What does ‘direction of departures’ mean?

Why does the Bison Futé service ( bison-fute.gouv.fr) use the expression ‘in the direction of the departures’ or ‘of the returns’ when warning of traffic congestion? What does it mean? P.J.

Oliver Rowland Oliver Rowland
Published Modified

This expression has been criticised as too Paris-orientated, but basically ‘departures’ refers to traffic heading from north to south (towards the Mediterranean) or west to east (towards mountain resorts in the Alps); returns is the opposite.

french expression practical bison fute

french expression bison fute