Bison Futé Warns of Extreme Holiday Traffic on France’s Roads

Paris – 31/07/2026: France’s roads are facing one of the most difficult travel days of the summer at the turn of the month. The state traffic information service Bison Futé has placed Saturday, August 1, 2026, at its highest alert level nationwide for journeys toward holiday regions. Long delays are expected on numerous major roads from the early morning until the evening. The travel wave of August holidaymakers will coincide with the return of many people whose July holidays are ending.

Traffic is expected to increase particularly sharply on routes to the Atlantic coast and southwestern France, through central France, as well as toward Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the Mediterranean coast. Bison Futé expects exceptionally high traffic volumes in these areas. Traffic jams at motorway interchanges, toll stations and access roads to holiday regions could also extend well beyond normal summer congestion levels.

For Île-de-France, the authority has specified concrete time windows. Travelers should, if possible, leave or pass through the region only after 3 p.m. on Saturday. Significant disruption is expected on the A10 between Paris and Orléans as early as between 5 and 7 a.m. Further south, on the section via Poitiers to Bordeaux, the particularly critical period is expected to last until 8 p.m.

Heavy traffic is also forecast on the A7 between Lyon, Orange and Marseille, as well as on the A9 between Montpellier, Narbonne and the Spanish border. Other affected routes include the A71 toward Bourges and Clermont-Ferrand, the A20 between Limoges and Montauban, and the A61 between Toulouse and Narbonne. Toward the Alps, the A40 and the A43 between Lyon and Chambéry are considered particularly prone to congestion.

Return traffic is classified at a lower level, but is still expected to be difficult. From late morning onward, Bison Futé expects dense traffic on the Atlantic coast, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and in the Mediterranean region. Those traveling toward Île-de-France should, according to the authority’s recommendation, reach the region before 1 p.m. or pass through it only after 7 p.m.

On the return journey, the A83 between Niort and Nantes, the A10 between Bordeaux, Orléans and Paris, as well as the A9 and A7, are considered especially susceptible to disruption. Delays are also expected on the A75 and A71. At the Mont Blanc Tunnel on National Road N205, traffic toward France may increase considerably between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Travelers should plan sufficient breaks and check current conditions on their route before setting off.