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What to expect for traffic on French roads over Bastille Day weekend

The Local has put together the traffic forecasts for the July 14th long-weekend in France. Here is what you can expect

Published: 13 July 2023 16:21 CEST
What to expect for traffic on French roads over Bastille Day weekend
Motorists drive on the A7 motorway during a traffic jam (Photo by PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP)

Many families and individuals across France will be climbing into their cars this weekend, with France’s Fête nationale (or le 14 juillet to most French people) allowing most workers to benefit from a three-day weekend.

READ MORE: Bastille Day: What to expect from France’s Fête nationale in 2023

July 14th will also fall on the second weekend of the school summer holidays, meaning that many families may be heading off for holidays and trips. 

According to France’s traffic watchdog, Bison Futé, traffic will be heavy for departures on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as Saturday for those in the north-west of the country. Sunday will be the worst day for returns, especially for the Paris region. 

Bison Futé also warned that traffic will be heavy on most of France’s major roads going toward the south and toward coastal regions from Thursday to Sunday.

Here is what you can expect on French roads this weekend.

Thursday, July 13th

Credit: Bison futé

While roads are expected to be clear for returns across the country, the opposite is true for departures. The majority of the country has been marked ‘orange’ for dense traffic, and the Paris region has been marked ‘red’ for very dense traffic.

For those departing, Bison Futé warned that access to Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel will remain dense until 11pm, and it advises, avoiding:

  • the A1 motorway between Paris and Lille between 1pm and 7pm
  • the A63 motorway between Bordeaux and Bayonne between 4pm and 9pm
  • the A7 motorway between Lyon and Marseille between 1pm and 10pm
  • the A9 motorway between Narbonne and Spain between 6pm and 8pm

Friday, July 14th

Credit: Bison futé

For those departing on Friday, Bison Futé advised that the Mont Blanc tunnel toward Italy will have heavy traffic between 3pm and 7pm. The traffic watchdog also recommended that you:

  • leave or cross the Île-de-France region before 6am
  • avoid the A13 freeway between Paris and Caen between 9am and 2pm
  • avoid the A10 freeway between Orleans and Tours between 7am and 1pm
  • avoid the A7 freeway between Lyon and Marseille between 11am and 2pm

READ MORE: MAP: Where have French toll road fees increased the most?

Saturday, July 15th

Credit: Bison futé

Saturday will be the worst day for departures. It is advised that you avoid the Mont Blanc tunnel between 8am and 6pm due to heavy traffic and that you avoid the following motorways:

  • the A31 between Nancy and Luxembourg from 9am to 11am
  • the A10 near Bordeaux from 10am to 7pm
  • the A63 between Bordeaux and Bayonne between 9am and 7pm
  • the A7 between Lyon and Marseille between 8am and 7pm
  • the A9 between Orange and Spain from 9am to 11pm
  • the A61 between Toulouse and Narbonne from 11am to 1pm

Sunday, July 16th

For those departing on Sunday, the majority of the country has been place on the orange traffic alert by Bison Futé.

For departures, you should leave or cross the Paris region prior to 8am and avoid the Mont Blanc tunnel toward Italy between 11am and 7pm. 

You should also avoid the following motorways:

  • the A63 between Bordeaux and Bayonne between 1pm and 3pm
  • the A7 between Lyon and Marseille between 12pm and 9pm
  • the A9 between Narbonne and Spain between 4pm and 6pm
  • the A61 between Toulouse and Narbonne from 11am to 1pm

For those returning home, you are advised to enter or cross through Île-de-France before 2pm, as well as to avoid the Mont Blanc tunnel toward Italy between 2pm and 10pm.

You should also steer clear of:

  • the A10 motorway between Bordeaux and Poitiers between 6pm and 11pm
  • the A7 motorway between Marseille and Lyon between 11am and 11pm
  • the A71 motorway between Bourges and Orléans from 5pm to 11pm
  • the A61 motorway between Narbonne and Toulouse between 4pm and 11pm
  • the A43 motorway between Chambéry and Lyon between 6pm and 10pm

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DRIVING

EU countries to extend range of offences foreign drivers can be fined for

The EU has agreed to extend the number of driving offences for which motorists from other member states can be fined for and to make it easier for authorities to chase up the fines and make foreign drivers pay.

Published: 13 May 2024 17:28 CEST
EU countries to extend range of offences foreign drivers can be fined for

In the last voting session of this term, in April, the European Parliament passed new rules to ensure drivers who breach local traffic rules in another EU member state are found and fined.

The cross-border enforcement (CBE) directive was first adopted in 2015 after it was found that non-resident drivers were more likely to commit speeding offences. The European Commission estimated that in 2008, foreign drivers accounted for about 5 percent of road traffic in the EU but committed around 15 percent of speeding offences.

The directive partially improved the situation, but according to the Commission 40 percent of traffic violations committed in other EU countries are still unpunished “because the offender is not identified or because the fine is not enforced”.

In March 2023, the Commission therefore proposed updating existing measures.

New rules extend the type of offences that will trigger assistance from another member state and seek to improve collaboration among national authorities to identify and fine offenders.

The European Parliament and Council agreed in March on the final text of the directive, which is now being formally approved by the two institutions.

André Sobczak, Secretary-General at Eurocities, a group representing European cities in Brussels, said: “While the final outcome of the discussions is not ideal, we are pleased that EU policymakers have at least put the issue of the enforcement of local traffic rules on foreign vehicles on the table. As we approach an election year, I believe such a practical example can demonstrate why a European approach is necessary to address local issues.”

Which traffic offences are covered?

The previous directive covered eight driving misconducts that would require member states to cooperate: speeding, not wearing seat belts, failing to stop at a red traffic light, drink-driving, driving under the effect of drugs, not wearing a helmet (motorcycles / scooters), using a forbidden lane and using a mobile phone or other communication devices while driving.

The Commission proposed to add to the list not keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front, dangerous overtaking, dangerous parking, crossing one or more solid white lines, driving the wrong way down a one way street, not respecting the rules on “emergency corridors” (a clear lane intended for priority vehicles), and using an overloaded vehicle.

The Parliament and Council agreed to these and added more offences: not giving way to emergency service vehicles, not respecting access restrictions or rules at a rail crossings, as well as hit-and-run offences.

Despite calls from European cities, the new directive does not cover offences related to foreign drivers avoiding congestion charges or low emission zones. In such cases, information about vehicle registration can only be shared among countries with bilateral agreements.

Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General at POLIS, a network of cities and regions working on urban transport, called on the next European Commission to take other local traffic offences, such as breaches of low emission zones, “fully at heart”.

Collaboration among national authorities

For the traffic violations covered by the directive, EU countries have to help each other to find the liable driver. The new directive further clarifies how.

Member states will have to use the European vehicle and driving licence information system (Eucaris) to get the data of the offender.

National authorities will have 11 months from the date of the violation to issue the fine to a vehicle from another EU member state. However, they will not have to resort to agencies or private entities to collect the fine. This was requested by the European Parliament to avoid scams or leaks of personal data.

Authorities in the country of the offender will have to reply to requests from another EU member state within two months.

When the amount of the fine is more than €70, and all options to have it paid have been exhausted, the member state where the violation occurred can ask the country of the offender to take over the collection.

The person concerned will be able to request follow-up documents in a different official EU language.

When will the new rules will be enforced?

Now that the EU Parliament has passed the law, the EU Council has to do the same, although there is no date set for when that will happen. Once the directive is adopted, EU countries will have 30 months to prepare for implementation.

Last year the Commission also proposed a new directive on driving licenses, but negotiations on the final text of this file will only take place after the European elections.

This article has been produced in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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