Inside the centre monitoring traffic on France's A31

As the summer holiday exodus floods the A31 motorway with increased traffic and less experienced drivers, the vigilance teams of DIR Est remain on constant watch. Our colleagues from RTL Infos recently observed operations at the Traffic Management and Safety Engineering Centre (CISGT) in Moulins-lès-Metz, where staff monitor the crucial Lorraine artery connecting Luxembourg to northern France.

Veteran operator Boris Galbe, stationed at the CISGT's video wall for seven years, has witnessed countless motorway anomalies – from wedding parties dancing on the carriageway to caravan owners chasing pets across lanes. Drivers stop for the most unexpected reasons and are often "completely unaware of the dangers", Galbe noted.

The holiday surveillance period began with France's "red alert" departure day on 5 July and will continue through Luxembourg's holiday start on 25 July. DIR Est teams are particularly focused on the Bastille Day weekend and the 2 August "black day" transition between holiday waves.

Equipped with approximately 100 cameras spanning 300km from the Luxembourg border to the Gye toll booth, operators work in tandem with CRS motorway police to identify emerging hazards in real-time. Patrol units constantly clear debris from the roadway while operators stand ready to coordinate emergency responses with precision, monitoring the continuous flow of holidaymakers traversing Lorraine's roads. The camera network provides comprehensive oversight, allowing teams to instantly pinpoint accident locations and relay accurate information to first responders.

Nighttime traffic surges during holiday season

The operators maintain close coordination with motorway concessionaires, including the Motorway Traffic Control and Information Centre (CITA), particularly when accidents near the border trigger congestion that spills into Luxembourg.

"We conduct qualified network monitoring", explained CISGT director Nadjwa Pailloux. This around-the-clock operation aims to maintain optimal traffic flow across the network. When incidents occur, teams immediately coordinate with emergency services, law enforcement, and intervention centres to resolve disruptions and restore normal traffic conditions.

© Maurice Fick / RTL

Pailloux noted the summer period brings distinct challenges: "We encounter more drivers unfamiliar with this motorway, and travel patterns shift significantly outside traditional rush hours." Operator Boris Galbe observed these changes first-hand: "Traffic volumes redistribute throughout the day – nights become substantially busier, requiring earlier speed regulation, while mid-morning periods from 9am to 1pm see increased activity."

The Lorraine corridor maintains heavy traffic year-round, handling between 55,000 and 110,000 vehicles daily. The stretch between Mondelange and the Luxembourg border consistently experiences elevated congestion levels.

Unusual road hazards

While overall accident rates remain stable during summer months, the A31 motorway experiences a marked increase in peculiar incidents, according to CISGT operators. "Traffic volume grows slightly, but we don't necessarily see more accidents or congestion", Galbe explained. "Instead, we deal with more unpredictable situations – lost cargo, detached roof boxes, bicycles flying off vehicles, and a surge in tyre-related issues."

© Maurice Fick / RTL

The seasonal influx of recreational vehicles creates particular challenges. Patrol officer Gauthier Lardin, who operates an orange response van, noted: "We see many punctures and tyre blowouts because the tyres are somewhat older. And since people drive less frequently with them, they're a bit less careful about checking their equipment's condition." Galbe added that many holidaymakers demonstrate poor safety awareness when breakdowns occur, frequently forgetting high-visibility vests or failing to wait behind safety barriers.

Extreme summer temperatures introduce additional hazards. "Lorry tyre blowouts become much more frequent due to extreme heat. We also see lorries catching fire", Lardin observed.

"When you see those large illuminated arrows, ease off the accelerator"

The A31 motorway presents particular challenges for summer travellers, carrying heavy commercial traffic (15-20% lorries) and featuring complex interchange zones, especially near Thionville. Pailloux offers crucial advice for unfamiliar drivers: "Exercise heightened awareness, adapt your speed, maintain safe following distances, and most importantly – when you see those large illuminated arrows, ease off the accelerator immediately."

This warning carries added urgency following two tragic incidents in 2025 where DIR highway workers lost their lives while protecting motorists – one in Île-de-France last May, another from DIR North-West in June. The accidents underscore the critical importance of observing France's safety corridor protocol.

"When those large directional arrows activate, they signal workers are vulnerable near the roadway", Pailloux emphasised: "Drivers must create a protective buffer zone by moving over, effectively leaving an entire lane between their vehicle and roadside personnel. This simple action prevents secondary collisions and saves lives."