FRANCE'S ROADS, VACATIONS' ROADS

Mission preservation

An episode from the series FRENCH HERITAGE JOURNEYS

Synopsis

The United States has Route 66, and France has the Nationale 7. It is a long ribbon of tarmac that runs almost 1,000 km, linking Paris to Menton, between Nice and the Italian border.

It is much more than just a road. It symbolizes a regenerated France after WWII, an era marked by the advent of the automobile, economic progress, mass consumption, and the democratization of holiday travel.

Another holiday route also had moments of glory: the Nationale 10, which runs from Paris to the Basque Country.