At least five people were killed in traffic accidents caused by the snowfall that occurred in France and the resulting ice formation. Moreover, the unusually heavy snow accumulation also led to major transportation disruptions. In this context, Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro said that meteorological services did not expect the weather to be this bad, calling for a reconsideration of the mechanisms used in this regard.
Published on: 01/06/2026 - 22:13
Three people died on Tuesday in two accidents due to ice in southwestern France, while a driver died when his car fell into the Marne River in the Paris region due to snowfall and ice formation, while the Ministry of Transport acknowledged that the Meteorological Authority did not expect the matter to be this bad.
The two accidents came the day after the death of a truck driver that slid due to ice in the Paris region as well.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro said that meteorological services did not expect the weather to be this bad, calling for a reconsideration of the mechanisms used in this regard.
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He added that the night from Monday to Tuesday was nevertheless better in the Paris region, as measures were taken to avoid cars sliding on the roads while residents returned to their homes, or to avoid falling into stifling congestion.
The unusually heavy snow accumulation also led to major disruptions to the railway network.
The Meteorological Authority issued an orange warning for snow and ice, which is the second in a series of four colors, the highest of which is extremely dangerous red. But she came back and uploaded it at ten in the morning.
The weather service said, "The temperature is very low, ranging from -3 degrees to -8 degrees, down to -10 degrees, which caused ice to form."
One of those stuck in their cars described the road condition in the southwest of the country as “like a skating rink.”
Roads are expected to witness turmoil on Wednesday as well, with “snow and hail falling in a wide area of northern France,” according to the Meteo France meteorological service.
The poor weather caused the suspension of school transportation in several regions, including Brutany (west), where residents were not accustomed to these conditions, and also in Vendée (west), where the thickness of the snow was also unusual.
The National Railway Company announced on Tuesday morning that a number of lines in western France had stopped operating and the movement of some trains on some lines had slowed down.
In Paris, things were looking up Tuesday morning. About thirty lines of the bus network were restarted after the snowfall caused them to stop.
Like a number of European airports, weather conditions caused disruption in the movement of aircraft taking off and landing at the main Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris.
The Minister of Transport said on Monday that 250 snowplows had been placed on alert at the two airports.
France 24/Reuters
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