The Autoroute A40 is a motorway in France that extends from Mâcon on the west to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains on the east, terminating not far from Chamonix and the Mont Blanc Tunnel. The road runs 208 kilometres (129 mi) through Bresse, the high southern Jura Mountains, northern Prealps and French Alps. It was fully completed in 1990, and includes 12 viaducts and 3 tunnels. The road is maintained by Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône (APRR and ATMB), comprising part of European routes E25 and E62.
Autoroute A40 is named Autoroute des Titans ("Highway of the Titans") for the dramatic engineering construction through the mountainous sections between Bourg-en-Bresse and Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, and as Autoroute Blanche ("the White Highway") through the snow laden Jura and Alps between Bellegarde-sur-Valserine and Annemasse on the Swiss border.
1973 : The section between Vallard and Bonneville was opened.
1974 : The section between Bonneville and Cluses was opened.
1975 : The section between Cluses and Sallanches was opened.
1976 : The section between Sallanches-Le Fayet was opened in a ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Jacques Chirac.
1982 : The 50 kilometre section between Bellegarde and Annemasse is opened.
These sections were previously numbered B41.
1985 : Section between Bourg-Nord and -Bourg-Sud (20 km) completed.
1986 : Opening of section between Bourg-Sud and Sylans (Nantua) (61 km). The French President, François Mitterrand opened the motorway giving it the name L'Autoroute des Titans.
1987 : Opening of the section Mâcon to Bourg-Nord (27 km)
1989 : Opening of the section Sylans to Châtillon-en-Michaille (13 km)
1990 : Opening of the junction between the A6 autoroute and the A40 (3 km)
1995 : Widening of the Chamoise Tunnel and viaduct at Nantua and Neyrolles
The western section between the A6 and A42 was originally given the number F42. The whole road was re-numbered the A40 including a short section where the road merges with the A42.
The autoroute is made up of two lanes for each traffic direction except between its junctions with the A42 and A39 (21 km) where there are three lanes on each side.
Exchange A6-A40) Motorway starts at junction with A6 to Paris (north), Lyon (south)
01 (Mâcon-centre) km 2 Towns served: Mâcon
02 (Feillens) km 5 Towns served: Pont-de-Vaux
03 (Pont-de-Veyle)km 8 Towns served:
Exchange A406-A40 Junction with A406 (under construction) to
Rest Area: L'Étang Quinard (eastbound), Saint-André de Bagé (westbound)
04 (Vonnas) km 18 Towns served: Saint-Cyr-sur-Menthon, RN79
05 (Bourg-Nord) km 30 Towns served: Bourg-en-Bresse
Exchange A39-A40 Junction with A39 to Dole (north)
06 (Lons-le-Saunier/Étienne-du-Bresse) km 39 Towns served: RN83, Bourg-en-Bresse
Service Area: Aire de Bourg
07 (Bourg-Sud) km 50 Towns served: RN75, Bourg-en-Bresse
Rest Area: Certines (eastbound), Tossiat (westbound)
Exchange A42-A40 Junction with the A42 to Lyon (south)
Rest Area: Neuville-sur-Ain (westbound)
Service area: Ceignes-Cerdon (westbound)
Rest Area: Ceignes-Haut-Bugey (westbound)
08 (Nantua St-Martin du Fresne) km 81 Towns served: St Martin du Fresne
Exchange A404-A40 Junction with the A404 to Oyonnax
09 (Nantua les Neyrolles) km 90 Towns served: Nantua
Rest area: Le Lac (eastbound), Les Neyrolles de Bagé (eastbound)
Rest Area: La Michaille (westbound), La Semine (westbound)
10 (Bellegarde) km 106 Towns served: Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
11 (Frangy Seyssel) km 115 Towns served:RN508, Frangy
Service Area: Aire de Valleiry
Péage de Viry
13 (Saint-Julien) km 136 Towns served: Saint-Julien-en-Genevois
Exchange A41-A40-A401 Junction with the A41 (proposed) and A401 spur to Geneva (Switzerland)
13.1 (Parc d'Affaire Internationale) km 138 Towns served: Archamps
Rest Area: Télégraphe de Salève
14 (Annemasse) km 152 Towns served: Geneva (Switzerland) via spur A411. Annemasse
Péage de Nangy
15 (Boëge/Vallee Verte) km 161 Towns served: RN503 to Thonon-les-Bains
Exchange A410-A40 Junction with the A410 to Annecy.
16 (Bonneville-Ouest) km 170 Towns served: Bonneville
Service Area: Aire de Bonneville
17 (Bonneville-Est) km 174 Towns served: Bonneville
18 (Cluses-Ouest) km 183 Towns served: Cluses
19 (Cluses-Centre) km 188 Towns served: Cluses
Péage de Cluses
20 (Sallanches) km 198 Towns served: Sallanches
Rest Area: Passy (westbound)
21 (Passy Saint-Gervais) km 206 Towns served: Megève, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
22 (Saint-Gervais) km 208 the autoroute ends becoming the RN205 towards Chamonix and Turin (Italy)
