A fatal accident on highway A8, followed by a second collision, is causing major disruptions on Monday, July 6, 2026 in the Alpes-Maritimes. Traffic jams extend from Nice to the gates of Var. Emergency services, the gendarmerie and Escota teams remain mobilized.
Traffic remains very difficult on Monday, July 6 on the A8 highway and on the main roads of the Alpes-Maritimes. A first accident, which occurred around 4 a.m. between Cagnes-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-du-Var, claimed the life of a motorcycle driver.
According to initial information, the motorcycle was traveling in the wrong direction before colliding head-on with a car. The force of the impact threw the rider’s body onto the opposite lanes.
The emergency response led to the closure of both directions of traffic in order to secure the area, care for the victims and allow for investigations.
A few hours later, a second accident worsened the situation. Travel times increased significantly. Traffic became very complicated on all major roads in the Nice area. By midday, nearly three hours were needed to travel from Mandelieu to the Cagnes-sur-Mer area.
Partial reopening, but still significant disruptions on the A8
At 11 a.m., highway A8 and several road routes remained heavily congested, notably at Saint-Laurent-du-Var and on Boulevard du Mercantour.
In the France-Italy direction, all lanes between Antibes and Saint-Laurent-du-Var eventually reopened. However, traffic remains very heavy due to the numerous kilometers of traffic jams accumulated since early morning.
In the Italy-Aix direction, the Cagnes-sur-Mer exit remains mandatory. Gendarmerie technicians continue taking necessary measurements on the roads before road cleaning. An Escota network sweeper is waiting for operations to end to clear the debris.
Nearly ten kilometers of slowdowns are recorded between Saint-Isidore and Cagnes-sur-Mer. Travel time reaches approximately two hours. Escota teams must then proceed with cleaning, without being able to announce how long the operation will take.
The morning was also marked by several vehicle breakdowns. A car immobilized after the Antibes toll booth in the Aix-Italy direction is causing new slowdowns. Two other vehicles also broke down heading towards Monaco and at the height of Saint-Isidore.
Heading towards Aix-en-Provence, after exit n°48 Cagnes-sur-Mer, traffic remains interrupted. Exit n°52 Nice Saint-Isidore is recommended. The entrances to interchanges n°51 Nice Airport and n°50 Nice West remain closed.
The difficulties are not limited to the road network. Rail traffic was also disrupted on Monday morning. The discovery of an abandoned bag at Saint-Laurent-du-Var station interrupted train traffic between Nice and Antibes in both directions. The SNCF reported delays and canceled trains before announcing a gradual return to normal.
The Alpes-Maritimes prefecture urges motorists to avoid the area. In a message released in the morning, state services recalled: “Technical and emergency services have been intervening since early this morning on highway A8 for a road accident. Major disruptions are occurring between Antibes and Nice Saint-Isidore with interrupted traffic and several accesses closed. Avoid highway A8 and inform yourself about the situation. “
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