The Languedoc-Roussillon region (covering 27,400 sq. km with 2.5 million inhabitants) is located in the southern part of France, at the crossroads between Spain and Italy, as well as Northern and Southern Europe, which makes this location exceptionally attractive to investors. The region is also characterized by favorable demographic factors (the highest natural population growth in France and 80,000 students across four universities). The diversity and educational level of the residents meet the needs of investing companies.
Another significant factor is the large number of research and development centers: 9 public research organizations (approximately 5,000 employees – fifth place in France), 200 laboratories, 2,000 private R&D specialists, and two foreign research centers (USDA, CSIRO). 375 million euros have been allocated to research, innovation, and technology development, placing the Languedoc-Roussillon region among the leaders in the country. Historically, this region has been an important transit zone and is traditionally associated with transport and logistics. An example of this is the Saint-Charles market in Perpignan, which was the first European distribution center for fruits and vegetables.
Transport infrastructure
The road network of the Languedoc-Roussillon region (Figure 1) connects the north with the south (Paris / Barcelona), the east with the west (Bordeaux / Turin), and regional capitals: Lyon / Marseille / Toulouse / Clermont-Ferrand. The developed network of roads and motorways is used to transport 91% of the cargo tonnage in the region. The region’s road network consists of 4 motorways: A9 – crossing the region and connecting the Rhône Valley with Spain; A61 – “Deux-Mers”, connecting the Atlantic with the Mediterranean; A54 – to Marseille and Italy; A75 – “Meridienne”, running to the north of Europe, as well as 1,500 km of main roads and 17,500 km of secondary roads.
The Languedoc-Roussillon region has 1,400 km of railway lines (Figure 2). The main lines are those to Spain and the Atlantic (to Bordeaux and Toulouse) and the line connecting the north with the Mediterranean. The five main stations are: Nimes, Montpellier, Beziers, Narbonne, and Perpignan. The three main points for road/rail combined transport are: Montpellier, Perpignan, and Le Boulou. In 2007, over 11 million tons of cargo were transported through Languedoc-Roussillon, which accounts for about 6.0% of the cargo tonnage transported in the region. The main operator and owner is SNCF Fret (French Rail Freight). Operators in road/rail transport include Novatrans, TAB, Ambrogio, Medina, CNC, and rail intermediaries: Combitrans, Nortrans, P. Rey, Roca. The TGV South covers the Paris / Montpellier route in 3 hours and 15 minutes, and there are plans to extend the line to Barcelona. This would contribute to an increase in cargo transport and the creation of a direct, high-speed connection between Montpellier, Barcelona (Mediterranean), and Toulouse (Atlantic).
There are 3 regional freight airports in the Languedoc-Roussillon region: Montpellier Mediterranean, Nimes-Arles-Camargue, and Perpignan Rivesaltes. In 2007, approximately 28,000 tons of cargo were transported by air (mainly through Montpellier Mediterranean). Given the satisfactory airspace and its location on the Mediterranean arc, the Montpellier airport has the potential to become a major airport for Southern Europe and North Africa. The main operators in air transport are: transport companies: SDV, Heppenr, TAT Express; cargo operators: Air Assistances, France Handling, and intermediaries: Panalpina France.
Regional seaports (Sète, Port la Nouvelle, Port Vendres) are accessible 24/7 for ships and multimodal transport. The range of services offered enhances the quality of infrastructure in the region and contributes to the region’s significant importance in the Mediterranean basin and Southern Europe. Sète, the second-largest French Mediterranean port, features: 16 ship berths and 2 rapid unloading berths; 1 loading berth for coastal vessels; a daily handling capacity of 20,000 tons; unloading equipment; special facilities for handling grain, agricultural products, and liquid chemicals; container terminals; and a Ro-Ro platform. The port of Sète offers regular container ship routes to the east and west coasts of the USA (for example, the journey from Sète to New York takes 13 days). The Languedoc-Roussillon region, with its 140-mile coastline, is a maritime gateway to all countries of the Mediterranean basin, which is why more and more companies are investing in this region, including shipowners: Navale Française, Delom; cargo operators: Sogema Sud, Port Midi; and intermediaries: Sea Invest France, CLTM. Regarding inland navigation, vessels with a capacity of up to 1,300 tons can reach Saint Jean de Losne via the Rhône canal, 250 km north of Lyon. This canal is accessible to 3 river ports: Sète (along with the industrial zone located between the river and the port), Ardoise (located at the entrance to the Rhône Valley, with rail access, a few kilometers from the motorway junction, and an hour’s drive from the Marseille Provence airport), as well as Beaucaire. Water transport, both maritime and inland, accounts for about 4.7% of the cargo tonnage in the region.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2/2009.