Route nationale 9
Encyclopedia
The Route nationale 9, or RN 9, is a trunk road (nationale
) in France
between Moulins
and the frontier with Spain
.
in particular the section south of Clermont Ferrand to Béziers. Depending on which Department the road is in the old road is now numbered as various RD numbers.
-Clermont Ferrand-Béziers
- Narbonne
- Perpignan
- Spain
with a junction with the RN 7
. The road heads Southwest over the River Allier
. The road follows the West bank of the river to Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
crossing the river and following it South. At Gannat
the road meets the A 719
, which connects Vichy
, 20 km to the East, and the A71 autoroute
. The RN 9 continues South to Riom
and the volcanic region of Auvergne
. The road is dual-carriageway for 10 km into the industrial city of Clermont-Ferrand
.
countryside. Much of the RN 9 has now been upgraded or replaced by the A75 autoroute
between Clermont-Ferrand
and Pézenas
Clermont-Ferrand à Béziers.
The original RN 9 has now been renumbered the RD 909,RD 809 and D 2009 and passes through small villages and towns now bypassed by the autoroute
La Méridienne which now takes the majority of through traffic. The route follows the upper Allier valley to Issoire before joining the Gorges de l'Allagnon and then climbing to cross the Col de Fageole (1114 m) and onto Saint-Flour
and the Gorges de l’Ander. The old RN 9 then follows the banks of the dammed River Truyére
under the Viaduc de Garabit
.
The countryside is very scenic consisting of rolling green wooded hills and steep sided river vallies. The road has a junction with the RN 106 at Saint-Chély-d'Apcher. The road then crosses the Col des Issartets (1121 m) after which the former route of the RN 9 passes to the East of the autoroute passing through the small town of Marvejols and into the Lot valley.
The road then enters Causse country a series of barren limestone
plateaux divided by deep river valleys. The road passes between the Causse de Sévérac and Causse de Sauveterre before reaching Sévérac-le-Château and the RN 88 which heads to the West.
The road passes the Source of the Aveyron and into the Parc Natural Régional des Grandes Causses. After crossing the Col d'Engayresque (888 m) the RN 9 re-appears and drops into the Gorges du Tarn
and onto Millau
where the road crosses the river and climbs up to the Causse du Larzac
offering spectacular views of the valley and viaduct. The RN 9 provides a trunk road route avoiding the toll on the Autoroute A 75 as it crosses the valley on the spectacular Viaduc de Millau. The countryside is now barren and sun-baked. The RN 9 has again been replaced by the A 75 for this section.
At the Pas de l'Escalette just South of Le Caylar Roches the road enters a gorge leading South off the Causse du Larzac
and on toward the coastal plain and the Mediterranean. Historically, RN 9 used to cross the River Lergue at Pegairolles de l'Escalette and follow what is now the treacherous D 149 and D 151 right through the city of Lodève. After a series of improvements starting in the late 1960s, the road now stays on the left bank of the Lergue and by-passes Lodève through the Tunnel de la Vierge. It skirts the Lac du Salagou (which it once ran right through) before reaching Clermont L'Hérault and a junction with the RN 109 to Montpellier
. The RN 9 demerges from the A75 autoroute
again at Clermont-l'Hérault
, and follows the Hérault
Valley south to Pézenas
. The roads run parallel to each other with a new extension of the A 75 to Béziers
and the A9 autoroute
scheduled to be completed in 2008.
runs parallel to the route of the RN 9 and takes the majority of through traffic from Béziers. There the road crosses the Canal du Midi
and River Orb and continues over the river Aude
to Narbonne
. The section south of Béziers is reclassified as the D 6009. Thereafter the road heads along the Étang de Bages et de Sigean as the mountains push further East. The road is overlooked here by the Massif de Fontfroide and thereafter heads through the vineyards of Fitou
. The road passes round the shores of the Étang de Leucate ou de Salses.
The road enters French Catalonia
at the Fort de Sales. The road is downgraded to the D 900 and passes through the plain of Roussillon to the city of Perpignan
where it crosses the Têt
and Tech
rivers. The plain is dominated by the Pyrénées
to the South and the Corbières mountains to North. It then passes Le Boulou where it enters the Monts Albères which form the Eastern ridge of the Pyrénées. The road climbs to the frontier at Le Perthus
and the Col du Perthus where the road enters Spain
, in the village of Els Límits
. The road continues as the N-II
/A-2 in Spain. The adjacent autoroute A 9 becomes the Autopista AP-7
.
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...
between Moulins
Moulins, Allier
Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.-History:...
and the frontier with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Reclassification
Much of the route of the RN 9 has now been/or in the process of being upgraded or replaced by the A75 autorouteA75 autoroute
The A75 is an autoroute in France.Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers...
in particular the section south of Clermont Ferrand to Béziers. Depending on which Department the road is in the old road is now numbered as various RD numbers.
Route
MoulinsMoulins, Allier
Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.-History:...
