Name: 誰擁有法國的高速公路？ (Who Owns France's Highways?)
Uploaded: 2025-06-18T11:03:42.000Z
Duration: 21 min 12 s

France is the most visited country in the world.

法國是世界上游客最多的國家。

Every year, about a hundred million people travel to the country, and over half of them arrive by road.

每年約有一億人前往該國旅遊，其中一半以上通過陸路抵達。

And while many appreciate the scenic routes, France's highways are… busy.

雖然很多人都喜歡風景優美的路線，但法國的高速公路卻......繁忙。

The A6-A7 highways to Marseille are also some of Europe's most expensive.

通往馬賽的 A6-A7 高速公路也是歐洲最昂貴的公路之一。

For the 770km drive from Paris to Marseille, the toll fees amount to about 70 euros.

從巴黎到馬賽的 770 公里車程，過路費約為 70 歐元。

But if you drive the same distance elsewhere, say from Brussels to Berlin, you pay nothing.

但如果您在其他地方駕車行駛同樣的距離，比如從布魯塞爾到柏林，則無需支付任何費用。

So why do some countries charge to use their fastest roads, while others make it free?

那麼，為什麼有些國家對使用其最快的公路收費，而其他國家則免費呢？

Funding the building and maintenance of highway infrastructure differs across countries.

各國公路基礎設施建設和維護的資金來源各不相同。

In some places, motorists help pay for it through a bridge and or a tunnel toll.

在一些地方，駕駛者通過橋樑或隧道收費來幫助支付費用。

In others, road tolls are thrown into the mix as well.

在其他國家，道路通行費也被納入其中。

Some countries charge drivers for a vignette, a sticker placed on the car that gives them access to the highways.

有些國家向駕駛員收取 "通行證 "費用。"通行證 "是一種貼在汽車上的標籤，允許駕駛員進入高速公路。

And in a handful of countries, there are no tolls, with funding being drawn from local or national taxes.

還有少數國家不收費，資金來自地方或國家稅收。

In most cases, the money generated from tolls goes to the state.

在大多數情況下，收費產生的資金都歸國家所有。

But in France, most highways are under concession, meaning private companies secure a license to operate them for a fixed period.

但在法國，大多數高速公路都是特許經營的，這意味著私營公司獲得了在固定期限內經營高速公路的許可。

France's concession roads are run by 19 companies, but 91% of the network is managed by just three, Abertis, Eiffage and Vinci.

法國的特許公路由 19 家公司經營，但 91% 的公路網僅由三家公司管理，即 Abertis、Eiffage 和 Vinci。

So how did France's highways become so expensive?

那麼，法國的高速公路為何如此昂貴？

Watch the news in France and you'll notice that highways are talked about… a lot.

觀看法國的新聞，您會發現高速公路是人們經常談論的話題......。

Packed during the holiday season, motorways are often seen as a symbol of freedom and protest.

節假日期間，高速公路上人山人海，高速公路通常被視為自由和抗議的象徵。

And yet, at the end of World War II, most of the roads in France were still national roads, known as routes nationales.

然而，在第二次世界大戰結束時，法國的大部分道路仍然是國道，即所謂的 "國道"。

There was only one short 20-kilometer highway near Paris.

巴黎附近只有一條短短 20 公里的高速公路。

這位是讓-弗朗索瓦-卡爾梅特。

He's an author and lecturer in public law at the University of Perpignan.

他是一名作家，也是佩皮尼昂大學公法講師。

As France began to rebuild its economy after the war, it also started to construct what would become today's most popular motorways.

法國在戰後開始重建經濟的同時，也開始修建今天最受歡迎的高速公路。

France's current high-speed road network was rolled out in three major steps.

法國目前的高速路網主要分三步鋪設。

First, confronted with the financial toll of the war, the French state opened its system to a concession model to build the highways.

首先，面對戰爭造成的財政損失，法國政府開放了其系統，採用特許經營模式修建高速公路。

A level of toll is being stipulated, which basically says how much a car or different types of vehicles will pay to use the motorway.

目前正在規定收費標準，基本上就是汽車或不同類型的車輛使用高速公路需要支付多少費用。

And that is set for the duration of the concession and may be indexed annually because the concession will typically be quite long.

這是在特許權有效期內確定的，由於特許權的期限通常較長，可能每年都會進行指數化調整。

And that is basically the main economic parameter of the concession.

這基本上就是特許權的主要經濟參數。

So in France, you can take the toll roads that are much faster.

是以，在法國，您可以走收費公路，速度要快得多。

In our case, I think it saves us two and a half hours.

