"In summer 1936, the French government passed a law that mandated paid holiday, a move that kickstarted the exodus of northerners to the Med every August, and it became a true emblem of the French vacances."
"Although the RN7 fell quieter when the Autoroute du Soleil was completed in the early 1970s, it is now experiencing a resurgence thanks to the trend for slow tourism and discovering the road less travelled."
"My hired Citroen was capacious in comparison with Thierry's 2CV of yesteryear, but I could imagine the thrill he must have felt as a kid, embarking on an adventure that would take him to a land unrecognizable from the cold and grey of northern France."
The RN7 stretches 996km from Paris to Menton, historically significant for holiday travel. It became popular in the 1930s with mandated paid holidays, leading to an influx of tourists. The route was bustling in the 50s and 60s but declined after the Autoroute du Soleil's completion. Recently, it has seen a resurgence as travelers seek slower, more scenic routes. The nostalgia for classic road trips and vintage cars contributes to this revival, making the RN7 a symbol of leisurely travel in France.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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