Route nationale 20
Encyclopedia
The Route nationale 20 is a trunk road (nationale
) between Paris and the frontier with Spain heading south through the heart of France and passing through the Cathedral City of Orléans and Toulouse. The road forks at Col de Puymorens with one branch being the Route nationale 22
which leads to Andorra
. In winter, avalanches sometimes close the road.
. The road is also part of the European route E09. Similar work has been undertaken to the N9
.
- Orléans
- Vierzon
- Châteauroux
- Limoges
- Brive - Cahors
- Montauban
- Toulouse
- Foix
- Bourg-Madame
- Spain (N-152)
. Then past the suburb of Antony and a junction with the A6 autoroute. The old road is renumbered the D217 through an industrial estate and the town of longjumeau.
The N20 merges again as the Route D'Orléans through Monthéry and over the N104 and into open rolling countryside which becomes increasingly wooded. The road passes the Bois de la Butte de Couard. The road then comes to the town of Étampes
where there is a junction with the N191 (Évry to the N10).
The road then heads south west parallel to the A10 autoroute. The road skirts the western edge of the large Foret d'Orléans before entering the cathedral city of Orléans
. The N20 crosses the River Loire in the City Centre over the Pont du Marechel Joffre.
Orléans is a key transport hub forming a junction with the A10 autoroute (L'Aquitaine) and A71 autoroute (L'Arverne) as well as the N157 (Rennes
–Le Mans
-Orléans), N60 (Troyes
–Sens
-Orléans) and N152 (Orléans-Blois
–Angers
–Saumur
).
in heavily wooded countryside and on through the Foret de Vierzon to Vierzon
which lies on the Cher River
. This town is also a junction with the A71 autoroute which heads to the east and the A20 autoroute
(L'Occitane) which is an upgrade of the N20 to autoroute standard. The old road still runs through villages and towns such as Massey and Vatan as the D320.
The road passes round the town of Châteauroux
on the River Indre
. The town is also on the N151 (Auxerre
–Bourges
–Poitiers
) and N143 (Tours
-Châteauroux). The road continues south through thick forest coming to the river Creuse
. The countryside becomes more hilly. The old road is numbered the N20 and D220 after Argenton-sur-Creuse
and Saint-Benoît-du-Sault
. The road crosses the N145 (Bellac
–Montluçon
) 11 km west of the town of La Souterraine.
The road then heads through Bessines-sur-Gartempe
and into the Monts d'Ambazac (701m). The road then reaches the industrial centre of Limoges
which lies on the river Vienne
. The town is also connected by the N141 (Saíntes–Clermont-Ferrand
), N21 (Limoges-Lourdes
) and N147 (Limoges-Poitiers-Angers
).
through traffic now being taken as the A20 autoroute with the old road now being the D420 and D920 through the town of Masseret. The old road branches east through Uzerche
on the River Vézère
. There is a junction with the N120 to Aurillac
. It also meets the A89 autoroute
.
The old road carries on as the D920 to the regional centre of D920 through Brive La Gaillarde. Here there is a junction with N89 and N80. The road heads south and forks again as the A20 becomes a peage and the N20 starts again. There is a junction with the N140. At Souillac
the road crosses the river Dordogne
. After which the road rises passing the Bellevoir de lanzac. The roads are now on the plateau of the Causse de Gramat and onto the medieaval town of Cahors
on a loop in the river Lot.
The N20 continues south heading out of the massif central and into the valley of the river Aveyron
via Caissade. The road heads south west in the wide flat valley to Montauban
. Then it comes to a junction with the N113 (Narbonne
–Bordeaux
) along the River Garonne
. The A62 autoroute
(Autoroute de Deux Mers) crosses the road. The N20 turns south running along the east bank of the river into the industrial city of Toulouse
.
The city of Toulouse is on the junction of the Autoroutes A62, A68 (to Albi), A64 (to Pau and Bayonne
) and the N88 and N124.
at Pamiers.
