Route nationale 6
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TheRoute nationale 6is a trunk road (nationale)[1]in France between Paris and the frontier with Italy in the Alps.
Reclassification
[edit]The RN 6 runs parallel for a long portion of its route to theA 6 autoroute.As a result, portions of the road have now been downgraded as theRD 306,RD606andRD 906. The reclassification is in part due to the centralized system of the French Government that did not allow local communities to care for the 'Nationale' roads infrastructure. Downgrading the Nationale 6 to local roads (RD for Route Départementale) allows the locals to take care of their infrastructure.
Route
[edit]Paris-Fontainebleau–Sens–Auxerre–Chalon-sur-Saône–Lyon–Chambéry-Italy
Paris to Sens (0 to 104 km)
[edit]The road starts at Porte de Charenton south east of the city north of the Seine. The road is called the Rue de Paris and it skirts the Southern edge of theBois de Vincennes.The road crosses the riverMarneat the Pont de Charenton as well as theA 4.The road heads through the suburbs of Paris, after a junction with theRN 19the RN 6 becomes Avenue du Général Leclerc and then Avenue du Général de Gaulle. The road passesMaisons-Alfortand enters an industrial area as Avenue du Maréchal and runs parallel to railway yards before passing along the East bank of the Seine. The road then bypassesMontgeronand entersForêt domaniale de Sénartand a junction with the RN 104 before becoming theA 5and then branching off to the South. The old road passes throughLieusaint.
The RN 6 entersMelunwhere it crosses the Seine and heads south through theForêt domaniale de Fontainebleauand heads toFontainebleauand a junction with theRN 7.The old road passes throughVulaines-sur-SeineandVeneux-les-Sablonsbefore the new road rejoins the old course after crossing the riverLoinginMoret-Loing-et-Orvanne.
The road then heads east along the south bank of the river Seine and then the riverYonne.It was along this stretch thatAlbert Camuswas killed in 1960 when his driver lost control and struck a plane tree inVilleblevin;but most of the villages along the road are now bypassed. Crossing the river atPont-sur-Yonnethe road is overlooked by theBois de Châtillon(180m). Since on the East bank the road crosses theA 19and enters thecathedralcity ofSens.
Sens to Lyon (104 km to 440 km)
[edit]After Sens, the road heads South following the Yonne valley through rolling countryside. The road crosses the river atJoignywith theCanal de Bourgognefollowing the riverArmançon.
The road crosses theA 6beforeAuxerre.South of the town the road takes the riverCurethrough wooded countryside passing thegrottes de Saint-Mocandgrottes d'Arcy.10 km north ofVézelaythe road turns east toAvallonin theVallée du Cousin.The nearby hills now rise to over 380 m. The road continues Southeast through theBois de Vernonbranching south toSaulieuand theForêt de Saulieu.
To the Southeast in theForêt de Thoisythe road crosses the mainTGVline. The road reaches 490 m above sea level before dropping down into theArnay-le-Ducin theArrouxvalley. The road rises again as it approaches theSaônevalley and thecirque du Bout du Mondeand thevallon de la Tournéeafter theBois de la Chaume.The road passes Baubigny-la-Rochepot and pastMont de Sène(521 m) before bisecting thewinemaking villages ofPuligny-MontrachetandChassagne-Montrachet.The road enters the heart ofBurgundy.The road heads throughChagnybefore enteringChalon-sur-Saôneand theA 6.
The road heads South along the river valley passing throughTournustoMâconwhere it is crossed by theA 40.The road continues South overlooked to the west by a ridge rising to over 800 m. Nearby town include theBeaujolaiswine villages ofFleurie,Villié-MorgonandBrouilly.The next major town isVillefranche-sur-Saônebefore the road heads through theMont d'Orand into the western suburbs ofLyonand then over the riverSaôneinto the city centre.
Lyon to the Frontier of Italy (440 km to 677 km)
[edit]
The RN 6 heads Southeast out of the city on the Avenue Franklin Roosevelt and passes round the small airfield de Lyon-Bronand into an industrial area parallel to theA 43and South of theLyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport.The road passes through the satellite town ofBourgoin-Jallieutowards the foothills of theAlps.The road turns East along theBourbrevalley passing throughLa Tour-du-Pin.The surrounding countryside rises to 580 m while the road is now about 300 m. After crossing theRN 75the road reachesLe Pont-de-Beauvoisinon the border ofDauphinéandSavoie.The road heads Southeast taking thegorges de Chaillesthrough theChaîne de l'Épine(1125 m). The mountains crossed by the roads are thePrealps.AtLes Échellesthe RN 6 turns north east through thegrottes des Échellesand over theCol de Couz(626 m). It then follows the riverHyèretoChambéry(404 m above sea level). The road turns Southeast again towards theI sắc revalley and junctions with theRN 90,A 41andA 43.
The RN 6 then follows the I sắc re valley Northeast for 11 km before crossing the river and taking theArcvalley to the South alongside theA 43and a railway line. The valley passes between thechaîne des Hurlières(1707 m) and thechaîne de la Lauzière(2829 m). The road continues south along the valley pastSaint-Jean-de-Maurienneand skirting the Southern edge of theMassif de laVanoise.AtOrelleacable cargrants access to theLes Trois ValléesSki system with theCîme de Caronrising to 3198 m and covered inglaciers.To the South is the resort ofValloireand the RD 902 which passes over theCol du Galibier(2646 m). The road now is part of theRoute des Grandes Alps.
AtModanethe Autoroute and railway line branch South in tunnels and intoItaly.TheFréjus Rail Tunnelwas finished in 1871. It had been started by theSardinianmonarchy to link different parts of the kingdom ofSardiniabefore the border took place there. TheFréjus Road Tunnelis 13 km long and becomes theAutostrada A-32in Italy. The railway also emerges and heads down theBardonecchiavalley.
The RN 6 however continues eastward along the Arc valley overlooked by snow-capped mountains such as theDent Parrachée(3697 m). At the village ofLanslebourg-Mont-Cenis(1416 m above sea level) the road heads South climbing steeply to theCol duMont Cenis(2084 m). The road then passes the Northern shore of theLac du Mont Cenisin theMassif du Mont Cenis.The road then drops passing below the lakes dam before crossing the frontier with Italy where it becomes the S-25. The pass is closed during winter.
The RD 902 continues in the Arc valley pastBessansandBonneval-sur-Arcbefore turning north over theCol de l'Iseran(2764 m) and ontoVal-d'I sắc re.The road is used as a ski run in winter. The RD 902 is a high mountain itinerary linking all the main passes along France's Eastern borders with Italy.
References
[edit]- ^"R.N.6: LES RONDEURS DU MORVAN (I)".surma-route.net(in French).Retrieved13 August2023.
External links
[edit]- (in French)Route nationale 6 informationon Saratlas
Routes nationales(maintrunk roads) of France | ||
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