Route nationale 618 or RN 618 was a French national road linking
(on the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
) to
Argelès-sur-Mer
Argelès-sur-Mer (, literally ''Argelès on Sea''; ca, Argelers de la Marenda or ; oc, Argelers de Mar), commonly known as Argelès, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the administrative region of Occitania, France.
It is ...
(on the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
). En route it crossed many of the famous passes in the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
, immortalized by the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
; hence its name was the "''Route of the Pyrénées''". In 1970, the road was down-graded and is now the RD 918 from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to
Arreau
Arreau (; oc, Àrreu) is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France.
It is situated on the former Route nationale 618, the ''Route of the Pyrénées''. Arreau is at the crossroads of the Louron valley and the Aure val ...
and the RD 618 from Arreau to Argelès Plage.
Itinerary
The places named in ''italic'' are mountain passes used in the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
.
*
*
Cambo-les-Bains
Cambo-les-Bains (; eu, Kanbo) is a town in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It lies on the south-western bank of the river Nive. Cambo-les-Bains station has rail c ...
*
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (literally "Saint John t theFoot of hePass"; eu, Donibane Garazi; es, San Juan Pie de Puerto) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foothi ...
''Common with the former
RN 133''
*
Larceveau-Arros-Cibits
*
Mauléon-Licharre
Mauléon-Licharre (; , Occitan: Maulion e Lisharra), or simply Mauléon, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in southwestern France.
It is the capital of the Soule (''Zuberoa'') historical Basque province.
It is home to the c ...
*
Issor
Issor is a Communes of France, commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Departments of France, department in south-western France.
See also
*Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
References
Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiqu ...
''Common with
RN 134''
*
Lurbe-Saint-Christau
Lurbe-Saint-Christau (; oc, Lurbe e Sent Cristau) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.
See also
*Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
The following is a list of the 546 Communes of Fran ...
*
Arudy
Arudy (; Gascon: Arudi) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arudyens'' or ''Arudyennes''.
The commune has been awarded o ...
''Common with the former
RN 134BIS''
*
Laruns
Laruns (; oc, Laruntz) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.
It is situated at the confluence of two mountain streams, the Gave d'Ossau and its tributary, the Valentin.
Formerly part of the province ...
*''
Col d'Aubisque
The Col d'Aubisque ( oc, Còth d'Aubisca) (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in the Aquitaine region of France.Chany, Pierre (1988), La Fabuleuse Histoire du T ...
''
*''
Col du Soulor''
*
Arrens-Marsous
Arrens-Marsous (; oc, Arrens e Marçós) is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France.
In the village, the ''Maison du Val d'Azun'' is an information centre and small museum of the area.
Geography Climate
Arrens-Mars ...
*
Argelès-Gazost
Argelès-Gazost (; oc, Argelèrs de Gasòst) is a commune and a subprefecture of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France.
The Pyrénées Animal Park is located in Argelès-Gazost.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Hautes ...
''Common with the former
RN 21''
*
Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Luz-Saint-Sauveur (; oc, Lus e Sent Sauvaire) is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitania region of south-western France. It lies on the river Bastan, a tributary of the Gave de Pau. Locals simply call it Luz, the city ...
*
Barèges
Barèges (; oc, Varètja, , in the Gascon dialect) is a communes of France, commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées departments of France, department, administrative regions of France, administrative region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitan ...
*''
Col du Tourmalet
Col du Tourmalet (; elevation ) is one of the highest paved mountain passes in the French Pyrenees, in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie two-thirds of ...
''
*
Sainte-Marie-de-Campan
Campan (; oc, Campan) is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
Geography
Campan stands in a valley of the same name at the confluence of the rivers Adour and Adour de Payolle. It is sit ...
*''
Col d'Aspin
Col d'Aspin ( oc, Còth d'Aspin) (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the French Pyrenees in the department of the Hautes-Pyrénées. It connects Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, in the upper Adour valley, with Arreau, on the River Neste.
Details of the cl ...
