France, driving question - avoiding Lyon?
 

Hi All - I seem to remember some threads in which people said it's best to avoid Lyon due to summer traffic jams. I'm going to be driving from Gigondas up to Puligny-Montrachet or Beaune in mid-July, ideally trying to arrive by 1:15 PM, and don't know what to do....Supposedly going through Lyon is only 3 1/2 hours for the full trip, but clearly that doesn't take in account of traffic. How long do you think it would really take?

I'd gladly take side routes, but so far all my efforts of mapping those out are coming up with about 6 hour trips versus the original 3 1/2...so now I'm wondering if it might be best to just suck it up and go through Lyon. What do you think? I live in LA so am very familiar with traffic, but have no idea how bad it is in the summer in France...any advice would be appreciated (and possible routes too!). :)

Traffic jams around Lyon (and other big cities and highway-junctions) mostly occur on days when the French and/or other Europeans go on holiday, or return home. This happens mostly on fridays and saturdays going south (people going on holiday). And on saturdays and sundays going north (people returning from their holiday).

So called 'black saturdays'this year are 26 july, 2 august and 9 august. The friday and sunday around these days are also very busy.

On most other days, traffic will be busy around the rush-hour (8-10 in the morning and 16.00-18.00 in the afternoon).

Thank you so much! We're going to be traveling on Thursday the 10th, so maybe we're safe....though we might hit some rush hour as we'll be leaving Gigondas at 9 or a bit earlier. Still though, that seems like the best way to get up to Beaune right? Just charge right on through? I really appreciate your help on this. :)

We drove through Lyon from Provence to Beaune on a Monday in May. Yes there was slow traffic but if you've driven in LA you can handle it. It was the only slow traffic we encountered on the drive.

Thanks Ninkette! Do you remember how long it took you? Where did you start in Provence?

We started in St. Remy. I don't recall exactly how long it took, maybe 4-4.5 hours? We stopped only for a quick lunch at one of the gas stations along the autoroute.

Leaving at 9.00 from Gigondas will mean that you will reach Lyon by 10.30-11.00. Rush hour will probably be mostly over over by then.

To take the A7 to Lyon and then the A6 towards Beaune, is the quickest way to get there. This autoroute is named 'autoroute du soleil'.

In Lyon you can either just go right through the city following the A 7 and then you automatically go onto the A6. Nowadays just before Lyon, the signs above the road will probably tell you to follow the A46 east of the city.

If it's not busy, following the A7/A6 is defenitely shorter and quicker. If it's busy you might consider taking the A46. It is longer, but traffic is mostly somewhat less busy.

I am not sure, but I think there are also large signs above the road with real-time information about the traffic conditions and an advice to take a certain route. The French word for traffic jam is 'bouchon'.

BOUCHON. Got it! :) Thank you guys so much for your help. I really really really appreciate it!

You may also see "ralentissement à ..km" it is not a bouchon but cars are very slow (because of an accident or something else no one can explain).
Be careful and welcome to Burgundy!

Thank you!!! I cannot wait. A week from Thursday and I'm on a plane...yay!

Thank you all for your help. :)

Compared to LA. You will not have a problem. It's easy. Get a good map and not the one from the rental agency!

Don't rush. Stop and have lunch somewhere nice. It's a culinary wonderland. I'm jealous.

Thank you. We have lunch reservations at Olivier Leflaive's in Puligny-Montrachet at 1:15 that day, but part of me is thinking taking the scenic route through Beaujolais and just finding a restaurant to stop at might be better. What do you guys think? Have you been there? We're all into wine, but at the same time we'll be having enough wine this trip that maybe a relaxed detour would be better....unless the lunch is really a great experience?