when is the right time to hit the road?

© Franck CRUSIAUX / Contributor

– Particularly intense traffic difficulties are expected all day Saturday.

The weekend promises to be busy on French roads. The Christmas holidays begin on Saturday December 21. Traffic difficulties particularly intense are expected all day Saturday from the northern borders to the routes serving winter sports resorts in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, warned Bison futé in a press release and relayed by BFMTV.

“The most congested day of this weekend will be Friday December 20, in the direction of departures”the traffic forecasting service said. This day is therefore classified orange at the national level in the direction of departures. “All roads should be very busy”planned Bison futé in particular for congestion in the direction of the Alps (A43 and access to the Mont-Blanc Tunnel), and the Mediterranean coast (mainly A7, A50).

Christmas Eve classified in orange for Île-de-France

Traffic difficulties are expected in the direction of Alpine ski resorts and in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté and Grand Est regions. The routes towards the mountain ranges will be very congested throughout the day, in particular the A6, A40 and A43 motorways. Furthermore, Bison futé advises reaching or crossing Île-de-France before 2 p.m. on Saturday.

On Monday, December 23, “the first slowdowns could be recorded at the end of the morning, on the axes which converge towards the A6 and A10 motorways”clarified Smart Bison. In Île-de-France, traffic could be difficult until early evening. On Tuesday, Christmas Eve, the region will once again be classified orange in the direction of departures.