Traffic warnings in place across France for May 1 long weekend

Major traffic is expected across France tomorrow (April 30) due to a three-day weekend that encompasses Friday (May 1) as a public holiday. 

Traffic watchdog Bison Futé has issued heightened alerts across the country, with all regions expected to see more activity than usual on Thursday as drivers begin travel plans ahead of the extended weekend. 

This applies equally to entry and exit routes into major cities, in particular in the Paris area where the capital’s Île-de-France region has been issued with a red-tier warning, the second highest possible. 

However, Friday and Saturday should be quiet on the roads, and on Sunday alerts are limited to the north of the country. 

Several roads to avoid

Traffic on Thursday is largely expected to begin in the afternoon when road users typically depart after working hours. 

Advice from Bison Futé for Thursday includes: 

• Leave or cross through the Île-de-France region before 11:00 or after 23:00, and enter the region before 14:00 or after 22:00

• Avoid the A1 motorway in the direction Paris-Lille from 12:00 to 17:00, and Lille-Paris between 15:00 and 19:00

• Avoid the N12 national road in the direction Rennes-Brest from 17:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the N165 national road in the direction Nantes-Quimper from 17:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A10 motorway in the direction Poitiers-Bordeaux from 16:00 to 18:00, and Bordeaux-Poitiers between 17:00 to 21:00

• Avoid the A7 motorway in the direction Lyon-Orange from 15:00 to 22:00, and Orange-Marseille from 16:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A51 motorway in the direction Gap-Marseille from 16:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A75 motorway in the direction Clermont-Ferrand-Béziers from 15:00 to 18:00

• Avoid the A2 motorway in the direction Belgiul-A1 junction from 14:00 to 19:00

• Avoid the A4 motorway in the direction Strasbourg-Metz from 17:00 to 19:00

• Avoid the A31 motorway in the direction Luxembourg and Nancy from 15:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A46 motorway and the N346 national road for the eastern bypass of Lyon from 13:00 to 19:00

For Friday (May 1) no warnings are in place – roads should be mostly empty, with schools and almost all businesses closed. 

For Saturday (May 2) drivers are warned to avoid the Île-de-France region between 14:00 and 22:00.

However, for Sunday (May 3) warnings extend across the north and west. Drivers are recommended to avoid major roads for much of the evening.

Advice from Bison Futé includes: 

• Join or cross through the Île-de-France region before 11:00 or after 23:00

• Avoid the A1 motorway in the direction Lille-Paris from 15:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A13 motorway in the direction Caen-Paris from 11:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the N165 national road in the direction Quimper-Nantes from 15:00 to 17:00

• Avoid the A11 motorway in the direction Angers-Le Mans from 11:00 to 14:00, and Le Mans-Paris from 11:00 to 18:00

• Avoid the A81 motorway and the N81 national road in the direction Rennes-Le Mans from 11:00 to 18:00

• Avoid the A10 motorway in the direction Tours-Paris from 11:00 to 23:00

• Avoid the A71 motorway in the direction Bourges-Orléans from 11:00 to 23:00