就我們的情況而言，我認為這為我們節省了兩個半小時。

Or you have the secondary road, which are free to use, but there's more speed restrictions.

或者是二級公路，可以免費使用，但有更多的速度限制。

The concession model enables the state to transfer debt for building infrastructure over to concession companies, which can take on more debt and therefore build a much wider network.

特許經營模式使國家能夠將建設基礎設施的債務轉移給特許經營公司，後者可以承擔更多債務，從而建設更廣泛的網絡。

The private highways have also proven to be safer, up to 10 times less dangerous than other roads.

事實證明，私人公路也更加安全，其危險性比其他公路低 10 倍。

In the context of a concession, there is a contract between the conceder, which is the state, which will delegate the management of a public service to a concessioner, and therefore to a private company.

在特許經營的情況下，特許人（即國家）與國家之間簽訂合同，國家將公共服務的管理權委託給特許人，也就是私營公司。

Perhaps the greatest force for change on the Riviera is the new motorway.

也許裡維埃拉最大的變革力量是新的高速公路。

We paid about three and six for the 15 miles so far completed.

到目前為止，我們完成了 15 英里的路程，大約支付了 3.6 美元。

From the 1950s onwards, the French government began using these concession companies to finance and build its highway networks.

從 20 世紀 50 年代起，法國政府開始利用這些特許權公司來資助和建設高速公路網。

The contracts were typically written up for 35-year terms, with the intention of the companies returning the highways to the state free of charge once built.

這些合同的期限通常為 35 年，公司打算在公路建成後將其免費歸還給國家。

These companies were under very strong tactical control.

這些公司受到非常強大的戰術控制。

We called on private operators to invest in these networks, even though most of the initial network was built by these mixed economy companies.

我們呼籲私營運營商對這些網絡進行投資，儘管最初的網絡大部分是由這些混合經濟公司建設的。

The second major step in the construction of highways came alongside a rapid rise in French public debt, used to finance public spending in areas such as education and health in the 1970s onwards.

高速公路建設的第二個重要步驟是伴隨著法國公債的迅速增加而出現的，在 20 世紀 70 年代以後，公債被用來為教育和衛生等領域的公共開支提供資金。

Between 1980 and 1997, public debt multiplied eight times, going from 589 billion francs to more than 4.5 trillion francs.

從 1980 年到 1997 年，公共債務翻了八倍，從 5 890 億法郎增加到超過 4.5 萬億法郎。

And so the state opened its national companies to more private equity, including from concession companies.

是以，國家向更多的私人股本（包括來自特許權公司的股本）開放了國有企業。

In the 1980s and 1990s, successive French governments sold many of the country's main banks, such as BNP in 1993 and Crédit Lyonnais in 1999.

20 世紀 80 年代和 90 年代，法國曆屆政府出售了許多國家的主要銀行，如 1993 年的法國國家銀行和 1999 年的里昂信貸銀行。

It also sold some of its station transport manufacturers and airline Air France, as well as energy companies like Total in 1995 and Gazdefrance in 2005.

它還出售了一些車站運輸製造商和法國航空公司，以及一些能源公司，如 1995 年出售的道達爾公司和 2005 年出售的法國天然氣公司。

This led to the third step, the full privatisation of highway management.

這導致了第三步，即公路管理的全面私有化。

In 2005, there was a report that was the first alarmist report on the state's debt.

2005 年，有一份報告是第一份關於國家債務的危言聳聽的報告。

A few months later, the services of Bercy and then former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin had decided to privatise highway management.

幾個月後，貝爾西服務處和當時的前總理多米尼克-德維爾潘決定將高速公路管理私有化。

It is not a privatisation of the infrastructure itself, since there is no total transfer of public property to private property.

這並不是基礎設施本身的私有化，因為公共財產並沒有完全轉為私有財產。

Highways are part of the public road, and what has been privatised is highway management.

公路是公共道路的一部分，被私有化的是公路管理。

While the state still legally owns France's motorways today, it is now private, for-profit companies that are responsible for the funding, building, maintenance and management of over 9,000 km of roads.

雖然國家目前仍合法擁有法國的高速公路，但現在是由私營營利性公司負責 9000 多公里道路的籌資、建設、維護和管理。

This is how they divide up the territory.

Controlling the northern highways is Spanish firm Abertis, a subsidiary of Italian fashion brand Benetton, which also oversees 60% of Spain's high-speed road network.

