Heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures forced the cancellation of about 140 flights at Paris’s major airports on Wednesday morning, causing widespread travel disruption across the French capital.
France’s Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, confirmed that nearly 100 flights were grounded at Charles de Gaulle Airport, while an additional 40 flights were cancelled at Orly Airport, as icy conditions made operations unsafe.
The disruption had been anticipated since late Tuesday, with Tabarot telling CNews television that authorities were monitoring the situation closely and “hoping conditions would return to normal later in the afternoon.”
Severe weather also brought public transportation to a standstill in parts of the capital. All public bus services in Paris and its surrounding suburbs were suspended due to dangerously icy roads. However, transport officials said most metro lines and suburban rail services continued operating, limiting the overall impact on commuters.
According to Météo-France, 38 of France’s 96 mainland departments were placed on weather alert for heavy snowfall and black ice. Between three and seven centimetres (approximately one to three inches) of snow had already accumulated in several areas.
The national weather agency described the cold snap as being of “rare intensity for the season” and urged residents, particularly in the Paris region, to avoid non-essential travel and work from home where possible.
Authorities also confirmed that six people have died in weather-related accidents across France during what has been Europe’s harshest cold spell so far this winter.
