France’s traffic-monitoring agency Bison Futé warned on 23 December that roads leaving Île-de-France will be saturated from 23–28 December, with Christmas Eve forecast as the worst day. Most major arteries—including the A7 toward Lyon and the Alps, the A10/A11 to the Atlantic coast and the A8 toward Italy—are classified ‘rouge’ (very difficult).
Motorists were urged to depart before 09:00 or after 19:00 on 24 December to avoid gridlock. Access to the Mont-Blanc Tunnel and border crossings at Ventimiglia and Le Perthus are also expected to suffer multi-hour queues, complicating freight as well as leisure travel.
Travelers who decide to switch plans and fly or take international rail services at short notice—particularly those from outside the EU—should also double-check entry and transit documentation. VisaHQ’s easy-to-use platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can quickly confirm visa requirements, fees and processing times, and even arrange courier passport pick-ups in major cities, helping visitors resolve paperwork while keeping an eye on evolving traffic conditions.
![Bison Futé Issues ‘Red’ Congestion Alerts as France Braces for Record Christmas Getaway]()
The warning follows three days of disruption in the Channel Tunnel, where French IT failures created marathon lines on the UK side.
For businesses, the alerts threaten delivery schedules of perishable goods and just-in-time components, especially for factories in eastern France that rely on overnight truck runs. Corporate mobility managers moving assignees by car should build in extra buffer time or re-route via regional airports.
Bison Futé said weather is not the main concern—forecasts are mild—but sheer volume could break records set in 2019 before the pandemic. The agency will extend real-time updates via its smartphone app and highway variable-message signs. Police have scheduled additional alcohol checks and may impose temporary speed limits to smooth traffic flow.
Logistics associations welcomed the advance notice but called for structural investments such as additional HGV parking near Lyon and Bordeaux to reduce roadside fatigue during peak periods.
Motorists were urged to depart before 09:00 or after 19:00 on 24 December to avoid gridlock. Access to the Mont-Blanc Tunnel and border crossings at Ventimiglia and Le Perthus are also expected to suffer multi-hour queues, complicating freight as well as leisure travel.
Travelers who decide to switch plans and fly or take international rail services at short notice—particularly those from outside the EU—should also double-check entry and transit documentation. VisaHQ’s easy-to-use platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can quickly confirm visa requirements, fees and processing times, and even arrange courier passport pick-ups in major cities, helping visitors resolve paperwork while keeping an eye on evolving traffic conditions.
The warning follows three days of disruption in the Channel Tunnel, where French IT failures created marathon lines on the UK side.
For businesses, the alerts threaten delivery schedules of perishable goods and just-in-time components, especially for factories in eastern France that rely on overnight truck runs. Corporate mobility managers moving assignees by car should build in extra buffer time or re-route via regional airports.
Bison Futé said weather is not the main concern—forecasts are mild—but sheer volume could break records set in 2019 before the pandemic. The agency will extend real-time updates via its smartphone app and highway variable-message signs. Police have scheduled additional alcohol checks and may impose temporary speed limits to smooth traffic flow.
Logistics associations welcomed the advance notice but called for structural investments such as additional HGV parking near Lyon and Bordeaux to reduce roadside fatigue during peak periods.
