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loisirs aquatiques
thanks for the bonne nuit

Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

chassé croisé des vacances

English translation:

heavy holiday traffic

Added to glossary by Clive Jones
Jul 27, 2008 13:36
15 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term

chassé croisé des vacances

Non-PRO French to English Other Tourism & Travel
This isn't for a job, but I keep hearing this phrase on the TV traffic info, and was wondering if there is an English translation.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 heavy holiday traffic
3 +2 peak holiday traffic periods
3 +1 mid-summer merry-go-round on the roads of France
4 (non-stop) back-and-forth vacation traffic
3 -2 Holidays mess
Change log

Jul 27, 2008 13:42: Tony M changed "Field (specific)" from "Automotive / Cars & Trucks" to "Tourism & Travel"

Jul 27, 2008 13:42: Tony M changed "Level" from "PRO" to "Non-PRO"

Aug 1, 2008 13:06: Clive Jones Created KOG entry

Discussion

c_rouizi (asker) Aug 1, 2008:
thanks Thanks everybody for all your answers :)
chris collister Jul 27, 2008:
Those of us "d'un certain âge" will possibly remember Flanders & Swann's description, attributed to a builder of Stonehenge, of "ox-carts nose to tail all the way from here to the coast"...
Tony M Jul 27, 2008:
Conjures up wonderful images of an elderly deuche on a sweltering Summer's day on the A7...
Sophie Roger Jul 27, 2008:
I thought "chassé croisé" was a ballet term (crossing the legs while pushing with one leg for a sideways leap) but I found also an old "savate" (kick-boxing) photo for that term which has a description of a side kick after crossing the leg.

Proposed translations

+3
13 mins
Selected

heavy holiday traffic

We don't have the equivalent in the UK. I used to translate Le Bison Fute and used the phrase "heavy holiday traffic". As an example "Le chasse-croise de ce weekend a provoque de grands embouteillages au nord de Lyon" - "The heavy holiday traffic this week-end has caused long delays to the north of Lyon".
I'd be interested in hearing a closer translation.
Peer comment(s):
agree Sophie Roger : This one seems the most natural to me. I can't think of something that encapsulates the criss-crossing / to-ing and fro-ing of cars, something catchy and colloquial.
1 hr
agree Robintech
18 hrs
neutral MatthewLaSon : I reckon you could get away with that in the UK and Australia, but not in the US. See my comment to Tony
1 day 2 hrs
See my peer comment. I'm always amazed when a seemingly simple question provokes such interest. Shows we translators love language!
agree Gacela20
2 days 6 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-2
11 mins

Holidays mess

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Note added at 25 mins (2008-07-27 14:01:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

holiday traffic congestion is always possible.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Clive Jones : Not the word "mess" please (:-) - holiday mess could be a bad hotel
4 mins
disagree Tony M : Although in informal terms one might say this, I think it would be unsuitable as a serious translation, and as CJ says, it could apply to all sorts of things
7 mins
Something went wrong...
+1
35 mins

mid-summer merry-go-round on the roads of France

Just an idea for something a bit less formal.

Whatever you want to call it, the best advice is: Stay off the roads!
Peer comment(s):
agree Sheila Wilson : Might well use that one - Thanks for the idea
6 hrs
Something went wrong...
11 hrs

(non-stop) back-and-forth vacation traffic

Hello,

chassé-croisé = comings and going

Yep, the non-stop stream of people leaving for vacation and coming home therefrom. That's August in France!

I hope this helps.
Reference:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/09/18/working_class_exodus_feared_in_new_orleans?mode=PF

Peer comment(s):
neutral Tony M : Yes, except it's often used to refer to a particular DAY (or weekend), e;g., and not just a broad period like 'August' / That's my point, it refers to SPECIFIC peak days etc., not a PERIOD
5 hrs
Who said that this referring just to the month of August? It's simply a certain of period of time when there is non-stop back-and-forth vacation traffic. A period of time could be a weekend, week, or a month (August). But, it could also be one day.
neutral Clive Jones : As far as I know this refers in France to 1st August, 15th August and 1st September (depending on the calendar) Does that happen in the US?
19 hrs
Yes, it does. I was not disagreeing with your answer, btw. I just wanted to make this fact clear to this asker. This refers to a period in summer when there is back-and-forth vacation traffic.
Something went wrong...
+2
9 mins

peak holiday traffic periods

I have never actually come across a 'proper' translation of this term, which is after all pretty much peculiar to FR culture.

I would say something like 'peak holiday traffic periods', unless some more detailed explanation is required (the fact that it refers to the time when the roads are busy because of the conjunction of all the people going to START their holidays AND all those people COMING HOME — meaning that roads will be busy in both directiosn at once!)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2008-07-28 16:58:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Obviously, for 'holiday' read 'vacation' if US English is required
Peer comment(s):
agree Juliette Scott : Definitely this one.
22 hrs
Thanks, Juliette!
neutral MatthewLaSon : Your answer is not appropriate in the US because it would be taken to mean back-and-forth traffic over Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, and not just a weekend or period in July or August when there's heavy vacation traffic.
1 day 2 hrs
The chassée-croisée takes place at ALL holiday periods, including Christmas; though inevitably it is worse in Summer / Asker is in Europe and did not specify 'US English'
agree Clive Jones : This looks good!
1 day 7 hrs
Thanks a lot, Clive!
Something went wrong...
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