-
Discover French magical Christmas châteaux in the Loire valley
Chateaux in the Pays de la Loire work together to provide festive cheer and local towns join in the festive fun
-
New pollution bans from January: Which cars and which cities in France?
Changes mean vehicles with Crit’Air level 3 will be banned in four cities
-
Fréjus Tunnel that connects France and Italy to close this weekend
The tunnel will close for 12 hours and not the 56 hours originally announced
Pre-Christmas France: High temperatures, bad traffic
As France prepares for the last weekend before Christmas, temperatures are to rise to 5-7°C higher than the seasonal average; but drivers can expect gridlock on most major roads.
Weather forecasts from Météo France suggest surprisingly spring-like conditions for most of the country on Saturday December 22 and Sunday 23, with temperatures as high as 20°C in some areas of the Pyrenees foothills and the Mediterranean.
Overall, the north will see temperatures of 11-15°C with some sun and showers, and the south 13-18°C with sun and some cloud.
Yet, rain and wind is forecast across most northern areas on Saturday and Sunday, and showers are expected for much of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Occitanie regions on Saturday.
On the roads, traffic forecaster Bison Futé suggests that significant jams could be seen on roads leaving the Paris area on Friday (today), continuing into Saturday morning especially.
The forecaster has rated Friday and Saturday traffic as "difficult" - and in Ile-de-France, "very difficult" - in the "departure" direction.
Traffic is likely to be poor on all major national roads, especially those leading to Normandy, Tours, and Lyon, and around big cities, Bison Futé said.
On Sunday, roads around Ile-de-France are expected to remain busy.
Shoppers across the country are warned that traffic around major commercial centres will be especially dense, as people rush to finish their Christmas present shopping, or start to stock up on food for the festivities ahead.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France