Every summer, there are days when the Autoroute, Autobahn, and Autostrada are packed with vacationers heading out or returning home. Black Saturday is the annual highlight—or rather, low point. But as a camper, it really doesn’t affect you at all.
The French traffic service has predicted that this coming Saturday, August 1, will be an absolute nightmare on the highways in La Douce France. On that day, the roads will be packed virtually all day long in nearly every region with vacationers either heading to their destinations or returning home. You’ll also need a lot of patience on the German Autobahn this coming weekend, especially since summer vacation is just beginning in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. At the same time, vacations in other regions of Germany and in Scandinavian countries are already coming to an end. In other words: the roads will be packed in both directions. Add to that about 1,000 road construction zones and the ban in Bavaria on exiting the highway during traffic jams (just like in Austria, by the way!), and you’ve got a recipe for chaos.
Hours of delays
Other well-known bottlenecks where traffic is likely to come to a standstill, especially during the first weekend of August, include the Brenner Autobahn from Austria to Italy (and back), the infamous Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland in both directions, and other Alpine tunnels, such as the one at Mont Blanc. Wait times of a few hours are not uncommon at these locations. In addition, a large demonstration has been announced for Saturday, August 1, on the Fern Pass between Germany and Austria, during which the entire road will be blocked. But no matter how ominous all these reports may be, an experienced camper has absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to “Black Saturday”! After all, you have a wide range of alternatives in terms of departure dates—and, of course, routes as well.
Arrivals and departures every day
First of all, at most campsites in Europe, you’ve always been able to arrive and depart whenever you want with your caravan, RV, folding trailer, or (roof) tent—unlike at many hotels and rental accommodations. So our first tip is that you should NOT book your campsite in Southern Europe on a Saturday-to-Saturday basis during the height of the summer vacation. And if you really have no other choice, make sure to drive there at a leisurely pace a day or two in advance, stopping at a nice campground along the way. That way, on that infamous Saturday, you’ll only have a few hours left to reach your final destination.
Sundays and holidays
To make your trip even smoother, you can also check in advance which days are particularly quiet on the Autobahn or the Route du Soleil. For example, freight traffic is generally not allowed on the road on Sundays, and that makes a world of difference, especially at toll booths and Alpine tunnels. In addition, there are a few holidays when little traffic is expected and freight traffic is also prohibited. Coincidentally, those holidays do fall on a Saturday this year, such as Switzerland’s National Day on August 1 and the Assumption of Mary on August 15. We don’t observe that holiday in the Netherlands, but it is celebrated in Belgium and virtually all traditional vacation destinations. As a result, trucks are often not allowed on the road as early as the evening before.
Leave Later
If you really can’t avoid Black Saturday, keep in mind that leaving the Netherlands early means you’ll be joining the traffic in France or southern Germany just as people there are also starting to leave. So leaving at 4 or 5 in the morning doesn’t really make much sense. Get some rest, sleep in, and don’t leave until around 9:00 a.m.; there’s a good chance you’ll arrive at the hotspots just as the traffic jams have mostly cleared up. And remember: your vacation starts the moment you drive out of your driveway!