South of Pamiers the road enters the foothills of the Pyrenees
such as the Montagnes du Plantaurel. The road heads to Foix
, which is now by-passed in a tunnel on the east side of the valley. The road then passes Tarascon-sur-Ariège
following the deep river valley. The road passes the Parc Pyrénéen de l'Art Préhistorique and south east to Ax-les-Thermes
. To the south of west is a ski resort Les Bazerques.
The road forks at the Col de Puymorens (1920 m). The RN22 leads in a series of hairpins to the south west and Andorra
, crossing the Pas de la Casa (2,085m) or the alternative Túnel d'Envalira. The RN320 now crosses the pass de Puymorens, while the RN20 heads through the Tunnel Puymorens rather than taking the pass, and heads down to Bourg-Madame
.
The road the enters Spain and becomes the N-152 (Carretera) (E09) towards Barcelona
. The N116 heads north east from Bourg Madame to Perpignan
along the Tech valley.
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....
) between Paris and the frontier with Spain heading south through the heart of France and passing through the Cathedral City of Orléans and Toulouse. The road forks at Col de Puymorens with one branch being the Route nationale 22
Route nationale 22
The Route nationale 22 is a highway in southern France, connecting l'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre to Pas de la Casa in the Principality of Andorra...
which leads to Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
. In winter, avalanches sometimes close the road.
Re-classification
The N20 is now being upgraded to 2x2 autoroute standard, the majority of which is toll free. The upgrade is to be called the A20 autorouteA20 autoroute
The A20 autoroute or L'Occitane is a highway through central France.-Regions Crossed:The road travels through the areas of Occitania, Limousin and Midi-Pyrénées. It starts at Vierzon in Cher and finishes in the south at Montauban in Tarn-et-Garonne...
. The road is also part of the European route E09. Similar work has been undertaken to the N9
Route nationale 9
The Route nationale 9, or RN 9, is a trunk road in France between Moulins and the frontier with Spain.-Reclassification:Much of the route of the RN 9 has now been/or in the process of being upgraded or replaced by the A75 autoroute in particular the section south of Clermont Ferrand to Béziers...
.
Route
Paris - ÉtampesÉtampes
Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....
- Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
- Vierzon
Vierzon
Vierzon is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A medium-sized town by the banks of the Cher River with some light industry and an area of forestry and farming to the north...
- Châteauroux
Châteauroux
Châteauroux is the capital of the Indre department in central France and the second-largest town in the province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called Castelroussines or Castelroussins....
- Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
- Brive - Cahors
Cahors
Cahors is the capital of the Lot department in south-western France.Its site is dramatic being contained on three sides within an udder shaped twist in the river Lot known as a 'presqu'île' or peninsula...
- Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
- Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
- Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
- Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies right on the border with Spain. It abuts directly onto the Spanish town of Puigcerdà, and is near the Spanish exclave of Llívia....
- Spain (N-152)
Paris to Orléans (0 to 104 km)
The road starts at the south of the city centre of Paris at the Porte d'Orlean. The road heads south as the Avenue Aristide Briande through the suburb of Bourg-La-Reine. It crosses the N186 autoroute and Orly AirportOrly Airport
Paris-Orly Airport is an airport located partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi, south of Paris, France. It has flights to cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, North America and Southeast Asia. Prior to the construction of Charles de Gaulle Airport, Orly was...
. Then past the suburb of Antony and a junction with the A6 autoroute. The old road is renumbered the D217 through an industrial estate and the town of longjumeau.
The N20 merges again as the Route D'Orléans through Monthéry and over the N104 and into open rolling countryside which becomes increasingly wooded. The road passes the Bois de la Butte de Couard. The road then comes to the town of Étampes
Étampes
Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....
where there is a junction with the N191 (Évry to the N10).
The road then heads south west parallel to the A10 autoroute. The road skirts the western edge of the large Foret d'Orléans before entering the cathedral city of Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
. The N20 crosses the River Loire in the City Centre over the Pont du Marechel Joffre.
Orléans is a key transport hub forming a junction with the A10 autoroute (L'Aquitaine) and A71 autoroute (L'Arverne) as well as the N157 (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:...
–Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
-Orléans), N60 (Troyes
Troyes
Troyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
–Sens
Sens
Sens is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.Sens is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.-History:...
