Every year, the company specialized in geolocation analyzes traffic in hundreds of cities around the world. Time lost in traffic jams, congestion rates, average time to travel 10 km... Nothing escapes their GPS. The verdict for Nantes: patience, deep breaths, and a well-stocked playlist are more essential than ever.
Nantes in the top 10 most congested cities in France
From Rue de Strasbourg to Île de Nantes, via the ring road or the major entry routes into the city, traffic can quickly turn into an obstacle course. The result: Nantes ranks 10th among the most congested cities in France in 2025. It’s not a glorious ranking, dominated by Lyon, but the city of Nantes is firmly establishing itself in this list. The infamous congestion rate, which measures the extra time spent on the road compared to smooth traffic, reaches 36.6% in Nantes in 2025. That's one point more than in 2024.024, proof that the situation isn't really getting any better. In other words, each trip takes an average of more than a third extra time than it should. Enough to turn a simple round trip from home to work into a real expedition. Unsurprisingly, the most critical hours remain the same: between 6:30 AM and 9:30 AM in the morning, and between 4 PM and 7 PM in the evening. Those moments when all of Nantes seems to have decided to take the car at the same time.
3 Days of Life Lost in Traffic Jams
The most striking figure from the study is undoubtedly this one. In 2025, Nantes drivers lost 76 hours stuck in traffic during peak hours. That’s three days and four hours spent watching the light change from red to green, then back to red again. To be exact, that’s an hour and sixteen minutes longer than in 2024. To put it concretely, traveling 10 km in Nantes takes an average of 22 minutes and 49 seconds in the morning and 24 minutes and 41 seconds in the evening. It’s safe to say that biking, using public transportation, or even brisk walking are becoming serious alternatives to driving! TomTom even pinpointed the most chaotic day of the year: January 28, 2025, marked by heavy weather and a major accident on the périphérique. On that day, the average congestion rate reached 69%, with an impressive peak of 141% at 8 AM.
And What Now?
These figures remind us just how much the issue of mobility remains a crucial challenge.
Time for Nantes! With construction, unpredictable weather, and increased traffic, cars are showing their limitations more and more in the city. While we wait for miraculous solutions, you can always keep things in perspective: after all, three days stuck in traffic can also be three days to listen to podcasts, finish up playlists… or learn to appreciate silence.More info