 17,000 inhabitants . It lies on the edge of Brittany, near Normandy, Maine, and Anjou...
and Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
(now RD 57 and 857, former RN 157). The itinerary from nowadays was named RN 155 until Fougères
Fougères
Fougères is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany, in north-western France.-Sights:Fougères' major monument is a medieval stronghold built atop a granite ledge, which was part of the ultimately unsuccessful defence system of the Duchy of Brittany against...
and RN 177 from Fougères to Rennes.
The RN12 has been superseded into a freeway in a big part of its itinary, the old road has been re-numbered as the RD912, RD812 and RD712.
Trappes to Dreux (0km - 62km)
The road starts south west of Paris as a branch of the Route nationale 10Route nationale 10
Route nationale 10, or RN 10, is a trunk road in France between Paris and frontier with Spain.-Reclassification:Unlike many other Route nationales the road retains its status along the majority of its route...
, the old road at Trappes
Trappes
Trappes is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center in the new town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.-Transport:...
starting as the Rue de Dreux and heading west. The new road is autoroute standard a starts as an extension of the RN286 at its junction with the A12 autoroute
A12 autoroute
Autoroute A12, formerly known as the Autoroute de Bretagne , is a French autoroute located in Yvelines, near Paris. It branches off from A13 at an exchange known as the Triangle de Roquencourt located in the town of Bailly and merges with RN12 and RN10 at Bois-d'Arcy. Its total length is 8.5 km...
.
Both routes pass round the Étang de Saint-Quentin before merging at Plaisir, the old road course is often numbered RD912. The road heads West crossing the Forêt des Quatre Piliers (184m). The road now bypasses the small town of Houdan
Houdan
Houdan is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Geography:Houdan is west of Paris in the Yvelines département. It is linked by SNCF Alençon and Paris .-History:...
and crosses the river Eure
Eure
Eure is a department in the north of France named after the river Eure.- History :Eure is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
into the city of Dreux
Dreux
Dreux is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-History:Dreux was known in ancient times as Durocassium, the capital of the Durocasses Celtic tribe. Despite the legend, its name was not related with Druids. The Romans established here a fortified camp known as Castrum...
one of many that circle Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Dreux to Rennes (62km to 324km)
The road leaves DreuxDreux
Dreux is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-History:Dreux was known in ancient times as Durocassium, the capital of the Durocasses Celtic tribe. Despite the legend, its name was not related with Druids. The Romans established here a fortified camp known as Castrum...
and heads broadly Southwest through rolling countryside of southern Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. It passes the town of Saint-Lubin-des-Joncherets
Saint-Lubin-des-Joncherets
Saint-Lubin-des-Joncherets is a commune in the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
, now in the upper valley of the river Avre
Avre
Avre may refer to:*Avre , a river in northwestern France, tributary of the Eure*Avre , a river in northern France, tributary of the Somme*Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers, a military vehicle of the British Army...
. It next comes to Verneuil-sur-Avre
Verneuil-sur-Avre
Verneuil-sur-Avre is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-History:In August 1424 during the Hundred Years' War the battle of Verneuil was fought just to the north of the town...
where the RN26
Route nationale 26
The Route nationale 26, or RN26, is a highway in France connecting Verneuil-sur-Avre with Argentan.-Route:The road starts with a junction on the N12 and heads west to L'Aigle passing through the Foret d'Aigle. The road by-passes the town to the south. Thereafter the road has been recalssified as...
heads North east to Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. The countryside is more wooded now as the road crosses the Les Bois Francs before coming to the Forêt du Perche.
At Mortagne-au-Perche
Mortagne-au-Perche
Mortagne-au-Perche is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-Heraldry:-Demographic evolution:* 1962: 3909* 1968: 4322* 1975: 4877* 1982: 4851* 1990: 4584* 1999: 45131962 population without double counting-People:...
the road becomes autoroute standard again and the old course of the road taken by the D912. The area is classified a Parc naturel régional du Perche, featuring forests and hills up to 256m. After Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe
Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe
Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.In 1990, the town was twinned with Faringdon in England.-References:*...
the road enters the Parc naturel régional Normandie-Maine. The road then crosses the A28 autoroute
A28 autoroute
Autoroute 28 is an motorway linking Abbeville in Somme to Tours in Indre-et-Loire.The motorway starts at Abbeville splitting from the A16 and, after merging with the A13 near Rouen, ends at Tours, merging with the A10. The motorway between Rouen and Tours was added to the Schéma Directeur Routier...
and RD138 at the town of Alençon
Alençon
Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:...
.
