Drivers in France are warned that traffic on the roads will be particularly bad this weekend (August 30 - September 1), as a result of the end of the summer holiday season, and the start of the Paralympic Games.
French traffic forecaster service Bison Futé has four levels of alert:
Green: No particular problems, normal circulation
Orange: Difficult circulation
Red: Very difficult circulation
Black: Extremely difficult circulation; gridlock
For this weekend, the service is predicting:
Friday, August 30: ‘Orange’ alert level for ‘returning’ direction (towards major cities), with a peak of ‘red’ around the Mediterranean coastal area. The A1, A2, A7, A8, and A9 motorways are expected to be particularly busy. Orange alert level for ‘departure’ direction (away from cities) in the Paris and Ile-de-France areas, and the Mediterranean.
Saturday, August 31: ‘Red’ alert level for departures and returns in the Paris and Ile-de-France areas, as well as in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (central-east). The A7 and A75 will be particularly busy.
Sunday, September 1: ‘Red’ alert for both directions in Paris and Ile-de-France, and red in the returning direction for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The A7 and A75 will be particularly busy, as will the A10, A6, and A13.
Roads are typically very busy at the start and end of holiday seasons in France, as well as ‘crossover’ weekends between July and August. La Rentrée is one of the busiest weekends of the year.
