Perfect storm of traffic and snow

ARCTIC weather and heavy holiday ‘crossover’ traffic are set to combine to form a perfect storm of travel misery in Alpine areas of France this weekend.

Already, snow is causing severe disruption on the A43 between Lyon and Chambéry, as well as the A40 in Ain, while flights in and out of Lyon-Saint-Exupéry have been delayed

Traffic monitor Bison Futé had already classified roads out of the Rhône-Alpes region today as ‘black’, its highest level, indicating that traffic will be particularly heavy today.

Meanwhile, national forecaster Météo-France has placed four of the Rhône-Alpes departments; The Ain, Isère, Haute-Savoie, and Savoie - as well as Hautes-Alpes in the neighbouring region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur - on orange alert for snow and ice.

Meteo-France warned that snowfalls at low levels would be likely to cause "significantly disrupt traffic conditions” on this ‘crossover weekend’ for snow-seeking holidaymakers.

Bison Futé said that traffic conditions around Lyon would be particularly bad on ‘Black Saturday’, with traffic on routes out of the city towards both Chambéry and Grenoble especially heavy.

It said that motorists should also be prepared for disruption in the valleys of the Tarentaise and Maurienne, between Grenoble and the Massif de l'Oisans.

In the southern Alps, holidaymakers heading to or leaving Marseille, Nice or Montpellier have been warned of slow traffic this afternoon, especially around toll stations.

The toll area at Saulce on the A51 has been singled out as a “no-go area”.

Motorists elsewhere in France can also expect to see heavier traffic than normal. Bison Futé has classified major routes as ‘orange’ on its scale.

It said that motorists are likely to encounter slowing traffic, and warned drivers to be alert and prepared.

Arctic conditions in the Savoie caught many holiday makers by surprise over the Christmas period. An estimated 15,000 travellers were stranded over a nightmare weekend.

The conditions prompted one MP to demand the snow chains be made compulsory for all vehicles travelling in mountainous regions.