Another summer holiday weekend red traffic alert on French roads

This weekend is a pont (bridge) weekend - meaning that many people will take a long weekend because of the public holiday on Tuesday.

READ ALSO Why is August 15th a holiday in France?

The country’s roads watchdog Bison Futé has rated travel on Saturday as ‘very difficult’ (red) for outward journeys, and for those heading home in the southeast.

While traffic levels on Friday are less problematic, Bison Futé expects some issues, labelling travel ‘difficult’ (yellow).

It warned traffic jams were expected on the A10 leaving Paris. The A7 will also be very busy. Inbound traffic will be difficult nationwide, and very difficult on the Mediterranean arc, notably on the A8 and A9.

Particular travel warnings are in place on Friday for: 

• The entire Île-de-France region;
• the A31 between Luxembourg and Nancy until 6pm;
• the A7 between Marseille and Lyon until midnight;
• the A8 between Nice and Aix-en-Provence between 5pm and 9pm;
• the A20 between Brive and Limoges to 5pm;
• The Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) into France is forecast to be busy until 12midnight.

Saturday will see red warnings, indicating ‘very difficult’ travel conditions for the entire country for traffic leaving larger cities and heading to popular resorts.

Red travel warnings are also in place for traffic heading towards Paris from north-west France. 

In particular Bison Futé urged motorists heading out on holiday on Saturday to:

• leave or cross the Paris region before 7am;
• avoid the N165 between Quimper and Nantes between 11am and 8pm;
• avoid the A11 between Nantes and Le Mans between 10am and 4pm;
• avoid the A10 between Poitiers and Bordeaux between 11am and 8pm;
• avoid the A63 between Bayonne and Spain between 10am and 7pm;
• avoid the A7 between Lyon and Orange between 5am and 6pm;
• avoid the A9 between Montpellier and Spain between 9am and 6pm;
• avoid the A20 between Limoges and Brive between 12pm and 5pm;
• avoid the A71 between Orléans and Clermont-Ferrand between 11am and 6pm;
• avoid the A75 between Clermont-Ferrand and Montpellier between 10am and 5pm;
• avoid the A61 between Toulouse and Narbonne between 11am and 7pm.

It also warned that the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) heading into Italy will be busy between 11am and 4pm.

Drivers heading back to France’s major cities from holiday areas on Saturday, meanwhile, should avoid:

• the Île-de-France region before 2pm;
• the N165 between Quimper and Nantes from 9am to 4pm;
• the A10 between Bordeaux and Poitiers from 1pm to 10pm;
• the A7 between Marseille and Lyon between 11am and midnight;
• the A8 between Nice and Aix-en-Provence between 11am and 1pm;
• the A9 between Spain and Narbonne between 1pm and 3pm;
• the A20 between Brive and Limoges between 11am and 1pm;
• the A71 between Clermont-Ferrand and Orléans between 12pm and 5pm;

The Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) into France will be busy from 9am to midnight.

The travel situation calms down a little on Sunday, though Bison Futé predicted more difficult driving conditions in the southeast quarter.

For outward travel on Sunday, it suggested that drivers should:

• leave or cross the Île-de-France region before 9am;
• avoid the A63 between Bayonne and Spain between 11am and 2pm;
• avoid the A7 between Lyon and Orange between 10am and 7pm;
• avoid the A61 between Toulouse and Narbonne between 12pm and 3pm;

And it said that the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) into Italy will be busy between 12pm and 3pm.

For return trips, it advised motorists to:

• reach or cross the Île-de-France region before 12pm;
• avoid the A10 between Bordeaux and Saintes from 2pm to 5pm;
• avoid the A7 between Orange and Lyon between 12pm and 9pm;
• avoid the A8 between Nice and Aix-en-Provence between 11am and 1pm;
• avoid the A9 between Montpellier and Orange between 7pm and 9pm;

The Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) into France will be busy from 9am to midnight.

And, because Tuesday, August 15th is a public holiday, and smart holidaymakers have used cunning ‘bridging’ techniques to extend their holiday allowance, there’s a further holiday traffic alert for motorists heading back home on Wednesday, August 16th.

Bison Fute advises travellers to avoid:

• the N165 between Quimper and Nantes from 11am to 1pm;
• the A7 between Orange and Lyon between 12pm and 8pm;
• the A8 between Nice and Aix-en-Provence between 12pm and 7pm;

Traffic heading through Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) into France will be heavy from 10am to 10pm.