French traffic bans apply to trucks and vehicle combinations with a DMC above 7.5 tonnes, with the exception of special vehicles and agricultural vehicles. This guide explains when the bans are in force in 2021.
The truck bans start at 10pm on Saturdays and the evening before public holidays, and last until 10pm on a Sunday or a public holiday.
The calendar of holidays in France for 2021 is as follows:
- April 5 – Easter Monday,
- May 1 – Labour Day,
- May 8 – Victory Day,
- May 13 – Ascension Day,
- May 23 – Pentecost,
- May 24 – Pentecostal Monday,
- July 14 – national holiday of France,
- August 15 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
- November 1 – All Saints,
- November 11 – Remembrance Day,
- December 25 – Christmas.
Summer and winter restrictions
According to the new decree, the following additional restrictions will apply in France:
– Prohibitions in winter : from 7 am to 6 pm on the ‚Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes’ roads listed below, trucks bans apply on Saturday 6th, 13th, 20th as well as February 7th and March 6th 2021. On these Saturdays, traffic will be allowed from 6pm to 10pm.
Bourg-en-Bresse-Chamonix
– A40 from Pont d’Ain (intersection A40 / A42) to Passy-le-Fayet (intersection A40 / RD1205),
– RD1084 from Pont d’Ain (intersection RD1084 / RD1075) to Bellegarde,
– RD1206 from Bellegarde to Annemasse,
– RD1205 from Annemasse to Passy-le-Fayet,
– RN205 from Passy-le-Fayet to Chamonix.
Lyon – Chambery – Tarentaise – Maurienne
– A43 from the A46 south / A43 junction to the A43 / A432 junction towards Lyon-Chambery
– A43 from the intersection A43 / A432 to Frejus Tunnel,
– A430 from Pont Royal (intersection A43 / A430) to Gilly-sur-Isere (intersection A430 / RN90),
– RD1090 from Pont-Royal to Gilly-sur-Isere (intersection A430 / RN90),
– RN90 from Gilly-sur-Isere (intersection A430 / RN90) to Bourg-Saint-Maurice,
– RD1090 from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Seez,
– RD306 (Rhône) and RD1006 (Isère and Savoie) from Saint-Bonnet-de-Mure to Freney,
– RN201 transit from Chambery (VRU).
Lyon – Grenoble – Briançon
– A48 from Coiranne (intersection A48 / A43) to Saint Egrève (intersection A48 / A480),
– A480 from Saint Egrève (intersection A48 / A480) to Pont-de-Claix (intersection A480 / RN85),
– RN85 from Pont-de-Claix (intersection A480 / RN85) to Vizille (intersection RN85 / RD1091),
– RD1091 from Vizille (intersection RN85 / RD1091) to Briançon.
Bellegarde and Saint Julien-en-Genevois – Annecy – Albertville
– A41 north from Saint Julien-en-Genevois (junction A40 / A41 north) to Cruseilles (junction A410 / A41 north),
– RD1201 from Saint Julien-en-Genevois to Annecy,
– RD3508 Annecy bypass,
– RD1508 from Annecy to Ugine,
– RD1212 from Ugine to Albertville.
Annemasse – Sallanches – Albertville
– RD1205 from Annemasse to Sallanches,
– RD1212 from Sallanches to Albertville.
Chambery – Annecy – Scientrier
– A410 from Scientrier (intersection A410 / A40) to Cruseilles (intersection A410 / A41 north),
-A41 north of Cruseilles (junction A410 / A41 north) to the junction with A43 Chambery,
– RD1201 between Chambery and Annecy,
– RD1203 between Annecy and Bonneville.
Grenoble – Chambery
– A41 south between Grenoble and A43 (Francin) on Montmelian northbound,
– RD1090 between Montmelian (73) and Pontcharra (38),
– Summer bans: from 7 to 19 for the whole of the French road network on Saturdays: 24 and 31 July and 7, 14 and 21 August 2021 r. In the Saturday traffic will be allowed from hours. 19 to 24.
Additional bans in Île-de-France
In the Île-de-France region, additional traffic bans will apply as every year. They apply to specific roads in a specific direction and are valid on the following dates:
Direction from Paris:
– Fridays from 4pm to 9pm,
– on the eve of a public holiday from 4pm to midnight,
– Saturdays from 10am to 6pm and from 10pm to midnight,
– Sundays and public holidays around the clock.
