Route nationale 16

The Route nationale 16, or RN16, is a trunk road (nationale) in France crossing Picardy north of Paris.

Reclassification

The majority of the road has now been re-classified as the RD1016 and RD916.

Route

Pierrefitte-sur-Seine to Clermont (0km - 66km)

The road starts north of Paris as a branch of the RN1, as the Avenue de la Division Leclerc and bypasses the town of Sarcelles and heads into open countryside crossing the RD104 (the Francilienne). The road passes the Castle and Estate of Epenay-Champlatreux and the Parc Naturel Régional de Oise Pays de France. The road bypasses Luzarches and plunges through the Forêt du Coye and then on to Chantilly.

At Chantilly the road crosses the river of Nonette and on through woodland to Creil in the Oise valley. The road crosses the valley up the Breche valley to Clermont, The road has a junction here with the RN31 from Beauvais to Compiègne.

Clermont to Breteuil (66km to 100km)

The road has now been downgraded to the RD916 north of Clermont. The road initially follows the Arné valley north. At St Just-en-Chaaussée it follows the course of an old Roman road. The road leaves the valley and heads through open country to the town of Breteuil where it rejoins the RN1. It merges with the RN1 (now RD1001) until the town of Amiens.

Amiens to Dunkerque (132km to 287km)

The road splits from the RD1001 in Amiens, following the same route as the N25 until the town of Doullens. The road continues north numbered the RD916. The road passes the village of Frévent and the river Canche. The road crosses the former N39 (now RD939) south of the town of St Pol-sur-Ternoise. The road is briefly the RD941 (originally the N41 before becoming the RD916 once more. The road continues north to the town of Lillers and a junction with the A26 autoroute (Junction 5). The town had a junction with the N43 (now RD943) from Calais to Lille.

The road crosses the River Lys and then Foret de Nieppe. The road then passes through the town of Hazebrouck where it meets the N42. 4 km to the north the road turns north west. The road passes the town of Cassel and Monts des Recollets (159m). The road passes Wormhout, crosses the A25 autoroute where the road merges with the N28 (now RD928). It then enters the town of Dunkerque.