Heavy traffic warnings for half-term holiday weekend in France

A busy weekend is forecast on French roads as millions set off or return from holidays amid the context of a national rail strike.

The French traffic information system, Bison Futé, has warned that on Friday (February 16) and Saturday (February 17) the motorways will be particularly congested.

Read more: French half-term train strikes: half of TGVs cancelled

Friday is the start of half-term in Zone A (Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon and Poitiers), and drivers should anticipate heavy southbound traffic (sens des départs) as holidaymakers head to resorts.

It is also the start of the holidays in several regions of the Netherlands.

Bison futé forecasts heavy traffic on the A6 between Wissous and Chilly-Mazarin from the end of the morning. This will lead to congestion spreading along the A6B, A86 and A6 motorways from the early afternoon.

The weight of commuter and weekend traffic will add to the load of holiday traffic, leading to peak congestion by late afternoon. Driving conditions on the A6 are expected to remain congested until late evening.

Similar conditions are expected on the A6 (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) and on the A4 (Grand-Est).

Bison futé recommends that drivers:

• Leave or travel through Île-de-France before 14:00,
• Avoid the A4, between Metz and Strasbourg, from 08:00 to 20:00,
• Avoid the A6, between Fleury and Mâcon, from 12:00 to 20:00.

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region will see particularly heavy traffic to and from the ski resorts on the A40 and A43.

Northbound traffic will also be congested around Paris from the early afternoon to the evening.

Bison futé recommends that drivers:

• Avoid the A40, between Mâcon and Annemasse, from 12:00 to 16:00,
• Avoid the A43, between Lyon and Modane, from 10:00 to 17:00,
• Avoid the A430, at Saint-Hélène-sur-Isère, from 11:00 to 16:00,
• Avoid the N90, between Albertville and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, from 12:00 to 15:00,
• Avoid the N85, between Grenoble and Gap, from 8:00 to 18:00.

Northbound:

• Leave or travel through Île-de-France before 14:00,
• Avoid the A7, between Orange and Lyon, from 13:00 to 16:00,
• Avoid the A40, between Annemasse and Mâcon, from 9:00 to 15:00,
• Avoid the A43, between Chambéry and Lyon, from 7:00 to 16:00.

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