Busy roads and airport delay data: 6 France travel updates

This week in travel news we covered why French roads are more deadly than those in the UK and cars that were damaged from water in service station fuel in south-west France. We also looked at which French motorways are to become toll booth free and a ‘professional’ scammer targeting people at a French airport. 

Here are more travel articles affecting France. 

Road travel updates

Heavy traffic warning this weekend 

There are warnings for heavy road traffic as this weekend coincides with the school holidays (the end of the holidays for Zone C, the start for Zone B and the second week for Zone A). 

Roads in the south-east will be congested on Friday, according to France’s official traffic monitoring site Bison Futé. It advises drivers avoid the following roads:

• A7 between Marseille and Orange between 08:00 and 18:00 

• A8 between Italy and Le Luc between 16:00 and 20:00

• A54 between Arles and Nîmes between 16:00 and 19:00

• A57 between Le Luc and Toulon between 16:00 and 19:00

On Saturday, drivers are advised to avoid the following routes:

• A7 between Lyon and Orange between 11:00 and 17:00

• A7 between Orange and Lyon between 15:00 and 18:00

Those needing to drive through the Ile-de-France region are advised to do so before 14:00 on both Saturday and Sunday. 

Rail travel updates 

London-Paris Eurostar trains selling three times faster than usual for summer

Eurostar has been selling tickets for its summer period, which coincides with the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11, at three-times the normal rate, The Independent reports. 

The Olympics take place during what is traditionally the busiest time of year for the Eurostar, the UK’s school summer holidays. Eurostar’s chief executive told the paper it had already sold 400,000 tickets, but still had seats available. 

Tours makes travel free for under-11s

The historic city of Tours in central France is to make public transport free for under-11s from August 1, 2024. Free journeys will be available on Tours’ network of trams, buses and bikes.

The aim is to double or triple the number of young public transport users, the city council said. 

SNCF under fire for refusing to help visually impaired passenger

A woman has filed a complaint with France’s national rail service after they refused to allow her onto a train. 

The 38-year old who was with her guide dog planned to travel between Limoges and Poitiers, but due to issues the first part of the journey was via a replacement bus service to Le Dorat, then a train service to Poitiers.

As Le Dorat station was unmanned that day the SNCF agents at Limoges said they would not let the woman on the coach, as no one would be there to accompany her onto the train for the second leg.

The SNCF agents on the replacement bus service said they were ‘not qualified’ to help the woman themselves as it went against SNCF rules, nor could they authorise a fellow passenger to help. An internal investigation has begun.

Air travel updates 

Four million passengers have been delayed in French airports since start of year

Of 16 million travellers departing from French airports since the start of the year, around four million experienced flight delays. 

A total of 23% of flights were delayed, reports France Info.

The airports rated the worst for delayed flights were Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Montpellier and Paris Beauvais. Best for leaving on time were the airports of Bastia in Corsica, Mulhouse and Bordeaux. 

Marseille-Shanghai flight to launch in July

Shanghai Airlines is to launch a new air route between Marseille Provence and Shanghai Pudong airports from July 2. It will provide three return flights per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The flight time is an estimated 12 hours and five minutes to Shanghai, and 12 hours 45 minutes return to Marseille. 

Man calls in bomb threat to Lyon airport to catch flight

A man from Savoie has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence and fined €10,000 for a fake bomb threat made to Lyon airport. 

The unnamed man, in his 40s, realised he would not be able to catch his Lufthansa flight to Helsinki on April 5 so called the airport from a train to say there was a bomb on the plane.

He claimed that terrorists behind the plot were forcing him to make the call under threat of violence. The plane had not yet arrived at the airport, and was still en route from Frankfurt. It landed and was evacuated, with the flight to Helsinki cancelled.

Ferry travel updates 

Calais Vins offers ‘free ferry crossing’ – with a catch 

French wineseller Calais Vins has partnered with P&O Ferries to offer free crossings to those who plan to spend big on wine. 

The free crossing is based on a minimum spend – €300 for a daytrip and €700 for a three-day trip. 

Customers will have to order their wines online before the crossing, and authorise a €60 deposit, which will be taken only if the order is not collected.