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The key French autoroutes to avoid during France’s long May holiday weekend

If you are planning to drive in France over the long Ascension weekend, then here are some motorways to avoid.

The key French autoroutes to avoid during France's long May holiday weekend
Vehicles queue in traffic on the A7 highway at the southern entrance of Lyon, amid the second peak of summer travels in France, on August 4, 2023. (Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP)

Workers in France had the rare opportunity this week to enjoy two back-to-back public holidays – VE Day on Wednesday and Ascension on Thursday.

As a result, French motorways will be more crowded than usual this weekend, and especially on Sunday as people begin to head home.

READ MORE: Travel, events, closures: What to expect over France’s double public holiday this week

France’s traffic watchdog has given the day a ‘black’ rating for ‘extremely difficult’ traffic in the north-west of the country, and a ‘red’ rating for ‘very difficult’ traffic across the rest of the country for returns.

As for Saturday, the autoroutes will be slightly less busy than Sunday, though Bison Futé has put the country in ‘orange’ for ‘difficult traffic’.

Here are motorways you should avoid, and you can consult Bison Futé’s more detailed predictions at this LINK.

The A13

Part of the A13 motorway had previously been closed for works between Paris and Vaucresson, in the Hauts-de-Seine département, and it finally began reopening on Friday morning.

However, it will still be very busy on Sunday, and Bison Futé recommends avoiding it between Caen and Paris from 11am to 4pm

The A6 and A10

Heavy traffic is predicted along both motorways in the capital region on Saturday and Sunday.

The A7

Saturday – Avoid it between Orange and Lyon from 1pm to 8pm.

Sunday – Avoid it between Salon-de-Provence and Orange from 11am to 1pm and between Orange and Lyon from 12pm to 9pm. 

The A9

Saturday – Avoid it between Spain and Narbonne from 12noon to 6pm

Sunday – Avoid it between Spain and Narbonne from 1pm to 6pm, and between Montpellier and Orange from 3pm to 5pm.

The A11

Sunday – Avoid it between Angers and Le Mans from 4pm to 8pm

The A25

Saturday – Avoid it between Socx and Lille, from 6pm to 9pm.

Sunday – Avoid it between Socx and Lille from 4pm to 6pm.

The A61

Sunday – Avoid it between Narbonne and Toulouse from 3pm to 7pm.

Mont Blanc Tunnel (N205)

Saturday – Avoid it in the Italy-France direction from 1pm to 8pm

Sunday – Avoid it in the Italy-France direction from 11am to 11pm

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FRANCE WEATHER

Thunderstorms, floods and traffic: France’s last holiday weekend in May 

The final holiday weekend of May in France is set to be marked by bad weather and difficult driving conditions on busy roads.

Thunderstorms, floods and traffic: France’s last holiday weekend in May 

Monday, May 20th is a holiday for most of France, marking the Christian festival of Pentecost, which means that many people will enjoy a three-day weekend.

This is the last of four public holidays in France in May 2024, now we need to wait until August for another extra day off work (since the Fête National on July 14th falls on a Sunday this year).

So what can we expect for the long weekend? Well, bad weather and heavy traffic, unfortunately.

The Moselle département, in north-east France, was placed on red weather alert on Friday after hours of heavy rain caused flash flooding.

The red weather alert initially runs until 9pm on Friday, with between 80mm and 100mm of rain expected, while between 70mm and 90mm are predicted in the far north of the neighbouring Bas-Rhin, with up to 70mm expected further south – figures national forecaster Météo-France said approached records for daily rainfall figures in the region.

Orange alerts in the area remain in place on Saturday.

Image: Météo-France

Rain and occasional storms, some bringing hail, are expected to develop across large parts of the country throughout the weekend, with only the Mediterranean areas likely to remain dry on Saturday.

Showers and sunny spells will continue into Sunday and Monday, with occasional thunderstorms in the south-west. Temperatures throughout the weekend should rise to between 15C and 22C.

To make family getaways on the final long weekend of the month even more difficult, roads watchdog Bison Futé predicts ‘difficult’, or ‘very difficult’ travel conditions on key routes across the country. 

Image: Bison Fute

On Friday, traffic is expected to be heavy on routes heading away from major cities towards popular holiday destinations until well into the evening – especially on Paris’s Périphérique and the A86 and A6B, the A7, along the Mediterranean Arc and on the Atlantic seaboard (A11, N165 and A63). 

The A13 is likely to remain closed to traffic between Paris and Vaucresson across the holiday weekend, so drivers from the Paris region wishing to reach Normandy are advised to take the A14, A15 or N12

On Saturday, May 18th, conditions on the roads will be difficult nationwide, particularly on roads serving the Mediterranean arc (A7 and A9) and the Atlantic coast (A63 and N165). In the Île-de-France region, traffic will be heavy from early morning onwards on the A6 and A10. From mid-morning onwards, traffic is expected to intensify significantly. 

Image: Bison Fute

Routes converging on the A10 and A6 could also see traffic problems on Saturday, Bison Futé warned.

No major forecastable traffic problems are expected on Sunday – but, on Monday, May 20th, short breakers will be returning home, leading to heavy traffic across the country, notably on A7 and A9, in the Mediterranean region, and routes serving the west of the country.

Traffic will be heavy on the A10 and A6 in the Île-de-France region from late morning into the evening. The A13, which should be open, could also experience traffic problems from mid-afternoon onwards, and could continue to do so well into the evening.

Across the country banks and public administration offices will close. Some independent shops may close, while larger stores and chains are more likely to be open, but probably with altered opening hours.

Most bars, restaurants and cafés will remain open while public transport will run as normal. 

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