Trucks on the autoroute on Sundays

[Lori]

@Doug is basically correct but as ever the rules are a bit more complicated in the detail.

Sundays is basically forbidden except for perishable goods. A truck within 150km of its pick up point for perishable goods is allowed to travel to that pick up point. Similarly trucks associated with tourist attractions and the like are permitted.

Saturdays from 16th July to 20th August (dates will change each year) only perishable goods between 07:00 and 19:00.

In addition there are specific restrictions for Ile de France from Friday evenings to Sunday during the summer holiday period and Rhone-Alpes during the peak ski period.

The rules are redefined every year so that the exact Saturdays are defined.

Bison Fute is your friend
https://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/regime-g ... 10852.html

Yes, thank you very much. I did read that.

[Lori]

Whatever the details of the rules you will find the roads noticeably quieter at the weekends particularly on Sundays. The A20 should be fairly quiet next weekend, especially when compared to the last couple of weekends as the school terms will have started.

I am hoping you are correct on this. I just don't like the stress of autoroute driving in heavy traffic or between a lot of trucks. We have a small car. Just a bit un-nerving.

Thank you.

[DominicBest]

I do a lot of driving but really can’t remember when I last used an autoroute. I certainly haven’t used a péage for several years. There are nearly always viable alternatives for travelling from A-B in France.

[Polly]

When driving between the UK and the Gard we always saw the autoroute services packed with lorries and very few on the autoroutes on Sundays, much pleasanter driving. This was pre-Covid, can’t imagine it’s much different now. Our car then and now is small too, Lori - it feels even smaller when surrounded by massive lorries!

[rsm]

Don't you just love that section on the A7 from Orange northbound, lorries from Italy joining with the lorries from Spain off the A9 plus all the other traffic lovely all the way to Lyon. I don't miss that journey

[exile]

Me neither. Every Friday afternoon* for 2 years when I was working in Marseille and the 8 weeks of summer were a real nightmare. I devised non-autoroute ways from Orange northwards. Took an hour longer than winter autoroute time but quicker than the summer journey on the A7.

* Unless I could organise to be somewhere else on a Friday.

[Lori]

I do a lot of driving but really can’t remember when I last used an autoroute. I certainly haven’t used a péage for several years. There are nearly always viable alternatives for travelling from A-B in France.

I considered taking the 'scenic route' avoiding the autoroutes. Of course, it adds a lot of time to the journey, with lots of potential for getting off track, even with a GPS. Straight autoroute is supposed to take around 5h30 hours. There is construction on all autoroutes, no matter which route you choose, so no avoiding that. I figure if we set out around 7h00 on a Sunday, we might, at least, get a good start before hitting lots of traffic.

[Lori]

When driving between the UK and the Gard we always saw the autoroute services packed with lorries and very few on the autoroutes on Sundays, much pleasanter driving. This was pre-Covid, can’t imagine it’s much different now. Our car then and now is small too, Lori - it feels even smaller when surrounded by massive lorries!

My thoughts exactly.

[Lori]

Don't you just love that section on the A7 from Orange northbound, lorries from Italy joining with the lorries from Spain off the A9 plus all the other traffic lovely all the way to Lyon. I don't miss that journey

Yes, it is a very busy stretch. We will pick up the A9 at Orange.

[Lori]

Me neither. Every Friday afternoon* for 2 years when I was working in Marseille and the 8 weeks of summer were a real nightmare. I devised non-autoroute ways from Orange northwards. Took an hour longer than winter autoroute time but quicker than the summer journey on the A7.

* Unless I could organise to be somewhere else on a Friday.

Yes, we made sure to plan this trip to take place AFTER school restarted. Driving on any autoroute down here in July and August is hell.