This paper introduces a novel dataset that combines archival data on France's highway expansion with the innovative open-source routing tool Metric-OSRM, developed by the PSAR-AT Unité CED - INSEE PACA (2024). It outlines the methodology used to estimate the evolution of travel times by car under free-flow conditions between major French cities over the past seventy years, and documents the gradual expansion of the highway network. From 1945 to 2022, the average travel time for cars traveling to and from any major city decreased by 26%, with the majority of this reduction occurring after 1960. This dataset serves as a new resource for assessing the impact of transportation enhancements on economic indicators.