Paris, January 5, 2026 – The Île-de-France region experienced severe disruptions on Monday, January 5, 2026, as heavy snowfall and icy conditions led to an unprecedented 1000 kilometers of traffic jams, according to traffic monitoring service Sytadin. Several departments, including Paris, were under an orange vigilance alert for snow and ice issued by Météo-France, with conditions expected to remain hazardous until Tuesday morning.
Massive Traffic Congestion and Restrictions
The snowfall, which intensified in Paris around 3:00 PM, quickly escalated into widespread traffic chaos. By 6:00 PM, Sytadin reported over 1000 kilometers of accumulated traffic jams across the Île-de-France road network, marking a record level of congestion. Philippe Tabarot, Minister for Transport, warned that “snowfall continues, and heavy frosts are expected overnight, making driving conditions difficult.” He added that “driving conditions are expected to remain very delicate until Tuesday morning inclusive.”
To mitigate the situation, the Prefect of Police of Paris issued an emergency decree on Monday, January 5, 2026, prohibiting the circulation of heavy goods vehicles (PTAC over 3.5 tonnes) on the entire Île-de-France road network within the territorial scope of the Snow and Ice Plan (PNVIF) from 2:00 PM on Monday until 10:00 AM on Tuesday, January 6. This strict measure also applies to vehicles transporting dangerous goods. A mandatory bypass route via the A19 motorway, south of Paris, has been implemented for freight transit.
Beyond the Île-de-France region, similar restrictions for heavy goods vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes) were already in effect from 10:00 AM in numerous departments in Western and Northern France, including Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire, Loire-Atlantique, Mayenne, Sarthe, Morbihan, Finistère, Côtes-d’Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine, Manche, Calvados, Orne, Eure, Seine-Maritime, Eure-et-Loir, and Oise.
Impact on Public and School Transport
The snow and ice plan, activated at Level 3, also imposed a speed limit of 80 km/h for all vehicles on the Île-de-France road network from 2:00 PM on Monday until 10:00 AM on Tuesday. Overtaking is also prohibited for several categories of vehicles, including passenger transport vehicles, public transport vehicles, articulated and non-articulated buses and coaches, school transport vehicles, and heavy goods vehicles with special exemptions.
School transport services have been significantly affected. In Yvelines, the prefecture advised employees to leave work and parents to pick up their children from school by 3:00 PM. School buses in Yvelines will be completely suspended on Tuesday, January 6. Similar suspensions are in place for school buses in Essonne and Seine-et-Marne. Bus services in Paris itself were halted on Monday evening. Meanwhile, the RATP announced that trains would run throughout the night on all tramway lines and some metro and RER lines with aerial sections to prevent tracks from freezing.
Weather Outlook and Future Disruptions
While Tuesday, January 6, is expected to be free of new snowfall, the risk of black ice will be high due to overnight frosts transforming the accumulated snow into treacherous icy patches. Snowfall is forecast to return on Wednesday, January 7, affecting areas from the Centre to the North-East, including Île-de-France, particularly on major highways like A10, A11, A71, A85, and A28. In the afternoon, precipitation will extend from the southern Pyrenees to the Ardennes, encompassing the Massif Central and the Lyon region. Current low temperatures across France are conducive to snow accumulation.
Authorities strongly recommend prioritizing teleworking and postponing non-essential travel until Thursday. Travelers are advised to consult Météo-France, Sytadin, and official prefecture websites for real-time updates and to exercise extreme caution when driving or walking.
The general direction of civil aviation requested Parisian airports to reduce their flight schedule by 15% due to the snowfall, urging passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Sources: Sortiraparis.com, Sytadin.fr, Météo-France.fr, Prefecture of Île-de-France, Ministry of Transport.
