A14 motorway set to become free as A13, linking Paris and Caen, will close temporarily

The A14 motorway is set to become free on weekdays during the closure of the A13.

The A14 runs from La Défense, west of Paris, to Orgeval in Yvelines, where it joins the A13 towards Normandy. It will serve as an alternative route during the closure.

Originally, the Île-de-France road authority (DiRIF) announced a temporary 50% discount on the A14 toll at Montesson from Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. 

The discount was to apply for eligible motorists using the Bip&Go toll subscription scheme. 

However, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on October 21, in a letter to Eure senator Frédéric Duché that the motorway will be free from November 16, according to several French media reports.

“I wish to inform you that the A14 will be free on weekdays throughout the works, so that working road users are not penalised,” Mr Lecornu wrote.

He added that the alternative route would provide a more direct link between Île-de-France and Normandy, and that removing the toll would encourage drivers to use it and reduce traffic on local roads.

The precise arrangements for the new measure have yet to be confirmed.

Why is the A13 closing?

The northern tube of the Saint-Cloud tunnel on the A13, in the direction of Paris towards Normandy, will close on November 16 for reinforcement works expected to last until the end of August 2027.

The tunnel dates from the 1930s, and parts of its structure are made of unreinforced concrete, so the works are intended to strengthen the tunnel and improve its condition.

The southern tube, carrying traffic towards Paris, will remain open for much of the works. However, further works on the nearby Saint-Cloud viaduct are expected to require the A13 to close in both directions during July and August 2027.