Motorcyclists fill potholes with Easter eggs to protest French roads

Motorcyclists are using Easter weekend (April 8 to 10) to highlight the state of France’s roads… by filling pothles with chocolate eggs.

The French federation of angry bikers (La Fédération française des motards en colère) wants to show drivers and the French state the 'oeuf-ul' nature of some of the country’s roads.

In the last eight years, France has fallen from first to 18th place in the World Economic Forum’s road quality rankings.

The protest is seen as a safe and non-violent way to bring the problem to a wider audience, using a play on words with the French for pothole (nid-de-poule – literally translated as hen’s nest).

Whilst some regions and cities, such as Montpellier have already seen such protests, the federation calls for motorcyclists to place their eggs over the weekend to tie into the Easter theme.

A website dedicated to the tracking of potholes is available, allowing users to both signal their presence, as well as see if it has been filled in over this weekend.

Read more: Easter driving latest: traffic news, fuel shortages, petrol price cuts

A ‘dangerous’ lack of investment

The organisers say potholes are the “first symptom” of the deteriorating road infrastructure which has begun to impact France.

They highlight an external audit that claims France’s roads need a yearly investment of €1.3billion per year until 2037.

“If this investment is not made, 62% of the national road network will be badly deteriorated,” the federation says.

“Infrastructure is identified as a contributing factor in 30% of fatal accidents [on France’s roads],” the campaigners add.

What do you think about the protest? Have campaigners got a point? Or is the problem exaggerated? Let us know via news@connexionfrance.com

Read also

Teens throwing eggs at motorway cars in France caught by the barcodes

Bikers protest in France against new two-wheeler contrôle technique