France’s national traffic information agency, Bison Futé, published its forecast for the long week-end of 10–14 July 2026, warning that Saturday 11 July will be classed ‘ROUGE’ nationwide and ‘NOIR’ (the highest congestion level) in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the North and the Grand-Ouest. The second week of school holidays coincides with mass departures to Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts and with Bastille Day falling on the following Tuesday. According to the 11-page bulletin, outbound jams are expected from before dawn on the A10 and A6 south of Paris, the A7 between Lyon and Orange, and the A13 towards Normandy. The Mont-Blanc and Fréjus tunnels will see wait times of up to two hours. Bison Futé advises motorists to cross Île-de-France before 04:00 or after 18:00 on Saturday, avoid the A11 Le Mans–Angers corridor at midday, and steer clear of the A63 Bordeaux–Bayonne section late morning. Inbound traffic is classified ‘orange’ on Mediterranean axes, notably the A9 Narbonne–Nîmes. For relocation companies, coach operators and logistics providers, the colour codes translate into higher driver-hours, potential breach of EU driving-time limits and re-routing costs. Corporate travel managers should consider rail alternatives or staggered departure times for assignees and their families.
Source: Bison Futé
