Is Sunday better than Saturday to drive in France in the summer?

[Cumberlover76]

We are currently due to do our travelling on Saturday 27th July (brittany to Loire) and Saturday 3rd August (loire to brittany coast). I've been reading that Saturday travelling is a nightmare. I can probably change our bookings slightly to travel on the sundays. Would this be better? Couldn't do a weekday. Thanks.

First Saturday in August (aka Samedi Noir) is a nightmare because loads of the French leave for their holidays. I'd avoid that date if you can.

Saturdays are fine for those routes as long as the previous poster said it is advisable to avoid the first Saturday. Having said that we did travel on that day and found it ok as long as you avoid routes around Paris and Bordeaux. Brittany to Loire will be easy but stick to top roads

Sorry toll roads

As a general rule, yes. Saturday is changeover day for most self-catering properties. Middle of the day is worst. I've done the route you're doing and am doing one leg of it on a Saturday this year because of changeovers. It won't be busy all the way but there are flashpoints where there can be hold-ups, especially near the coast (Rennes or Nantes ring roads are usually where all the traffic is). If it's easy to change to the Sunday it might be quieter, otherwise travelling earlier or later might make a difference.

We have done Calais to places such as Vendee, La Rochelle etc and never had a traffic jam at all using toll roads. Friends who joined us used the Brittany ports and likewise no problems. Done every year since 2012.

Not known others we have spoken to have issues. Many people use these routes as much less traffic. Maybe the issue is those not sticking to the toll roads?

Sunday is better as I don't think french trucks drive on a Sunday, so less on the motorways

thanks all, i'll have a chat with DH and see what he thinks, but it sounds like we might not be too bad given the area we are travelling, essentially from just near Guingamp to Tours on the way down on 27th then Tours to possibly Concarneau way on 3rd August.

I don't like driving long journeys in France on Sunday. Supermarkets aren't always open and petrol garages are often unmanned.

Sunday's are good as no lorries on the road till 10pm unless carrying perishable goods.

Never had a problems with lorries on a Saturday. The country is huge. Compared to here the roads are a delight in the summer.

Black Saturday is 3rd August this year. It's really bad north to south but centre to west shouldn't be too bad but it will be busy as so many French holiday in Brittany. Tours to Concarneau is about 400km which only takes about 4 hours.

Much better, no lorries.

Also, worth investigating a telepeage gadget.

Usually no problem but first and last Saturdays in August horrendous - and I mean really, unimaginably awful. It took us 7 hours to do a journey that should have been about 3 hours one Black Saturday.

That was travelling from South towards Lyon though.

Rennes is always a bottleneck. Otherwise will be fine. Suggest travelling as early as poss.

Except for round the ports I’ve never hit much traffic too worry.

Thanks all. We've decided to leave as is and travel on Saturdays. We've pretty much scheduled the day for travelling and as each leg is only about 4 hrs I think I we will just brave it. As mentioned before I'd rather have 4 days on the coast. Fingers crossed for some nice weather now!

You’ll be fine. Buying petrol and food will be so much easier. You may need to drive through the odd service area for a wee if you don’t like doing it in a bush. Our only problems were queues for loos and food in service areas. I’d stop at a supermarket as soon as you can after getting off a boat to buy a picnic if you didn’t travel from home ( food for the weekend would be good too)and go to the loo at non service areas if needs be. Just seen it was Brittany and Loire, you’ll be absolutely fine anyway. On the 3rd Aug you’re heading north in the opposite direction to most anyway.

Cumberlover

Honestly don't worry. You will be fine. We have done that route loads around the same time. Just stick to toll rods when available and is easy

bison fute. Site gives all the French busy travel dates/roads/areas.