Back from vacation: up to 800 km of traffic jams on French roads

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Traffic jams on the A9 motorway. On the afternoon of Saturday, August 23, thousands of motorists moved slowly for several kilometers, forced to stop on certain sections. " It's a bit long, it's a bit busy, tiring, but hey, we're coming back from vacation, so we figured it out ," said one woman.

During this busy day of traffic, the motorway service areas were full. Sarah and her family took advantage of a shady spot to eat and get out of the traffic. While waiting to return to the Camargue, they had to find things to do. "We chat, we pass the time, everything's fine, " she assured. Vincent and Jessica had to find things to do for their three children. " We listen to music and, to combine business with pleasure, we teach them poetry. That way, the little ones have a good time and we forget about the traffic," explained the father.

It's not so easy to stay calm, however. " Often, because you're waiting and one takes up too much space, the other puts his feet on the other, " described one child. Another family, on the other hand, relied on regular breaks. To keep their three-year-old son occupied, the parents tried to avoid screens. "There are audiobooks. There are cars. (...) Normally, he should be able to last the whole journey without any problem," explained the mother.

According to Bison Futé, traffic jams should ease in the evening. Traffic conditions will be more favorable throughout France on Sunday.