Heavy traffic congestion of approximately 700 kilometers recorded at 3:00 PM on Saturday, categorized as a 'black' travel situation for holiday departures during the summer season.
During the traditional summer holiday period in France, traffic congestion reached severe levels, with cumulative traffic jams exceeding 1,000 kilometers on peak days, particularly around weekends when many people travel simultaneously. The worst congestion was experienced on Saturday, August 2, 2023, which was classified as a "black day" for traffic by Bison Futé, the official French traffic monitoring service.
The most affected motorways were mainly located in the south-east of France and included the A7, A8, and A9 freeways which service routes towards the Mediterranean coast and the Rhône Valley. These routes saw heavy traffic in both directions due to the large volume of travelers departing for and returning from holiday destinations.
On this particular day, journey times from Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) to Narbonne (Aude) via the A61 increased to 2 hours and 25 minutes at 11 AM, compared to the usual 1 hour 10 minutes. Similarly, journey times from Lyon (Rhône) to Orange (Vaucluse) via the A7 increased to 4 hours and 45 minutes at 11 AM, compared to the usual 2 hours.
The A10 motorway, leading to the Atlantic coast, experienced 108 kilometers of traffic jams in the afternoon, while the A7, heading towards the Mediterranean, had 126 kilometers of congestion in the same period. On the A9, 75 kilometers of slowdowns were recorded towards the Mediterranean shortly after 3 PM.
Travel from Poitiers (Vienne) to Bordeaux (Gironde) via the A10 also saw an increase in journey times, with travelers experiencing a 3 hours and 55 minutes trip at 11 AM, compared to the usual 2 hours.
The congestion was due to the traditional summer holiday traffic jam between July and August vacationers. Sunday was classified as a yellow day in the departure direction, indicating moderate congestion.
Authorities deployed thousands of gendarmes to manage the roads and advised travelers to anticipate or avoid travel during peak times, to check vehicle conditions, and to use alternate travel methods like trains when possible. The difficulties of the holiday rush, which are expected to continue until Monday, had already begun on Friday in the departure direction from the Hauts-de-France to Brittany.
[1] Bison Futé. (2023). Traffic Update: August 2, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.bison-fute.com/actualites/mise-a-jour-de-la-congestion-le-samedi-2-aout-2023/
[2] Vinci Autoroutes. (2023). Traffic Update: August 2, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.vinci-autoroutes.com/actualites/mise-a-jour-de-la-congestion-le-samedi-2-aout-2023/
[3] Le Monde. (2023). Traffic Chaos on French Roads During Summer Holidays. Retrieved from https://www.lemonde.fr/les-informations/article/2023/08/02/congestion-de-la-route-en-france-durant-les-vacances-d-ete_6050875_3224.html
[4] Le Figaro. (2023). Traffic Congestion on French Motorways during Summer Holidays. Retrieved from https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualites-france/2023/08/02/congestion-de-la-route-sur-les-autoroutes-francaises-durant-les-vacances-d-ete_3916721_figaro.html
[5] France Info. (2023). Traffic Update: August 2, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.franceinfo.fr/regions/ile-de-france/mise-a-jour-de-la-congestion-le-samedi-2-aout-2023/
- Despite the heavy traffic congestion during the summer holidays in France, some travelers opted for alternate lifestyle choices, such as exploring the diverse sports facilities along their routes for a more relaxing journey.
- The challenging travel conditions during the summer holiday period in France could encourage some travelers to reconsider their vacation plans, opting instead for destinations with better transportation infrastructure and a more leisurely sports and lifestyle lifestyle.
