Status of tunnels
The Tunnel Observatory has published two complementary reports that provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of France’s underground infrastructure, covering all types of transport tunnels, their technical characteristics, their geographical distribution and current projects.
Road tunnels
This overview presents the road tunnels across the country, including in particular:
- The distribution of tunnels between the Interdepartmental Road Directorates (DIR), concessionary companies and local authorities.
- The typology of tunnels: 93% of the total tunnel length is lit, 65% is ventilated, 54% is located in urban areas…
- The age of the tunnels: infrastructure of varying ages, with a peak in construction at the end of the 20th century.
2026 Status report on road tunnels in operation in France
All transport tunnels
This report covers all transport tunnels in France, including rail, road, urban guided transport (UGT) and waterway tunnels, and provides information on:
- Underground length: over 750 km for rail, and over 400 km for road and UGT.
- Trends by mode of transport: growth in rail transport at the end of the 19th century, gradual development of road transport, with two periods favourable to urban guided transport.
- Current projects: an overview of some major tunenl construction projects and future infrastructure.