控制北部高速公路的是西班牙公司 Abertis，它是意大利時裝品牌貝納通（Benetton）的子公司，也負責管理西班牙 60% 的高速道路網。

Maintaining over 2,000 km of motorway, mainly across the country's eastern region, is Eiffage.

Eiffage 負責維護 2,000 多公里的高速公路，主要分佈在該國東部地區。

Eiffage is one of France's biggest construction and concession companies and is most famous for building the Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world.

Eiffage 是法國最大的建築和特許經營公司之一，以建造世界上最高的橋樑米洛高架橋而聞名。

The rest of the network, and the largest share, is handled by Vinci, which runs over 4,000 km of tall roads in France.

網絡的其餘部分和最大份額由 Vinci 公司負責，該公司在法國經營著 4000 多公里的高架路。

In the first half of 2024, the company, which also operates Los Angeles' 91 express lanes, recorded revenues of over 33 billion euros, of which 3 billion euros came from the French motorway concessions.

2024 年上半年，該公司的收入超過 330 億歐元，其中 30 億歐元來自法國高速公路特許經營權。

In 2006, the state and the concession companies agreed a price of 14.8 billion euros for the full privatization of the highways.

2006 年，國家和特許權公司就高速公路的全面私有化達成了 148 億歐元的協議。

However, in 2019, the French General Accounting Office found that the right price should have been closer to 24 billion euros, a 9 billion euros shortfall.

然而，2019 年，法國審計總署發現，正確的價格應該接近 240 億歐元，少了 90 億歐元。

We contacted the French private concession company to see if we could determine the price of the privatization of the motorway management.

我們聯繫了法國的私營特許公司，看能否確定高速公路管理私有化的價格。

This price has been contested, but it was still difficult for the state to evaluate its own heritage.

這一價格一直存在爭議，但國家仍難以對自己的遺產進行評估。

And with hindsight, we can actually wonder if it is not a mistake, since the billions that have been earned in the case of this attribution are a drop of water compared to the debt of the time.

事後看來，我們不禁要問，這難道不是一個錯誤嗎？因為與當時的債務相比，這一歸屬所帶來的數十億美元不過是九牛一毛。

We contacted the French private concession companies for this video, but got no reply or a refusal to respond.

為了這段視頻，我們聯繫了法國的私人特許公司，但沒有得到任何答覆或拒絕答覆。

However, this is what Pierre Copé, Vinci's former CEO, said during a 2023 Senate hearing on the future of motorway concessions.

然而，在 2023 年參議院就高速公路特許經營權的未來舉行的聽證會上，Vinci 公司前首席執行官皮埃爾-科佩（Pierre Copé）卻如是說。

When we talk about the motorway concessions, we often talk about the 14 billion euros.

當我們談論高速公路特許權時，我們經常會提到 140 億歐元。

But we must not forget that there was a debt attached to the concession companies, which was of the order of 20 billion euros, and that there were different investments, i.e. obligations to invest in the contracts.

但我們不能忘記，特許權公司還揹負著大約 200 億歐元的債務，而且還有不同的投資，即對合同進行投資的義務。

I recalculated that since 2005, all concession companies have invested 30 billion euros on networks with extensions, with extensions or adaptation works.

我重新計算了一下，自 2005 年以來，所有特許權公司在網絡的擴建、延伸或改造工程上投資了 300 億歐元。

For Vinci and other concession companies, these big numbers weren't surprising, as a large level of investment is necessary in the financial model of a motorway concession.

對於 Vinci 和其他特許經營公司來說，這些大數字並不令人驚訝，因為在高速公路特許經營的財務模式中，大量投資是必要的。

Copé explained this in 2020 during a hearing of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee on concession companies.

2020 年，科佩在議會特許公司調查委員會的聽證會上解釋了這一點。

We start by raising capital, making debts and making investments.

我們從籌集資金、舉債和投資入手。

Then we start, once we have put the concession into service, its exploitation, and little by little we start to make money.

然後，一旦特許權投入使用，我們就開始對其進行開採，並逐漸開始賺錢。

It corresponds to making money to be able to repay the investments.

To ensure revenue for these companies, toll prices are included in concession contracts and controlled, with the provision that prices can rise up to 70% of inflation every year.

為了確保這些公司的收入，收費價格被納入特許經營合同並加以控制，規定每年的價格漲幅最高可達通脹率的 70%。

According to the Association of French Motorway Companies, for 10 euros spent at the toll gate, 6.30 euros are allocated to management operations, modernisation investments and the repayment of debt and investors.

根據法國高速公路公司協會的數據，在收費站每花費 10 歐元，就有 6.30 歐元用於管理營運、現代化投資以及償還債務和投資者。

The rest is paid to the state through tax and duties.

