France’s traffic watchdog, Bison Futé, has issued a warning for motorists to expect much heavier-than-usual traffic on the roads heading into the Easter holiday weekend. Here’s what to expect.
France’s roads monitor, Bison Futé, has issued a red travel alert – its second highest warning level, indicating ‘very difficult’ travel conditions – across the entire country on Friday, notably on routes away from the major cities, as it expects heavy additional traffic with families making the most of the long Easter weekend.
This year, Easter falls at the mid-point of schools’ staggered Spring holiday period, corresponding to the first week of the holidays for pupils living in Zone A, the middle weekend of the holidays for those in Zone C, and the end of the two-week break for those in Zone B.
It also coincides with the end of the school holidays in neighbouring Luxembourg.
As well as ‘very difficult’ conditions nationwide on Friday, Bison Futé also warned that there are likely to be significant tailbacks and slow-moving traffic on Saturday and Monday, particularly in the north-west quarter of the country.
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Friday, April 18th
The busiest day so far in 2025 on France’s key routes, with ‘very difficult’ travel conditions predicted nationwide. The main bottlenecks are expected to be along the northern borders, Île-de-France, Normandy, the Atlantic coast and the south-east quarter of France – particularly around the Mont Blanc tunnel.
Traffic in France, Credit: Bison Futé
Tailbacks are expected from early morning and last until late in the evening.
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The whole country is on red alert for very traffic, and Bison Futé particularly advises motorists to:
Outward travel
- leave or cross Île-de-France before 9am;
- avoid the A1 between Paris and Lille between 1pm and 9pm;
- avoid the A25 between Lille and Socx between 3pm and 6pm;
- avoid the A13 between Paris and Caen, between 4pm and 7pm;
- avoid the A63 between Bordeaux and Bayonne, between 5pm and 8pm;
- avoid the A7 between Lyon and Orange, from 1pm to 11pm, and between Orange and Marseille from 3pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A46 and the N346 for the eastern Lyon bypass from 12noon to 7pm;
- avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205), heading towards Italy between 10am and 5pm.
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Return journeys
- reach or cross Île-de-France before 5pm;
- avoid the A25 between Socx and Lille, from 11am to 7pm;
- avoid the A1 between Lille and Paris, from 3pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A7 between Marseille and Salon-de-Provence, from 4pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A9 between Narbonne and Montpellier from 4pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A54 and the N113 trunk road between Nîmes and Salon-de-Provence from 3pm to 8pm;
- avoid the A41 between Switzerland and Chambéry from 1pm to 5pm;
- avoid the A46 and the N346 trunk road for the eastern Lyon bypass from 1pm to 5pm.
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Saturday, April 19th
Significant traffic jams are expected on the roads serving the northern borders of France, the Île-de-France, the Normandy coast, and the Atlantic coast. To a lesser extent, there may be delays in the south-eastern quarter.
Traffic in France, credit Bison Futé
Bison Futé particularly advises motorists heading away from major cities to popular tourist destinations to:
- leave or cross Île-de-France before 6am or after 5pm;
- avoid the A1 between Paris and Lille from 3pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A25 between Lille and Socx from 11am to 2pm;
- avoid the A13 between Paris and Rouen from 11am to 6pm;
- avoid the A11 between Le Mans and Angers from 12noon to 6pm;
- avoid the A63 between Bordeaux and Bayonne from 10am to 4pm;
- avoid the A7 between Lyon and Orange from 10am to 6pm,
- avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) heading into Italy from 7am to 6pm.
Sunday, April 20th
No major problems are forecast on French roads.
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Monday, April 21st
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Motorways in the northern half of the country are expected to be very busy, with congestion forecast from the end of the morning until late in the evening, particularly on key routes in Île-de-France.
Traffic in France, Credit Bison Futé
The main advice from France’s roads watchdog for motorists heading back to major cities from holiday destinations is:
- reach or cross Île-de-France before 11am;
- avoid the A25 between Socx and Lille from 5pm to 8pm;
- avoid the A13 between Caen and Paris from 3pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A11 between Nantes and Angers from 4pm to 7pm;
- avoid the A10 between Poitiers and Orléans from 5pm to 10pm;
- avoid the A7 between Orange and Lyon from 12noon to 10pm;
- avoid the A71 between Bourges and Orléans from 4pm to 8pm;
- avoid the Mont-Blanc tunnel (N205) into France from 12noon to 11pm.
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