Heavy holiday traffic expected this weekend

As summer break ends, roads will be packed with returning holidaymakers

French roads will be very busy this weekend as summer holidays come to an end.

Traffic monitor Bison Futé has said Saturday will present very heavy traffic conditions (a red warning) all over France, for those heading in a return direction from their holidays.

It warns specifically of heavy traffic “returning from coastal regions towards the great metropoles”.

Drivers heading home today and tomorrow are advised to avoid the main connecting roads in the southern half of the country (A7, A8, A9, A61, A63), between 10:00 and 20:00.

Today they should avoid the Bordeaux and Lyon ring roads until 22:00, and avoid returning to Paris via the A6 and the A10 between 15:00 and 21:00.

On Saturday, best avoided are the main connecting routes of the northern half of the country between 15:00 and 20:00 and areas around Tours, Orléans, Paris (A10, N118 and A6) until 21:00.

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Also on Saturday, Bison Futé advises drivers to avoid the A7 motorway between Lyon and Salon-de-Provence, as well as the A8 motorway to Aix-en-Provence and the A9 motorway to Montpellier, between 09:00 and 18:00.

On Sunday, steer clear of the A7 motorway heading to Lyon and the A9 motorway from Montpellier to Orange between 09:00 and 20:00. Also to avoid: the main connecting roads of the northern half of the country between 15:00 and 20:00, and accessing Paris via the N118 and A13 until 22:00 and via the A6 and A10 until midnight.

On Monday, drivers should avoid going to Paris on the A10 and A6 at peak times, especially in the afternoon between 15:00 and 21:00.

Check the latest travel predictor maps here.