其餘部分通過稅收和關稅上繳國家。

That level of toll will typically be calculated by considering the level of investment that is expected of the concession holder in order primarily to build the motorway and then on an ongoing basis to maintain the motorway in a fit state.

這一收費水準通常是通過考慮特許權持有者預期的投資水準來計算的，投資的主要目的是修建高速公路，然後持續不斷地維護高速公路，使其處於合適的狀態。

She's a director at Frontier Economics, a consultancy which has advised the French transport regulator on monitoring concessions' profitability.

她是諮詢公司 Frontier Economics 的董事，該公司曾為法國交通監管機構提供有關監控特許經營盈利能力的建議。

It also takes into consideration ongoing spend that may be required to operate the motorway every year.

它還考慮到了每年營運高速公路可能需要的持續支出。

The toll is set so that, given the expected number of users of the motorway, those costs will be reimbursed to the operator and they will be able to earn a return.

收費標準的設定是，根據高速公路的預期用戶數量，這些成本將被償還給運營商，運營商將能夠獲得回報。

So indeed, in France, it is largely users paying for the use of motorways.

是以，在法國，高速公路的使用費主要由使用者支付。

Consumers and companies have struggled to understand the annual price rise impacting their businesses and wallets, especially now that highways have been entirely built.

消費者和公司一直在努力瞭解每年的價格上漲對其業務和錢包的影響，尤其是現在高速公路已經全部建成。

Travelling on the highway in France, it's comfortable because it's straight and it's quick, but it costs us a fortune.

在法國的高速公路上行駛，因為筆直、快速，所以很舒適，但也花了我們一大筆錢。

She's a mother of two living in Bordeaux and travels regularly to London, where her husband is based.

她是兩個孩子的母親，住在波爾多，並定期前往倫敦，因為她的丈夫在倫敦工作。

Each trip that we take costs us about £300 in ferries, but then you have to add €180 of French tolls and I guess €100 worth of petrol.

我們每次旅行的渡輪費用約為 300 英鎊，但還得加上 180 歐元的法國過路費和我猜價值 100 歐元的汽油費。

We're doing it four or five times a year.

Every time we travel, it must add up to £600 or £650.

每次出差，加起來得有 600 或 650 英鎊。

We moved to France in 2016 when our youngest was born and my husband was working every other week in France.

我們於 2016 年搬到法國，當時我們最小的孩子剛出生，我丈夫每隔一週都要在法國工作。

So he spent a week in London and then he did remote working in France every other week and that worked well.

是以，他在倫敦待了一週，然後每隔一週在法國進行遠程工作，效果很好。

Two years ago, my husband's work situation changed and he had to be in London for at least three years.

兩年前，我丈夫的工作情況發生了變化，他必須在倫敦工作至少三年。

The girls and I are commuting every school holiday to see my husband and their dad.

每逢學校放假，我和女兒們都要坐車去看我丈夫和他們的父親。

We could fly, that's definitely much cheaper, but then you don't have the flexibility of move around here, go to playdates or go visit the in-laws, because once you're in London, travelling by public transport is super expensive.

我們可以坐飛機，那肯定要便宜得多，但這樣一來，你就不能靈活地在這裡活動、去玩耍或去看望姻親，因為一旦到了倫敦，乘坐公共交通工具的費用就會超級昂貴。

Toll prices have been a contested issue for years.

收費價格多年來一直是一個有爭議的問題。

Even though concession companies would argue that highways are a high-risk business, in 2014, the accounting office, alongside the French Senate and the Competition Authority, disagreed, pointing to the fact that these companies were originally backed by the state and said they had essentially created an exceptional rent, a guaranteed income for little cost.

儘管特許權公司會辯稱高速公路是一項高風險的業務，但 2014 年，會計局與法國參議院和競爭管理局都提出了不同意見，指出這些公司最初是由國家支持的，並稱它們實質上創造了一種特殊的租金，即以很少的成本獲得有保障的收入。

While the average yearly profit margin for a utility company is about 9%, the Competition Authority found that the annual profit margin for these companies rose over the years, with some, like SanFSAPN, doubling their profits, reaching highs comparable to some tech companies like Apple's 25% profit margin.

雖然公用事業公司的年平均利潤率約為 9%，但競爭管理局發現，這些公司的年利潤率逐年上升，其中一些公司（如 SanFSAPN）的利潤翻了一番，達到了與一些科技公司（如蘋果公司 25% 的利潤率）相當的高水平。