European route E42

Last updated
Tabliczka E42.svg
E42
European route E42
Route information
Length680 km (420 mi)
Major junctions
West end Dunkerque, France
East end Aschaffenburg, Germany
Location
CountriesFlag of France.svg  France
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Highway system
Road sign at the border between Wallonia and France Wallonie-panneau-routier.jpg
Road sign at the border between Wallonia and France

The European route E42 is a road in Europe and a part of the United Nations International E-road network. It connects Dunkerque, a major ferry and container port at the northern end of the French coast with Aschaffenburg on the north western tip of Bavaria. Along the way it also passes through Wallonia in Belgium and the German Länder of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hessen. The full length of the route is approximately 680 kilometers (420 mi).

Contents

Language challenge

The western section of the route runs close to the Franco-Dutch language border. As a consequence, traffic signs might use Dutch exonyms for French or Walloon cities, and French exonyms for Dutch-speaking places. When a city lies in France, both names will be displayed in Flanders (e.g. Rijsel will be followed by Lille in italics).

The most easterly of the Belgian stretches of the E42 doubles with the recently upgraded Autoroute A27 A 27 near Sankt Vith.JPG
The most easterly of the Belgian stretches of the E42 doubles with the recently upgraded Autoroute A27

Route

France

The western end between Dunkerque and Lille follows a four lane dual carriageway toll free highway. Much of this has recently been resurfaced, but parts remain of subautoroute standard in terms of such details as junction lay-out and speed limits. Lille itself is at the centre of a major industrial area and is the meeting point of major routes. The passage of the E42 along the urban highway is marked by several sharp bends and, especially for westbound traffic, unavoidable lane changes as well as speed cameras. Delays during peak commuting times are frequent.

Belgium

The route follows no fewer than six different autoroutes in succession during its passage through southern Belgium (Wallonia), linking all its major cities, from the provincial capital Mons, to Charleroi and Namur, along with the major commercial and university city of Liège and its important cargo airport further to the east. The most easterly portion within Belgium was fully upgraded to autoroute standard only with the completion of the A27 at the end of the 20th century: before that happened the main road included (subject to diversions on race days) a brief stretch that used the Formula One racing circuit at Spa. The final kilometers before the German frontier include towns and villages transferred from Germany to Belgium under the provisions of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles endorsed in 1925 by a referendum process not universally regarded as fair: over three quarters of a century later sign boards showing place names in French and German frequently have the French versions deleted by graffiti artists.

Germany

The eastern portion of the E42 in Germany follows the BAB 60. Despite considerable progress in recent years, the building of the Autobahn was delayed during the final decade of the 20th century, and the road in this area is still missing several important doubled road viaducts, so that at various points the road is reduced to a single two lane road. The landscape here is relatively mountainous: a recent development has been the appearance on the surrounding horizons of modern windmill groupings.

Itinerary

E42 Dunkerque - Aschaffenburg
StateNational
Road
Number
SectionJunction
(national numbering)
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of France.svg
..........Department
59 France road sign C107.svg RN 225 Dunkerque - Bergues RN 225 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Route europeenne 40.svg
RN 225 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 20
RN 225 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 19
RN 225 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 18
RN 225 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 17
RN 225 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 16 Bergues
59 France road sign C207.svg A 25 Bergues - Lille (Rijsel) A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg 15 Herzeele
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 14 Winnezeele, Hondschoote
A 25 Zeichen 376.svg Zeichen 361-50 - Tankstelle, StVO 1992.svg St Eloi et St Laurent
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 13 Steenvoorde
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 12 Bailleul
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 11 Hazebrouck
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 10 Bailleul
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 9 Nieppe
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 8 Armentières
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 7 Béthune
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 6 Englos
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 5 Lille centre
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 4 Lille-Faubourg de Béthune
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 3 Lille-Wazemmes
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 2 Lille-Moulins
A 25 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg 1 Route europeenne 17.svg
59 France road sign C207.svg A 27 Lille (Rijsel) - Baisieux A 27 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 1 Ronchin
A 27 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 2 Lesquin
A 27 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Autoroute francaise 23.svg
A 27 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 3 Baisieux
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Belgium.svg Flag of Wallonia.svg
..........Province

Hainaut Belgian road sign F5.svg A 8 Baisieux - Tournai (Doornik) A 8 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 35 Blandain
A 8 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Marquain BE-E403.svg
A 8 Zeichen 376.svg Zeichen 361-50 - Tankstelle, StVO 1992.svg
A 8 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 34 Tournai (Doornik) West
A 8 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 33 Tournai (Doornik) North
A 8 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Tournai (Doornik) BE-E429.svg
Hainaut Belgian road sign F5.svg A 16 Tournai (Doornik) - Saint-Ghislain A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 32 Tournai (Doornik) East
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 31 Antoing
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 30 Maubray
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 29 Péruwelz
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 28 Blaton
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 27 Bernissart
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 26 Pommerœul
A 16 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Hautrage BE-E19.svg
Hainaut Belgian road sign F5.svg A 7 Saint-Ghislain - La Louvière A 7 Zeichen 376.svg Zeichen 361-50 - Tankstelle, StVO 1992.svg
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 25 Saint-Ghislain BE-E19.svg
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 24 Mons (Bergen)
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 23 Nimy, Maisières
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 22 Obourg
A 7 Zeichen 376.svg Zeichen 361-50 - Tankstelle, StVO 1992.svg
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 21a Thieu
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 21 Le Rœulx
A 7 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Houdeng-Goegnies BE-E19.svg
Hainaut




Namur




Liège
Belgian road sign F5.svg A 15 La Louvière - Liège (Luik, Lüttich) A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 20 Houdeng
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Bois-d'Haine
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 19 Manage
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 18 Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Gouy BE-E420.svg
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 17 Courcelles
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg Thiméon BE-E420.svg
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 16 Gosselies north
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 15 Fleurus
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 14 Sambreville
A 15 Zeichen 376.svg Zeichen 361-50 - Tankstelle, StVO 1992.svg
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 13 Spy
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 12 Namur west
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg BE-E411.svg
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 10a Fernelmont
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 10 Hingeon
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 9 Andenne
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 8 Huy-Couthuin
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 7 Huy-Fumal
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 6 Villers-le-Bouillet
A 15 Zeichen 376.svg Zeichen 361-50 - Tankstelle, StVO 1992.svg
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 5 Saint-Georges
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 4 Flémalle
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnausfahrt.svg 3 Liège airport
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg
A 15 Sinnbild Autobahnkreuz.svg BE-E40.svg
Liège Belgian road sign F5.svg A 3 Liège (Luik, Lüttich) - Battice BE-E25.svg
Liège Belgian road sign F5.svg A 27 Battice - Sankt-Vith
Flag of Europe.svg Flag of Germany.svg Coat of arms of Rhineland-Palatinate.svg

Land/District
BIT
WIL
Zeichen 330.svg Zeichen 331.svg A 60 Steinebrück (frontier) - Wittlich
WIL Zeichen 330.svg A 1 Wittlich
WIL
SIM
Zeichen 331.svg B 50 Wittlich - Rheinböllen
SIM
KH
MZ
Zeichen 330.svg A 61 Rheinböllen - Bingen
MZ
GG
Zeichen 330.svg A 60 Bingen - Rüsselsheim
GG Zeichen 330.svg A 67 Rüsselsheim - Mönchhof
GG
F
OF
Zeichen 330.svg A 3 Mönchhof - Aschaffenburg

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