On the road in France in 2023?
Ascension weekend 18th to 21sty May
Heavy traffic is expected on French roads this weekend as many people are likely to ‘faire le pont’ ( “bridge the gap”) between the Thursday of Ascension and the return to work the following Monday.
Check out potential hotspots HERE
Roads in and out of holiday resorts and coastal areas are expected to experience traffic difficulties, particularly if the weather is fine, and long queues are possible at some motorway ’
Check out other periods and hotspots to avoid at www.bisonfute.equipement.gouv.fr or ring 0 800 100 200 for real time info. (0033 892 68 78 88 from abroad)
‘Le chassé-croisé des juillettistes et des aoûtiens’……..
… describes the traffic chaos on the roads of France late July/early August as the whole world and his wife heads off to or home from their hols, and the end of both months when the hols are over.
A chassé-croisé is actually a dance step where dancers criss cross and change partners.
‘Juillettistes’ describes holiday makers heading off or home in July and ‘aoûtiens’ are August travelers.
This crossover of the “juilletistes and aoutiens” sees millions of people moving across the country and traffic monitor Bison Fute issues one of its rare ‘black alerts’ forecasting more than 600km of jams.
Motorways along the Mediterranean coast, and main routes from north to south and vice versa are expected to be very busy at these times. Check out BISON FUTE, government funded advice agency which monitors traffic and gives useful tips and advice for avoiding the hotspots, with a ‘realtime’ map and info constantly updated.