The motorway becomes an art gallery in motion

On 27 September, APRR and the Seine-et-Marne département celebrated a new stage in their partnership. Jean-François Parigi, President of the Seine-et-Marne Departmental Council, and Philippe Nourry, President of Eiffage's motorway concessions in France, inaugurated a new collection of illustrations on the A5, A6 and A77 motorways in the Seine-et-Marne Department. This collection of new brown signs - the fruit of collaboration between the department, local authorities and APRR - demonstrates a strong commitment to the attractiveness of these regions.

An ambitious project becomes a reality
In 2022, the Department of Seine-et-Marne and APRR signed a cooperation agreement aimed at revitalising cultural and tourist signage on motorways. The aim of this joint initiative was to highlight the treasures accessible from the motorway and offer an enriching travel experience to the millions of motorists who use these networks every year.
 
Since then, the renewal has become a reality. A total of 35 new brown panels have been installed along the 157 kilometres of the A5, A6 and A77 motorways, giving travellers a refreshing perspective on the regions they pass through. Internationally renowned artists have helped to bring these brown panels to life, turning the motorways into an open-air art gallery. This new collection is the work of Floc'h, Tino and Matthieu Forichon, with each artist assigned to a specific route.
 
 
Serving culture and safety
 The brown panels are not just aesthetically pleasing, they also serve an essential road safety purpose. Created in the 1970s to combat hypovigilance, they break up the monotony of motorway driving and become cultural and tourist points of interest that encourage people to take a break and explore the surrounding area.
 
From 500 to 600 panels
APRR proudly announces the installation of the 500th brown sign since this initiative began in 2014. This milestone not only marks a significant milestone in the revitalisation of cultural and tourist signage, but also demonstrates APRR's ongoing commitment to road safety and regional development.

The 500th sign, created by the famous illustrator Floc'h and installed on the A6 motorway near Fontainebleau, depicts the school of painters around the village of Barbizon, highlighting the region's cultural and artistic heritage. Floc'h depicts Théodore Rousseau painting in the forest of Fontainebleau, using light equipment, as demanded by this generation of painters who wanted to be "at the heart of things" rather than in the grandeur of an artist's studio.

Eventually, a total of 600 cultural and tourist panels will be deployed in the 24 départements served by the APRR and AREA motorways, creating an even more immersive travel experience for motorists. This unique initiative continues to serve the appeal of these regions, while maintaining an essential balance between visual information and road safety.