Route nationale 618 or RN 618 was a French national road linking

Saint-Jean-de-Luz Saint-Jean-de-Luz (; eu, Donibane Lohitzune,Donibane Lohitzune

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...

) to

Argelès-sur-Mer Argelès-sur-Mer (, literally ''Argelès on Sea''; ca, Argelers de la Marenda or ; oc, Argelers de Mar), commonly known as Argelès, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the administrative region of Occitania, France. It i ...

(on the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on th ...

). En route it crossed many of the famous passes in the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

, immortalized by the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consist ...

; hence its name was the "''Route of the Pyrénées''". In 1970, the road was down-graded and is now the RD 918 from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Arreau and the RD 618 from Arreau to Argelès Plage.

Itinerary

The places named in ''italic'' are mountain passes used in the

Saint-Jean-de-Luz Saint-Jean-de-Luz (; eu, Donibane Lohitzune,Donibane Lohitzune

Cambo-les-Bains Cambo-les-Bains (; eu, Kanbo) is a town in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It lies on the south-western bank of the river Nive. Cambo-les-Bains station has rai ...

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (literally "Saint John t theFoot of hePass"; eu, Donibane Garazi; es, San Juan Pie de Puerto) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foo ...

''Common with the former RN 133'' *

Larceveau-Arros-Cibits Larceveau-Arros-Cibits ()LARZABALE-ARROZE-ZIBITZE

Mauléon-Licharre * Issor ''Common with RN 134'' * Lurbe-Saint-Christau *

Arudy Arudy (; Gascon: Arudi) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arudyens'' or ''Arudyennes''. The commune has been awarded one ...

''Common with the former RN 134^BIS'' *

Laruns Laruns (; oc, Laruntz) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is situated at the confluence of two mountain streams, the Gave d'Ossau and its tributary, the Valentin. Formerly part of the provi ...

*'' Col d'Aubisque'' *'' Col du Soulor'' * Arrens-Marsous * Argelès-Gazost ''Common with the former RN 21'' * Luz-Saint-Sauveur * Barèges *''

Col du Tourmalet Col du Tourmalet (; elevation ) is one of the highest paved mountain passes in the French Pyrenees, in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie two-thirds o ...

'' * Sainte-Marie-de-Campan *'' Col d'Aspin'' * Arreau *''

Col de Peyresourde The Col de Peyresourde ( oc, Còth de Pèira Sorda) (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the central Pyrenees on the border of the department of Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées in France. It is situated on the D618 road between Bagnères-de ...

'' *

Bagnères-de-Luchon Bagnères-de-Luchon (; oc, Banhèras de Luishon), also referred to as just Luchon, is a commune and spa town in the Haute-Garonne department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Luchon ...

''Common with the former RN 125'' * Saint-Mamet *'' Col du Portillon'', Spanish frontier. ''Route interrupted by the Spanish border'' * Chaum *'' Col des Ares'' *

Juzet-d'Izaut Juzet-d'Izaut (, literally ''Juzet of Izaut''; oc, Jusèth d'Aisaut) is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. It lies on the former Route nationale 618, the "Route of the Pyrenees". Population See also C ...

*'' Col de Portet d'Aspet'' * Saint-Lary *

Audressein Audressein (; oc, Audressenh) is a commune in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Audressenois'' or ''Audressenoises''. Geography Audressein is situated on th ...

* Saint-Girons * Massat *'' Col de Port'' * Tarascon-sur-Ariège ''Common with RN 20'' * Ur * Font-Romeu *

Mont-Louis Mont-Louis (; or ''el Vilar d'Ovansa'') is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Mont-Louis is located in the canton of Les Pyrénées catalanes and in the arrondissement of Prades. Mont-Louis-La Caban ...

''Common with RN 116'' * Bouleternère *

Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda (; ca, Els Banys i Palaldà) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Prior to 1942, it was known as Amélie-les-Bains. It is situated in the Tech valley, and combines the old and the n ...

''Common with the former RN 115'' *

Céret Céret (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. It is the capital of the historic Catalan comarca of Vallespir. Geography The town lies in the foothills of the Pyrénées mountains, in southern France. I ...

* Le Boulou *

*Argelès Plage 618 {{france-road-stub