South-west France motorway to fully adopt barrier-free tolls

The A69 motorway in south-west France is to adopt a fully barrier-free flux libre system, which will make it the first motorway in Occitanie to use the system.

The A69, which is due to finish construction this year, will link Castres and Toulouse. It will be the fourth motorway nationwide to use the system, after the A79 in Allier, the A13-A14 between Paris and Normandy, and part of the A4 (Boulay exit).

The so-called ‘smart motorways’ are intended to improve traffic flow and safety and reduce air pollution due to no longer requiring vehicles to slow down, stop and restart at péages (toll booths), states motorway operator Atosca on its website.

Payment options

The system works via sensors and cameras that identify vehicles (via number plate or prepaid electronic pass), which automatically calculate the journey cost. 

Drivers use the motorway as normal, but instead of paying at péage booths, they pay for their road use online on the Atosca website. Payment can also be made at any tabac or presse (tobacconist or newsagents) that has the Nirio system. 

If you have a pre-paid electronic tag, you usually do not need to do anything as the payment is made automatically. You can get a pre-paid tag by registering on the Atosca website and entering your payment details, so your road use is debited automatically.

The video below (in French, from motorway operator Atosca) explains more about how it works.

Foreign vehicles

The registration country of the car does not affect the requirement to pay for your péage bill. The rules are the same for all vehicles, whether they are registered in France or another country, with the detection systems picking up all number plates.

The rules on payment – and methods for paying – are the same for non-French vehicles, including the 72 hour deadlines (where applicable).

Drivers who do not pay may be liable to fines being sent to their address, including, in some cases, if cars are registered abroad. 

One motorway company previously told The Connexion that this may be more complicated for UK-registered vehicles, as opposed to EU-registered cars, but they still expected drivers of all foreign-plated cars to respect the rules.

If you receive a fine, it will cost €10 plus the original price of the toll, if paid within the first 15 days after receiving notice of the fine. 

If paid within 15 days and two months, this rises to €90 plus the original price of the toll. After this, it rises to €375, with payment needing to be made to the police tribunal.

Controversies

The smart motorways – also called ‘free flow (flux libre) roads’ – have not been without controversy.

When the first smart road was introduced in 2022, some drivers reported finding them confusing, poorly signposted, difficult to pay for, and coming with a heavy risk of fines if road use remains unpaid for 72 hours.

Fines for non-payment of the road can go up to €375 if not paid or in the event of repeat offence. 

A69 disputes

The A69 motorway has also long been a source of its own controversy, with environmental campaigners claiming that the link between Castres and Toulouse is unnecessary and will wreak environmental havoc on the area.

Environmental protestors have staged several demonstrations along the route over the years, and in February 2025, Toulouse’s administrative court halted construction over environmental concerns. This was despite the fact the motorway was more than half-built at the time. 

In May 2025, a new ruling allowed for work to continue while the appeal was being reviewed by the courts. Work on the motorway resumed in June 2025, and in December, an official court advisor stated that any obstruction to the work should be fully overturned.

The motorway is planned to be finished and totally open in autumn this year (2026), states operator Atosca on its website.