It’s the second-to-last weekend of summer holiday high season in France, and main roads across the country are once again expected to be congested, as families head back home after a deserved break.

Firstly, a reminder: lane restrictions on certain routes in and around Paris remain in place ahead of the Paralympic Games, which begin on August 28th and run until September 8th.

Friday, August 23rd

The French traffic watchdog Bison Futé has warned slowdowns will begin from Friday – when roads will be particularly congested in the Rhône Valley, across the Mediterranean arc, and through the Massif Central.

Slowdowns in the Paris region are forecast from mid-afternoon, as commuters join heavier-than-usual holiday traffic.

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In particular, Bison Fute advises travellers returning to major cities on Friday from holiday destinations to:

• pass through the Île-de-France region before 2pm;
• avoid the A10 between Bordeaux and Poitiers from 4pm to 7pm;
• avoid the A63 between Bayonne and Bordeaux from 9am to 2pm;
• avoid the A7 between Marseille and Orange from 11am to 4pm, and from Orange to Lyon from 12noon to 10pm;
• avoid the A9 between Spain and Narbonne, from 12noon to 3pm, and between Narbonne and Orange from 3pm to 7pm;
• avoid the A75 between Massiac and Clermont-Ferrand from 3pm to 8pm;
• avoid the A61 between Narbonne and Carcassonne from 3pm to 8pm;
• avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205), heading into France from 12noon to 8pm.

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Saturday, August 24th

Bison Futé has issued a ‘red travel warning’ – indicating very difficult driving conditions – across the whole country for the following day, on Saturday. Major issues are expected in south-east France (mainly on the A7, A9 and A75 freeways), and on the west coast (on the A63, A10 and N165), as holidaymakers head home to the promise of a big shop for the rentrée. 

The first slowdowns In Île-de-France could appear by late morning on the A10 freeway between Janvry and Wissous, and on the A6 freeway between Corbeil-Essonnes and Wissous.

Bison Fute advises:

Outward journeys

• avoid travel on the A7 between Lyon and Orange from 11am to 4pm and between Salon-de-Provence and Marseille from 11am to 1pm;
• avoid the A8 between Aix-en-Provence and Nice from 10am to 12noon;
• avoid the A9 between Orange and Montpellier from 11am to 1pm,
• avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) heading into Italy from 11am to 4pm.

Return journeys

• avoid the Île-de-France region after 2pm;
• avoid the N165 between Quimper and Nantes from 11am to 1pm;
• avoid the A63 between Spain and Bordeaux from 11am to 8pm;
• avoid the A10 between Bordeaux and Poitiers from 12noon to 2pm, and between Poitiers and Tours from 2pm to 7pm;
• avoid the A7 between Marseille and Orange from 10am to 2pm, and between Orange and Lyon from 11am to 6pm;
• avoid the A9 between Spain and Narbonne from 11am to 4pm and between Nîmes and Orange from 3pm to 5pm;
• avoid the A75 between Montpellier and Clermont-Ferrand from 10am to 7pm;
• avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205), into France, from 12noon to 8pm.

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Sunday, August 25th

Traffic conditions should ease slightly on Sunday, but are still forecast to be ‘difficult’ as more end-of-holiday motorists hit the roads to head home. Slowdowns are expected from mid-morning, mainly on the A10, A9 and A75. The A7 is likely to be very congested from early morning until early evening. 

In particular, Bison Fute advisers travellers returning to major cities on Friday from holiday destinations to:

• avoid the Île-de-France region before 12noon;
• avoid the A10 between Poitiers and Orléans from 11am to 8pm;
• avoid the A63 between Bayonne and Bordeaux from 12noon to 5pm;
• avoid the A7 between Marseille and Orange from 7am to 6pm, and between Orange and Lyon from 12noon to 6pm;
• avoid the A9 between Spain and Narbonne from 12noon to 6pm, and between Narbonne and Orange from 3pm to 6pm;
• avoid the A75 between Massiac and Clermont-Ferrand from 11am to 7pm;
• avoid the A71 between Bourges and Orléans from 4pm to 8pm;
• avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) heading into France from 10am to 10pm.

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Monday, August 26th

The Ile de France region will bear the brunt of the traffic problems on Monday.

The first slowdowns could appear in the early afternoon on the A10 between the Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines toll area and the commune of Wissous, then on the A6 freeway between the communes of Corbeil-Essonnes and Wissous.

Routes leading to the Périphérique and the A86, especially those where one lane is reserved for the Olympic and Paralympic Games will experience severe congestion from mid-afternoon well into the evening.

Keep in mind the Paralympic torch relay will take place in the Paris region from August 25th to 28th. You can see the pathway here.

Some roads may be closed or traffic may be diverted as a result. You can keep up with disruption related to the Paralympics here.