-Orléans) and N152 (Orléans-Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
–Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
–Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
).
Orléans to Limoges (104 km to 351 km)
The road heads through the Foret de Lamotte-BeuvronLamotte-Beuvron
Lamotte-Beuvron is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France. The town is located in Sologne on the banks of the Beuvron river.Lamotte-Beuvron is served by the A71 autoroute and the Route nationale 20.-See also:* Tarte Tatin...
in heavily wooded countryside and on through the Foret de Vierzon to Vierzon
Vierzon
Vierzon is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A medium-sized town by the banks of the Cher River with some light industry and an area of forestry and farming to the north...
which lies on the Cher River
Cher River
The Cher is a river in central France, left tributary to the river Loire. Its source is in the Creuse département, north-east of Crocq. It joins the river Loire in Villandry, west of Tours....
. This town is also a junction with the A71 autoroute which heads to the east and the A20 autoroute
A20 autoroute
The A20 autoroute or L'Occitane is a highway through central France.-Regions Crossed:The road travels through the areas of Occitania, Limousin and Midi-Pyrénées. It starts at Vierzon in Cher and finishes in the south at Montauban in Tarn-et-Garonne...
(L'Occitane) which is an upgrade of the N20 to autoroute standard. The old road still runs through villages and towns such as Massey and Vatan as the D320.
The road passes round the town of Châteauroux
Châteauroux
Châteauroux is the capital of the Indre department in central France and the second-largest town in the province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called Castelroussines or Castelroussins....
on the River Indre
Indre River
The Indre is a river in central France, left tributary to the river Loire.Its source is in the département Cher, near Préveranges. It flows through the départements Cher, Indre and Indre-et-Loire...
. The town is also on the N151 (Auxerre
Auxerre
Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000...
–Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
–Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
) and N143 (Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
-Châteauroux). The road continues south through thick forest coming to the river Creuse
Creuse
Creuse is a department in central France named after the Creuse River.-History:Creuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the former province of La Marche....
. The countryside becomes more hilly. The old road is numbered the N20 and D220 after Argenton-sur-Creuse
Argenton-sur-Creuse
Argenton-sur-Creuse is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It lies on the Creuse River, 19 m. SSW of Châteauroux, close to the A20 motorway.-History:...
and Saint-Benoît-du-Sault
Saint-Benoît-du-Sault
Saint-Benoît-du-Sault is a commune in the Indre department in central France.It is a medieval village , perched in a curve on a rocky butte overlooking the Portefeuille River in the former province of Berry....
. The road crosses the N145 (Bellac
Bellac
Bellac is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Limousin region in western France.Inhabitants are known as Bellachons.This is where the French Jean Giraudoux, writer of L'Apollon de Bellac, was born in 1882...
–Montluçon
Montluçon
Montluçon is a commune in central France. It is the largest commune in the Allier department, although the department's préfecture is located in the smaller town of Moulins. Its inhabitants are known as Montluçonnais...
) 11 km west of the town of La Souterraine.
The road then heads through Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Bessines-sur-Gartempe
Bessines-sur-Gartempe is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Limousin region in western France.-Geography:The river Semme forms part of the commune's north-eastern border, flows westward through the northern part of the commune, north of Morterolles-sur-Semmes, a hamlet, then forms...
and into the Monts d'Ambazac (701m). The road then reaches the industrial centre of Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
which lies on the river Vienne
Vienne
Vienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
. The town is also connected by the N141 (Saíntes–Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...
), N21 (Limoges-Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
) and N147 (Limoges-Poitiers-Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
).
Limoges to Toulouse (351 to 614 km)
The road heads south through the massif CentralMassif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
through traffic now being taken as the A20 autoroute with the old road now being the D420 and D920 through the town of Masseret. The old road branches east through Uzerche
Uzerche
Uzerche is a commune in the Corrèze department in the Limousin region of central France.In 1787, the English writer Arthur Young described the city as "The Pearl of the Limousin," nicknamed because of its picturesque setting, and a name by which it is still widely known today...
on the River Vézère
Vézère
The Vézère is a 211 km long river in south-western France, right tributary of the Dordogne River. Its source is in the north-western Massif Central...
