Toll-Free Routes France & Spain 2025

28 November, 2020 | Update: 23/09/2025

Are you driving to France or Spain this summer? You can save a lot by avoiding toll roads. Toll-free routes are often a bit longer, but along the way you’ll be rewarded with beautiful landscapes, quiet roads, and picturesque villages. In this guide, you’ll discover the best free alternatives, smart refueling tips, and everything you need to know about toll-free highways and the new flux libre system.

Table of Contents

• Why avoid toll roads?
• What type of traveler are you?
• Route to Paris without tolls
• The three main routes to Spain
• Toll-free highways in France
• Flux libre: the invisible toll roads
• Spain: free autovías and recent developments
• Practical tips for the road
• Pros and cons of toll-free routes
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why avoid toll roads?

On your way south to the sun, thousands of kilometers often lie ahead. The highway takes you there quickly, but at a steep toll cost.

Examples of costs (one way):

• France: approx. €70-€100 to southern France
• Spain: €100+ for longer distances
• With a caravan or folding trailer: can exceed €150

A return trip to Spain can easily cost €200-€300. Many holidaymakers therefore choose toll-free routes. Keep in mind extra travel time: on average 1 to 2 hours longer for every €15-€20 you save on tolls.

What type of traveler are you?

🚗 The smart optimizer

• Looks for balance between time and money
• Accepts small detours for big savings
• Wants a maximum of 2-3 extra travel hours

💰 The cost saver

• Doesn’t want to spend a cent too much
• Always chooses 100% toll-free
• Refuels strategically at cheap stations

🌄 The relaxed enjoyer

• Loves landscapes and villages
• Plans stops at local sights
• Sees extra travel time as part of the holiday

Route to Paris without tolls

The highway via Ghent and Lille (A22 – A1) only becomes tolled after Lille. An alternative: the N2 from Mons (Bergen) to Paris. This is a well-maintained free route.

Practical tip: near Lille, exit 19 (Seclin), there is a Leclerc with a cheap gas station.

The three main routes to Spain

1. Western route: Paris – Bordeaux – San Sebastián

📍 Ideal for: Basque Country, Madrid, Portugal
⏱️ Travel time: Utrecht – San Sebastián approx. 15 hours (about 2 hours longer than toll route)
💰 Saving: €80+ in tolls

• Paris – Orléans – Tours – Poitiers – Bordeaux – San Sebastián
• N10 between Poitiers and Bordeaux: four lanes, hardly any traffic lights
• No tolls around Paris and Bordeaux
• From Bordeaux south: the A63 to the Spanish border is mostly tolled

2. Central route: Paris – Limoges – Toulouse

📍 Ideal for: Central Pyrenees, Barcelona via Puigcerdà
⏱️ Travel time: Brussels – Toulouse approx. 14.5 hours (about 1.5 hours longer than toll route)
💰 Saving: €70+

• Via the A20: two-thirds free (Vierzon – Brive – Montauban)
• Beautiful landscapes in the Dordogne
• Refuel tip: A20 exit 10, Vatan (Carrefour)

3. Eastern route: Paris – Clermont-Ferrand – Béziers

📍 Ideal for: Costa Brava, Catalonia, Valencia
⏱️ Travel time: Utrecht – Girona approx. 16 hours (about 2 hours longer than toll route)
💰 Saving: €60-€70

• Paris – Bourges – Clermont-Ferrand – Millau – Béziers – Perpignan – La Jonquera
• A75: 340 km mostly toll-free
• Exception: Millau Viaduct (€10-€12)
• Refuel tip: A75 exit 54, Le Bosc (Leclerc)

Alternative via Nancy: for those traveling through Luxembourg:

• A31 free up to Toul (25 km west of Nancy)
• From Nancy to Beaune tolled
• Refuel tip: A31 exit 22 (Leclerc)

Toll-free highways in France

Completely free:

• A16: Dunkirk – Belgian border
• A31: Luxembourg – Nancy (approx. 100 km)
• A35: large parts through Alsace
• A84: Caen – Rennes
• In Brittany many highways are free, but not all stretches

Mostly free:

• A20: Vierzon – Brive – Montauban
• A75: Clermont-Ferrand – Béziers (except Millau Viaduct)

Flux libre: the invisible toll roads

In France, there are sections with electronic tolling without booths:

• A79: Montmarault – Digoin
• A13/A14: Paris – Normandy (parts near Paris-West)
• A4: near Boulay (east of Metz)

How it works:

• Cameras record your license plate
• You have 72 hours to pay online (e.g. via aliae.com)
• Payment machines available along the route

Campsites in France

Find a great campsite during your road trip through France

Spain: free autovías and recent developments

Free since 2021:

• AP-7: La Jonquera – Tarragona
• AP-2: Barcelona – Zaragoza
• AP-1: Burgos – Armiñón
• AP-4: Seville – Cádiz

Still tolled (2025):

• AP-68: Zaragoza – Bilbao (concession until approx. 2026)
• AP-8: Bilbao – French border
• Some sections around Madrid

Special mention: AP-7 Alicante ring road: free until February 15, 2026, possibly permanently later.

Handy alternative: N-II parallel to AP-7 up to Girona.

Campsites in Spain

Still looking for a great campsite in Spain?

Practical tips for the road

Navigation settings:

• Google Maps: ‘Avoid tolls’
• TomTom/Garmin: ‘No toll roads’
• ANWB Routeplanner: select ‘Toll-free route’

Cheap refueling:

• Luxembourg: often 20 cents per liter cheaper
• French supermarkets: Leclerc, Carrefour, Intermarché
• A1 exit 19, Seclin (Leclerc)
• A20 exit 10, Vatan (Carrefour)
• A75 exit 54, Le Bosc (Leclerc)
• A31 exit 22 (Leclerc)

Mandatory car equipment:

• France: safety vests, warning triangle, Crit’Air sticker in certain cities
• Spain: safety vests, spare mirror/bulb for older cars

Electric cars: fewer charging stations on backroads, so plan with apps like PlugShare or ChargeMap.

Pros and cons of toll-free routes

Advantages:

• Savings up to €200 per return trip
• Cheaper refueling off the highway
• No queues at toll booths
• Beautiful landscapes and villages
• Well-maintained roads

Disadvantages:

• Extra travel time (1-3 hours)
• More roundabouts and lower speeds
• Fewer charging stations for EVs
• Backroads also busy during holiday periods

Frequently Asked Questions

How much extra time does a toll-free route take?
On average 1-3 hours, depending on destination and traffic.

Do I really save money?
Yes, easily €120-€150 per return trip to Spain.

What if I forget to pay flux libre?
Pay within 72 hours, otherwise heavy fines apply.

Do I need an environmental sticker?
Only in low-emission zones in cities such as Paris, Lyon, Grenoble.

Is a toll badge useful?
Not needed for toll-free routes, but handy on some tolled stretches. Stuck at a toll booth after all? Check our handy tips about French toll lanes.

Finally: your perfect toll-free trip

Whether you want to travel cheaply, quickly, or at a relaxed pace: there are plenty of options to drive (almost) toll-free to France and Spain. Set your navigation to avoid tolls, refuel at supermarkets, and see the extra travel time as an opportunity to enjoy France and Spain along the way.

Last updated: 2025