Direction to Paris:
– Saturdays and the eve of public holidays from 10pm to midnight,
– Sundays and public holidays around the clock,
– Mondays and the day after a public holiday from 6pm to 10pm.
The bans in Île-de-France include the following motorway sections:
– A6a, A6b from the Paris beltway to the intersection with the A6 and A10 motorways (commune of Wissous),
– A106 from the intersection with A6b to Orly airport,
– A6 from the intersection with A6a and A6b to the intersection with RN 104-Est / East (commune of Lisses),
– A10 from the intersection with A6a and A6b to RN20 (commune of Champlan),
– A12 from the junction with the A13 (Rocquencourt triangle) to the RN10 (Montigny-le-Bretonneux commune),
– A13 from the Paris ring road to the Poissy-Orgeval junction (Orgeval commune).
Permanent traffic bans
Additionally, for safety reasons, truck traffic is permanently banned on some roads in France.
Eastern France
– national road N59 between Lunéville and Sélestat – a ban applies on all vehicles in transit with a GVW exceeding 3.5 tonnes,
– national road N66 – prohibitions in place for vehicles over 3.5 tons between Remiremont and Cernay; ban for vehicles over 19 tonnes between 6am-10pm, with a loading or unloading point in Lorraine (Lorraine) or Alsace (Alsace).
Northern France
– A22 motorway (12 km), national road N356 (5 km), national road N227 (3 – 4 km) – prohibition for vehicles in transit over 3.5 tonnes leaving the A1 motorway and heading north.
Southern France
– A557 motorway – prohibitions for vehicles over 3.5 tons, from the Arenc exit to Les Ports, moving from the A7 to A55,
– A55 motorway (4 km) – prohibitions for vehicles over 3.5 tons in Marseille, between the Vieux Port intersection and the Cap Pinède intersection,
– connection of the A50 (Toulon est / Toulon east) and A57 (Toulon est / Toulon west) motorways – Toulon tunnel – no heavy goods vehicles over 19 tonnes going to Marseille,
– A8 motorway – a 24-hour ban on the carriage of ethylene oxide by road on the section between the toll station in Antibes and Italy. For this type of transport, the sea route Lavera – Tavazzano is recommended,
– national road N7 – traffic ban for vehicles over 6 tons on the transit route through the Orange agglomeration, between the intersection with the RD976 and the intersection with the RD950; a ban on vehicles with a GVW of over 16 tons on the transit route through the Mondragon agglomeration,
– national road N85 – no vehicles over 26 tons (not equipped with speed limiters) on the border of the departments of Isère and Hautes Alpes and the city of Gap,
– national road N580 – traffic ban for vehicles over 25 tons in Avignon, on the „Royaume” and „Daladier” bridges,
– national road N94 – Col du Montgenèvre, traffic ban for vehicles over 26 tonnes;
– national road N94 – vehicles over 26 tons (not equipped with speed limiters) between the southern Embruns roundabout and the border with Italy are prohibited.
Southeast France
– A7 and A6 motorways (25 km) between Ternay and Anse – vehicles with a DMC above 7.5 t are prohibited, unless signs indicate otherwise,
– national road N205 (Mont-Blanc Tunnel) – no vehicles carrying hazardous materials, vehicles with a DMC above 3.5 t, vehicles with a height exceeding 4.7 m and cars meeting Euro 0 emission standards,
– A43 motorway Fréjus tunnel – no vehicles carrying class 1 hazardous materials, vehicles with a DMC above 3.5 t, vehicles with a height exceeding 4.3 m and cars meeting Euro 0 emission standards,
– A47 motorway – traffic ban on the section connecting A47 (westbound) and A7 towards Lyon city center (Ternay intersection),
– national road N7 – traffic ban for vehicles with a GVW over 6 tonnes, between 10pm and 6 am,
– national road N7 in Tain l’Hermitage – no vehicles over 3.5 tons southbound, between Vienne and the Roussillon toll station,
– national road N85 Laffrey – traffic ban for vehicles with a GVW above 7.5 t,
– Lyon North Bypass – vehicles with a height exceeding 3.5 m, and trucks over 19 tons and vehicles carrying hazardous materials are prohibited,
– Fourvière Tunnel – vehicles with a height exceeding 4.3 m, with a GVW of more than 7.5 tons, and for trucks transporting hazardous materials are prohibited.
Photo credit: François GOGLINS / Wikimedia Commons