. There is a junction with the N120 to Aurillac
Aurillac
Aurillac is a commune in the Auvergne region in south-central France, capital of the Cantal department.Aurillac's inhabitants are called Aurillacois, and are also Cantaliens or Cantalous in Occitan....
. It also meets the A89 autoroute
A89 autoroute
The A89 autoroute is a motorway in central France. It is known as the La Transeuropéenne. It will connect Lyon with Bordeaux.-Completed Sections:* Antenne de Balbigny* Combronde-Saint-Julien-Puy-Lavèze-Ussel-Tulle-Saint-Germain-les-Vergnes...
.
The old road carries on as the D920 to the regional centre of D920 through Brive La Gaillarde. Here there is a junction with N89 and N80. The road heads south and forks again as the A20 becomes a peage and the N20 starts again. There is a junction with the N140. At Souillac
Souillac, Lot
Souillac is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France, on the river Dordogne. It is the site of the new Brive – Souillac Airport, that opened in 2010. The abbey has famous Romanesque carvings....
the road crosses the river Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
. After which the road rises passing the Bellevoir de lanzac. The roads are now on the plateau of the Causse de Gramat and onto the medieaval town of Cahors
Cahors
Cahors is the capital of the Lot department in south-western France.Its site is dramatic being contained on three sides within an udder shaped twist in the river Lot known as a 'presqu'île' or peninsula...
on a loop in the river Lot.
The N20 continues south heading out of the massif central and into the valley of the river Aveyron
Aveyron
Aveyron is a département in southern France named after the Aveyron River.- History :Aveyron is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790....
via Caissade. The road heads south west in the wide flat valley to Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
. Then it comes to a junction with the N113 (Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
–Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
) along the River Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
. The A62 autoroute
A62 autoroute
The A62 autoroute is a French motorway forming part of the Autoroute de Deux Mers.The road is the western portion of the Autoroute de Deux Mers connecting Toulouse with Bordeaux with a junction with the A630...
(Autoroute de Deux Mers) crosses the road. The N20 turns south running along the east bank of the river into the industrial city of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
.
The city of Toulouse is on the junction of the Autoroutes A62, A68 (to Albi), A64 (to Pau and Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
) and the N88 and N124.
Toulouse to Spain (614 to 767 km)
The road leaves the city centre to the south on the west bank of the River Garonne. At Pinsaguel the road crosses the river and follows the River Ariège and its valley to the south east. The countryside is a mix of open couintryside and rolling hills. The road meets the A66 autorouteA66 autoroute
The A66 autoroute is a motorway in the south of France, also called L'Ariégeoise.It is in the departments of the Haute-Garonne and Ariège, and connects Villefranche-de-Lauragais with a junction to the A61 at its north and ends at the N20 at Pamiers to the south. It is operated by the company ASF,...
at Pamiers.
South of Pamiers the road enters the foothills of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
such as the Montagnes du Plantaurel. The road heads to Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
, which is now by-passed in a tunnel on the east side of the valley. The road then passes Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Tarascon-sur-Ariège are called Tarasconnais.-External links:*...
following the deep river valley. The road passes the Parc Pyrénéen de l'Art Préhistorique and south east to Ax-les-Thermes
Ax-les-Thermes
Ax-les-Thermes is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France.It lies at the confluence of the Ariège River with three tributaries, 26 miles SSE of Foix by rail...
. To the south of west is a ski resort Les Bazerques.
The road forks at the Col de Puymorens (1920 m). The RN22 leads in a series of hairpins to the south west and Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
, crossing the Pas de la Casa (2,085m) or the alternative Túnel d'Envalira. The RN320 now crosses the pass de Puymorens, while the RN20 heads through the Tunnel Puymorens rather than taking the pass, and heads down to Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies right on the border with Spain. It abuts directly onto the Spanish town of Puigcerdà, and is near the Spanish exclave of Llívia....
.
The road the enters Spain and becomes the N-152 (Carretera) (E09) towards Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The N116 heads north east from Bourg Madame to Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
along the Tech valley.