-Clermont Ferrand-Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
- 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...
- 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...
- Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Moulins to Clermont Ferrand (0 km to 103 km)
The road begins at MoulinsMoulins, Allier
Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.-History:...
with a junction with the RN 7
Route nationale 7
The Route nationale 7, or RN 7, is a trunk road in France between Paris and the border with Italy. It was also known as the Route Bleue and — sarcastically, during the annual rush to the Mediterranean beaches — the Route de la Mort .-History:The Romans under Marcus Agrippa established...
. The road heads Southwest over the River Allier
Allier River
The Allier is a river in central France, and is the left tributary to the Loire River. Its source is in the Massif Central, in the Lozère département, east of Mende. It flows generally north...
. The road follows the West bank of the river to Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is a commune in the Allier department in central France.-Geography:The commune is located north of Vichy and south of Moulins on the Route nationale 9....
crossing the river and following it South. At Gannat
Gannat
Gannat is a commune in the Allier department in central France.Gannat was a sub-prefecture until 1926, with a population of around 5 800 inhabitants. There is a castle , two churches of which one is partly Romanesque with a 19th-century Gospel Book. The Cultures du Monde Festival is held every July...
the road meets the A 719
A71 autoroute
The A71 autoroute is a motorway in central France. It is also called the l'Arverne. It starts at Orléans and ends at Clermont-Ferrand.-Orléans to Bourges:...
, which connects Vichy
Vichy
Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
, 20 km to the East, and the A71 autoroute
A71 autoroute
The A71 autoroute is a motorway in central France. It is also called the l'Arverne. It starts at Orléans and ends at Clermont-Ferrand.-Orléans to Bourges:...
. The RN 9 continues South to Riom
Riom
Riom is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-History:Until the French Revolution, Riom was the capital of the province of Auvergne, and the seat of the dukes of Auvergne. The city was of Gaulish origin, the Roman Ricomagus...
and the volcanic region of Auvergne
Auvergne (région)
Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...
. The road is dual-carriageway for 10 km into the industrial city of 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...
.
Clermont Ferrand to Béziers (103 km to 444 km)
After Clermont the road heads through the Massif CentralMassif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
countryside. Much of the RN 9 has now been upgraded or replaced by the A75 autoroute
A75 autoroute
The A75 is an autoroute in France.Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers...
between 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...
and Pézenas
Pézenas
Pézenas is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon, southern France. At the 1999 census, its population was 7443.-Name:...
Clermont-Ferrand à Béziers.
The original RN 9 has now been renumbered the RD 909,RD 809 and D 2009 and passes through small villages and towns now bypassed by the autoroute
A75 autoroute
The A75 is an autoroute in France.Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers...
La Méridienne which now takes the majority of through traffic. The route follows the upper Allier valley to Issoire before joining the Gorges de l'Allagnon and then climbing to cross the Col de Fageole (1114 m) and onto Saint-Flour
Saint-Flour, Cantal
Saint-Flour is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region in south-central France. Its inhabitants are called Sanflorains.-Geography:...
and the Gorges de l’Ander. The old RN 9 then follows the banks of the dammed River Truyére
Truyère
The Truyère is a 167 km long river in south-western France, right tributary of the Lot River. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, north of Mende. It flows generally west through the following départements and towns:...
under the Viaduc de Garabit
Garabit viaduct
The Garabit Viaduct is a railway arch bridge spanning the Truyère river near Ruynes-en-Margeride , Cantal, France, in the mountainous Massif Central region. The bridge was constructed between 1880 and 1884 by Gustave Eiffel, with structural engineering by Maurice Koechlin, and was opened in 1885...
.
The countryside is very scenic consisting of rolling green wooded hills and steep sided river vallies. The road has a junction with the RN 106 at Saint-Chély-d'Apcher. The road then crosses the Col des Issartets (1121 m) after which the former route of the RN 9 passes to the East of the autoroute passing through the small town of Marvejols and into the Lot valley.
The road then enters Causse country a series of barren limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
plateaux divided by deep river valleys. The road passes between the Causse de Sévérac and Causse de Sauveterre before reaching Sévérac-le-Château and the RN 88 which heads to the West.
The road passes the Source of the Aveyron and into the Parc Natural Régional des Grandes Causses. After crossing the Col d'Engayresque (888 m) the RN 9 re-appears and drops into the Gorges du Tarn
Tarn River
The Tarn is a long river in southern France , right tributary of the Garonne.The Tarn runs in a roughly westerly direction, from its source at an altitude of 1,550 m on Mont Lozère in the Cévennes mountains , through the deep gorges and canyons of the Gorges du Tarn The Tarn is a long...
and onto Millau
Millau
Millau is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers.-History:...
where the road crosses the river and climbs up to the Causse du Larzac
Larzac
The Causse du Larzac is a limestone karst plateau in the south of the Massif Central, France, situated between Millau and Lodève...
offering spectacular views of the valley and viaduct. The RN 9 provides a trunk road route avoiding the toll on the Autoroute A 75 as it crosses the valley on the spectacular Viaduc de Millau. The countryside is now barren and sun-baked. The RN 9 has again been replaced by the A 75 for this section.
