Severe Snow and Storm Goretti Cause Major Disruptions Across France

France is grappling with widespread severe winter weather impacting multiple regions, including northern and western France, Île-de-France, and parts of Normandy and the Savoie. Since early January 7, 2026, heavy snow and ice have forced authorities to issue multiple orange vigilance alerts and caused major disruptions to transport, public services, and power supplies.

Meteorological authorities have placed 38 departments under vigilance orange for snow and ice, with a total of 1,648 km of roads affected nationwide, including 960 km in Île-de-France alone. Snow accumulations have reached between 3 to 10 cm in many regions, with up to 15 cm reported in the Ardennes. Météo-France expects significant snowfall rates of 1 to 3 cm per hour in some areas, and additional snow is forecast overnight in the Massif-Central. Concurrently, four departments face orange alerts for violent winds from the approaching storm Goretti, which is expected to bring gusts exceeding 100 km/h and potentially up to 140 km/h on the Normandy coast starting Thursday evening.

Transportation has been severely impacted. Paris and Île-de-France saw all bus services suspended from 7 AM, with a partial resumption planned in the afternoon, while metro lines continued operating. SNCF reported rail network disruptions due to snow blocking switches, particularly in Île-de-France and the Charente-Maritime region, with possible service resumption expected Thursday morning depending on weather conditions. Major highways have been temporarily closed or had reduced speed limits imposed, including the N118 near Paris and limits on trucks in Deux-Sèvres. Traffic jams reached historic levels nationwide.

Air travel has suffered as well, with about 100 flights canceled at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle and delays averaging over an hour at Paris airports, including Orly. Nantes airport was closed until noon due to poor weather. Power outages have affected approximately 1,800 households across France.

Authorities have taken steps to address the crisis, including opening 2,000 additional emergency shelter places in Paris. The situation's severity was underscored by a dramatic birth in a fire truck in Saint Porchaire, where heavy snow prevented hospital access. Officials continue to urge caution as the storm Goretti approaches.

Overall, the combination of heavy snow, ice, and strong winds from storm Goretti has created extensive disruption and safety risks across France, with ongoing efforts to restore normalcy amidst challenging conditions.