Traffic warnings in place this weekend as French school holidays continue

Traffic warnings are in place across eastern France this weekend as road users continue to travel to the Alpine ski resorts for the holiday period. 

The 2025-2026 winter holiday season begins for school zone ‘B’ on February 14, after beginning for zone ‘A’ last week on February 7. Pupils in zone ‘C’ (Occitanie and Île-de-France) are scheduled to begin their break next week on February 21. All zones are allocated a two-week winter holiday.

The influx of French travellers will be compounded by the mid-February start of winter school holidays in Belgium, Luxembourg, as well as parts of the UK and the Netherlands, with families from these countries also driving towards the Alps.

French traffic watchdog Bison Futé is placing the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region on a tier-three red alert for traffic, the second-highest possible, on Saturday (February 14). 

Several eastern areas face a lower-tier yellow warning level for traffic on Friday (February 13 - i.e. the last day of classes for most pupils), when drivers keen to avoid congestion often plan to leave in the evening. 

“Heavy traffic is expected on Friday, February 13, in the direction of departures, in the regions between the northeastern borders and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. On Saturday, in both directions, the roads leading to the Alpine ski resorts are expected to be particularly congested,” it says. 

The following recommendations have been made. 

On February 13: 

• Avoid the A31 between Nancy and Luxembourg from 13:00 to 21:00

• Avoid the A36 between Besançon and Germany from 16:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A75 between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers from 17:00 to 19:00

• Avoid the A40 between Mâcon and Annemasse from 17:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A43 between Lyon and Chambéry from 15:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the N85 between Grenoble and Gap from 16:00 to 20:00

• Avoid the A46 and the N346 for the eastern bypass of Lyon from 17:00 to 20:00

On February 14: 

• Avoid the A39 between Dijon and Viriat from 11:00 to 13:00

• Avoid the A40 between Mâcon and Passy from 11:00 to 14:00, and Annemasse and Mâcon from 09:00 to 15:00

• Avoid the A43 between Lyon and Chambéry from 9:00 to 14:00, and Chambéry and Lyon from 11:00 to 14:00

• Avoid the A48 between Bourgoin-Jallieu and Grenoble from 10:0 to 17:00

• Avoid the N85 between Grenoble and Gap from 15:00 to 19:00

• Avoid the A46 and the N346 for the eastern bypass of Lyon from 10:00 to 19:00

The watchdog has warned of six ‘black traffic’ days throughout 2026.