The road continues West through increasingly undulating countryside. In the Forêt de Multonne Mont Souprat rises to 385m. At Pré-en-Pail
Pré-en-Pail
Pré-en-Pail is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.-See also:*Communes of Mayenne*Parc naturel régional Normandie-Maine...
the RD176 heads north west to the coast and Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
. The road heads south west below hills such as Mont du Saule and Bois de Buleu both 327m high. The road next enters Mayenne
Mayenne, Mayenne
Mayenne is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is situated on the river Mayenne.-History:In medieval times, the town was the seat of the Lords of Mayenne...
. The RN162 heads South from here to Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
. The road next reaches Ernée
Ernée
Ernée is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It is named after the River Ernée, which runs through the town and is situated about halfway between the towns of Laval and Fougères...
crossing the Forêt de Mayenne (215m). The road crosses open country to Fougères
Fougères
Fougères is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany, in north-western France.-Sights:Fougères' major monument is a medieval stronghold built atop a granite ledge, which was part of the ultimately unsuccessful defence system of the Duchy of Brittany against...
which the RN12 passes to the Southwest. The RN12 then joins the A84 autoroute
A84 autoroute
The A84 autoroute is a motorway in western France completed on 27 January 2003. The motorway connects Rennes in Brittany with Caen in Lower Normandy. It is part of the Autoroute des Estuaires from Dunkirk to Bayonne, avoiding Paris.-Characteristics:...
, the old road is now the RD812. It passes the village of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier
Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier
Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in the region of Brittany in north-western France.-Geography:Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier is located at northeast of Rennes and south of Mont Saint-Michel....
then the Forêt de Liffré and then Forêt de Rennes. The road then enters the city of Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
.
Rennes to Brest (324km to 570km)
At Rennes there are junctions with the RN137, RN136 (E50) and RN24Route nationale 24
The Route nationale 24 is a highway in western France. It connects the city of Rennes with the Atlantic port of Lorient. The road is approximately 149 km long.-Route:...
to Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
. The RN12 now heads Northwest into Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
also classed the European route E50. The road passes up the Garun valley south of the Forêt de Montauban. The countryside is now a mix of rolling hills and tight river valleys. Due to an old royal act of parliament, roads cannot be tolled within Brittany and so the RN12 was upgraded to autoroute standard but not numbered as such. The RN12's old course is numbered RD712. The road has a junction with the RN176 (E401) to Dinan
Dinan
Dinan is a walled Breton town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in northwestern France.-Geography:Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of nestling on the valley floor like Morlaix, most urban development has been on the hillside, overlooking the river Rance...
. The road passes Lamballe before reaching the coast and a bay at Yffiniac
Yffiniac
Yffiniac is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Yffiniac are called yffiniacais.-External links:*...
. The road then enters the town and port of Saint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who evangelized the region in the 6th century and established an oratory there...
on the south west corner of the Baie de Saint Brieuc on the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
The RN12 heads West with the old road the RD712. It passes through the Bois de Malaunay before reaching the town of Guingamp
Guingamp
Guingamp is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Guingamp are called guingampais.-Breton language:...
. The road continues west past the Menez-Bré (302m). The countryside becomes more and more undulating with steeper river valleys the Monts d'Arrée lie to the South (394m). The road comes to Morlaix
Morlaix
Morlaix is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Leisure and tourism:...
at the head of the river Jarlot. The road continues Southwest to Landivisiau
Landivisiau
Landivisiau is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-International relations:It is twinned with Bideford in the southwest of the United Kingdom.-Population:...
where the old road follows the scenic river Elorn
Élorn
The Élorn is a 56 km long river in Brittany, France. Its source is in the monts d'Arrée, 1.5km NNE of Le Tuchenn Kador, and it then runs through several small towns such as Sizun and Landivisiau before flowing out into the roadstead of Brest. This river is the birhplace of the legendary Dragon...
past the Moulin de Brézal. The new road takes a more direct route to the North. At Landerneau
Landerneau
Landerneau is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies at the mouth of the Elorn River which divides the Breton provinces of Cornouaille and Léon, east of Brest...
the RD712 heads Northwest leaving the estuary of the Elorn
Élorn
The Élorn is a 56 km long river in Brittany, France. Its source is in the monts d'Arrée, 1.5km NNE of Le Tuchenn Kador, and it then runs through several small towns such as Sizun and Landivisiau before flowing out into the roadstead of Brest. This river is the birhplace of the legendary Dragon...
.
The roads both enter the large Atlantic coast port of Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
from the East. Becoming the Rue de Paris on to the city centre. The RN165 heads South from the town to Quimper. The city lies on the North side of the Rade de Brest protected from the Atlantic by a headland with access through the natural channel of the Goulet de Brest.