A large landslide causes the closure of this important traffic axis

A large landslide occurred in Savoie, near the A43 motorway which leads to the Fréjus Tunnel. It is therefore closed to traffic.

An event disrupted transalpine traffic this Sunday August 27 in La Praz, in the town of Saint-André, in Savoie.

A major landslide, which occurred around 5 p.m., caused the fall of almost 700 m³ of rocks on the departmental road (RD) 1006, emblematic route of the Maurienne valley. This incident, although spectacular, fortunately did not cause any casualties.

Traffic blocked, trains too

The rocks that collapsed on the RD 1006 unfortunately took the safety nets intended to prevent such rockfalls by surprise. Their fall also blocked the road and, consequently, the traffic, while burying the adjacent railway line.

This double disturbance quickly led to the suspension of road and rail traffic between France and Italy, in particular at the level of the Fréjus tunnel, a vital passage for transalpine exchanges.

Faced with the situation, the authorities had to act. The A43 motorway, a major traffic artery, has been closed in both directions, affecting journeys between ramps 29 and 30 as well as access to the Fréjus tunnel.

The RD 1006, hit hard by the landslide, is also inaccessible, causing a cut between the intersection RD 1006 / RD 215 and the Freney interchange. The Fréjus tunnel, which allows rail links between the two countries, has also been closed, obstructing the way for trains.

The Mont Blanc tunnel, an alternative?

According to Clément Beaune, Minister Delegate for Transport, the return to normal traffic can only be considered in several days. The teams are currently working on clearing the RD 1006 and checking the residual risks.

The objective is to ensure that no new landslide or rockslide can occur, thus guaranteeing the safety of users.

This major disruption caused a significant difficulty for road traffic, in particular for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes which are temporarily excluded from the Fréjus road tunnel.

HGVs and coaches are therefore encouraged to use other routes, such as the Mont Blanc tunnel or the A8 motorway. However, a shadow also hangs over the Mont-Blanc tunnel, which will be closed for work from September 4 to December 18.

Read also :
• ZFE: they would favor the automotive industry according to some
• ZFE radars: how to spot them for sure?
• ZFE: what future impacts on our lifestyles?