At the Pas de l'Escalette just South of Le Caylar Roches the road enters a gorge leading South off the Causse du Larzac
Larzac
The Causse du Larzac is a limestone karst plateau in the south of the Massif Central, France, situated between Millau and Lodève...
and on toward the coastal plain and the Mediterranean. Historically, RN 9 used to cross the River Lergue at Pegairolles de l'Escalette and follow what is now the treacherous D 149 and D 151 right through the city of Lodève. After a series of improvements starting in the late 1960s, the road now stays on the left bank of the Lergue and by-passes Lodève through the Tunnel de la Vierge. It skirts the Lac du Salagou (which it once ran right through) before reaching Clermont L'Hérault and a junction with the RN 109 to Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
. The RN 9 demerges from the A75 autoroute
A75 autoroute
The A75 is an autoroute in France.Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers...
again at Clermont-l'Hérault
Clermont-l'Hérault
Clermont-l'Hérault is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.It lies 30 minutes from Montpellier, from the sea.-Sights:The town is built on the slope of a hill which is crowned by an ancient castle and skirted by the Rhonel, a tributary of the Lergue...
, and follows the Hérault
Hérault
Hérault is a department in the south of France named after the Hérault river.-History:Hérault is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
Valley south to Pézenas
Pézenas
Pézenas is a commune in the Hérault département in Languedoc-Roussillon, southern France. At the 1999 census, its population was 7443.-Name:...
. The roads run parallel to each other with a new extension of the A 75 to Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
and the A9 autoroute
A9 autoroute
The A9 autoroute is a motorway in southern France. The road forms part of the European route E15, as does the Scottish "A9" ....
scheduled to be completed in 2008.
Béziers to Perthus (444 km to 574 km)
After Béziers the A9 autorouteA9 autoroute
The A9 autoroute is a motorway in southern France. The road forms part of the European route E15, as does the Scottish "A9" ....
runs parallel to the route of the RN 9 and takes the majority of through traffic from Béziers. There the road crosses the Canal du Midi
Canal du Midi
The is a long canal in Southern France . The canal connects the Garonne River to the on the Mediterranean and along with the Canal de Garonne forms the Canal des Deux Mers joining the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The canal runs from the city of Toulouse down to the Étang de Thau...
and River Orb and continues over the river Aude
Aude River
The Aude River is a river of southwestern France. Its source is in the Pyrenees mountains and it then runs to Carcassonne and turns, reaching the Mediterranean Sea near Narbonne...
to 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...
. The section south of Béziers is reclassified as the D 6009. Thereafter the road heads along the Étang de Bages et de Sigean as the mountains push further East. The road is overlooked here by the Massif de Fontfroide and thereafter heads through the vineyards of Fitou
Fitou
Fitou is a large French wine appellation in Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The dominant vine variety is Carignan which has to constitute 40% of any blend. Grenache, Lladoner Pelut Fitou is a large French wine appellation in Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The dominant vine variety is Carignan which...
. The road passes round the shores of the Étang de Leucate ou de Salses.
The road enters French Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
at the Fort de Sales. The road is downgraded to the D 900 and passes through the plain of Roussillon to the city of 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...
where it crosses the Têt
Têt River
The Têt is the largest river in Roussillon, southeastern France. It is 116 km long. The Têt has its source at the foot of the Pic Carlit in the Pyrenees...
and Tech
Tech River
The Tech is a river in southern France, very close to the French-Spanish border. It runs through a valley in the Pyrénées-Orientales, in the former Roussillon, and is 84 km long. Its source is the Parcigoule Valley and it feeds the Mediterranean Sea...
rivers. The plain is dominated by the Pyrénées
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
to the South and the Corbières mountains to North. It then passes Le Boulou where it enters the Monts Albères which form the Eastern ridge of the Pyrénées. The road climbs to the frontier at Le Perthus
Le Perthus
Le Perthus is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Inhabitants are called Perthusiens and, as of 2006, inhabitants were 582.-Geography:...
and the Col du Perthus where the road enters Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in the village of Els Límits
Els Límits
Els Límits is a Spanish village, a civil parish of the municipality of La Jonquera, situated in the province of Girona, Catalonia, in Spain. As of 2005 its population was of 115 .-Geography:...
. The road continues as the N-II
N-II
N-II was the former name for the Route Nacional from Madrid to Barcelona and France. According with the new Spanish roads nomenclature, the sections which have been already enhanced and upgraded to autovía have been recently renamed to A-2, whereas the sections still not upgraded keep the old name...
/A-2 in Spain. The adjacent autoroute A 9 becomes the Autopista AP-7
Autopista AP-7
The Autopista AP-7 is a Spanish autopista . It is a toll motorway that runs along the Mediterranean coast of Spain.AP-7 has two different sections :...
.