France Battles Widespread Snow and Ice with 26 Departments Under Orange Alert

On January 5, 2026, Météo-France extended its orange snow and ice alert to 26 departments across northern, northwestern, and western France, including the entirety of Île-de-France and parts of the South-West. This escalation followed an initial alert covering seven departments and now covers regions such as Brittany, Normandy, Pays de la Loire, and Poitou-Charentes. Temperatures have plummeted dramatically, with some areas in Nouvelle-Aquitaine recording lows of -12.6°C, while Paris and surrounding regions face -4 to -5°C, and up to -10°C in central and eastern zones.

Snowfall is expected to persist through Tuesday morning, with accumulations varying by location—2 to 3 centimeters in Paris, up to 10 centimeters across Normandy, and as much as 15 centimeters in Vendée and Charente-Maritime. Snowfall and freezing rain already caused transport disruptions, including the suspension of school buses in Brittany and Normandy, although interurban transport remains operational. The SNCF has issued warnings about potential train service disruptions due to the weather.

In response to the harsh conditions, the Finistère prefecture extended the "grand froid" emergency plan until January 7 morning, expanding shelter access and increasing outreach efforts for vulnerable populations. Emergency shelters are near capacity, with over 233 people housed in hotels, a significant increase compared to last year. Authorities urged the public to report at-risk individuals to emergency services.

Overall, the cold wave and snow are significantly impacting transportation and public safety measures across multiple French regions, with ongoing vigilance and preparedness efforts in place.