Under a scorching sun, the crossover between “juillettistes” and “augustians” did not fail the rule, with a cumulative peak of traffic jams of 760 km on Saturday 1is August, first day of summer classified black in the direction of departures. “The peak of traffic jams was reached at 12:10 pm”, Bison Smart said in a statement, but the situation is “In line with forecasts”, specifies the traffic information site.
The peak is comparable to the Saturday equivalent of August 3, 2019 (762 km), and higher than last week, Saturday July 25 (609 km). The main traffic difficulties recorded are on the A7 motorways, from Lyon to Marseille, and A10, between Paris and Bordeaux. In the direction of departures, Bison smart explains on his site that it is necessary to avoid leaving or returning to the big metropolises until 8 p.m. Saturday.
????⚫ For this great summer crossover weekend, # BisonFuté is planning red traffic on Friday and black same… https://t.co/PJ49ch88wb
“Journey times more than doubled on Saturday on the A7 motorway compared to normal, in particular towards Orange, Valence and Montélimar”, the traffic information site told AFP. With this overloaded traffic in the descent of the Rhone valley from the south of Lyon to Orange, the journey times were for example around noon at 5:10 am instead of the usual 1:30. Relief routes have been put in place. On Saturday morning, an accident also cut off the A89 on the Bordeaux-Lyon axis.
The mercury which panics, with temperatures of 36 to 41 ° C, of the valley of the Rhone to the two Savoyard departments, makes even more painful the road of the holidays. Thirteen departments were still placed in vigilance orange heat wave by Météo France, Saturday at midday: Ain, Ardèche, Côte-d’Or, Doubs, Drôme, Isère, Jura, Loire, Haute-Loire, Rhône, Saône-et-Loire, Savoy and Haute-Savoie.
The heat wave will be “More sustainable in the middle Rhône valley in Savoies” than in the rest of France. Especially since temperature peaks were beaten on Friday, with for example 41.5 ° C in Gueugnon (Saône-et-Loire), 39.8 ° C in Challes-les-Eaux (near Chambéry, Savoie) or 37.9 ° C in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Orange circulation for returns
Many motorists followed Bison Smart’s cautionary advice during traffic jams and heat waves: avoid driving at the hottest hours of the day, between noon and 4 p.m., protect the vehicle from the sun, drink water regularly and be particularly attentive to the most vulnerable passengers, children and the elderly. Road Safety also invites road users to check the condition of their vehicle before getting behind the wheel, to prepare their route and to take breaks every two hours during long distances.
☀???? #Canicule: as far as possible, avoid taking the road during the hottest hours and follow the meadow… https://t.co/sGItQBpwIB
The direction of the returns promises to be a little less complex than that of the departures. Smart Bison classified the day on Saturday as orange. The road information center still advises to avoid the A10 motorway near Bordeaux until 8 p.m., as does the A10 between Bordeaux and Niort, the A7 between Lançon-de-Provence and Lyon, ‘A9 between Narbonne and Orange, the A71 near Clermont-Ferrand, or the A62 between Toulouse and Bordeaux.
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