''
*
Arreau
Arreau (; oc, Àrreu) is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France.
It is situated on the former Route nationale 618, the ''Route of the Pyrénées''. Arreau is at the crossroads of the Louron valley and the Aure val ...
*''
Col de Peyresourde
The Col de Peyresourde ( oc, Còth de Pèira Sorda) (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of the department of Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées in France. It is situated on the D618 road between Bagnères-de-L ...
''
*
Bagnères-de-Luchon
Bagnères-de-Luchon (; oc, Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as just Luchon, is a commune and spa town in the Haute-Garonne department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Luchonn ...
''Common with the former
RN 125''
*
Saint-Mamet
Saint-Mamet (; Gascon: ''Sent Mamet'') is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Haute-Garonne department
The following is a list of the 586 communes of the French departme ...
*''
Col du Portillon
The Col du Portillon () (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees on the border between France and Spain. It connects Bagnères-de-Luchon in France with Bossòst in the Val d'Aran,
Spain.
Details of climb
Starting from Bossòst, the climb is ...
'', Spanish frontier.
''Route interrupted by the Spanish border''
*
Chaum
*''
Col des Ares
Col des Ares (elevation ) is a mountain pass located in Haute-Garonne, between Juzet-d'Izaut and Fronsac, some thirty kilometres north of Bagnères-de-Luchon, and south-west of Aspet.
Details of the climbs
From Fronsac (west), the ascent i ...
''
*
Juzet-d'Izaut
*''
Col de Portet d'Aspet''
*
Saint-Lary
*
Audressein
Audressein (; oc, Audressenh) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Audressenois'' or ''Audressenoises''.
Geography
Audressein is situated on the ...
*
Saint-Girons
*
Massat
Massat () is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.
It is situated on the former Route nationale 618, the "Route of the Pyrenees".
History
The area dates back to paleolithic times, when tribes left some traces in painte ...
*''
Col de Port
Col de Port (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the French Pyrenees between Massat and Tarascon-sur-Ariège in the "massif de l'Arize". It links the Couserans and Ariège valleys.
The pass is used occasionally in the Tour de France and is popular ...
''
*
Tarascon-sur-Ariège
Tarascon-sur-Ariège (, literally ''Tarascon on Ariège''; Languedocien: ''Tarascon d’Arièja'') is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primari ...
''Common with
RN 20''
*
Ur
*
Font-Romeu
Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (; ca, Font-romeu, Odelló i Vià ), or simply Odeillo, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales and Cerdagne near the Spanish border in the south of France. It comprises the villages of Odeillo and Via, as well as Font-R ...
*
Mont-Louis
Mont-Louis (; or ''el Vilar d'Ovansa'') is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.
Geography
Mont-Louis is located in the canton of Les Pyrénées catalanes and in the arrondissement of Prades. Mont-Louis-La Cab ...
''Common with
RN 116''
*
Bouleternère
Bouleternère (; ca, Bulaternera) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.
Geography Localisation
Bouleternère is located in the canton of Le Canigou and in the arrondissement of Prades.
Hydrography
B ...
*
Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda
Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda (; ca, Els Banys i Palaldà ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Prior to 1942, it was known as Amélie-les-Bains.
It is situated in the Tech valley, and combines the old and the ne ...
''Common with the former
RN 115''
*
Céret
Céret (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. It is the capital of the historic Catalan comarca of Vallespir.
Geography
The town lies in the foothills of the Pyrénées mountains, in southern France. ...
*
Le Boulou
Le Boulou (; ca, El Voló ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.
It is situated 12 km from the Spanish border.
Geography Localisation
The town of Le Boulou is located in the canton of Vallespir-Albà ...
*
Argelès-sur-Mer
Argelès-sur-Mer (, literally ''Argelès on Sea''; ca, Argelers de la Marenda or ; oc, Argelers de Mar), commonly known as Argelès, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the administrative region of Occitania, France.
It is ...
*Argelès Plage
618
__NOTOC__
Year 618 ( DCXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 618 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...
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