An abundance of snow blankets the French mountains

Snowfall starting at 500 meters altitude

Over the weekend, a northwesterly flow brought polar maritime air, leading to significant snowfall across French mountain ranges. Starting at 500 meters altitude, a thick white blanket has settled, with up to 1 meter recorded in the Northern Alps. On the Lorraine plateaus, around 4 cm of snow was reported Monday morning.

The departments of Ain, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, and Isère are under orange snow-ice alerts from Météo-France. Additionally, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, and Isère face avalanche warnings, with snow accumulations exceeding 50 cm over the past 48 hours at higher elevations.

The Pyrenees and other ranges also impacted

The Pyrenees have also benefited from this exceptional snowfall: up to 70 cm was recorded at 1,900 meters and 50 cm at 1,500 meters altitude. Snowfall continues, especially above 700 meters. “Since early December, regular snowfalls have allowed us to prepare the slopes effectively,” notes Baptiste Rabasse, deputy director of the Superbagnères resorts in Haute-Garonne.

The Vosges and the Auvergne mountains also display a thick white mantle, with 20 to 40 cm accumulated. In the Jura, snow depths sometimes reach 40 cm at 1,200 meters. However, the Southern Alps remain largely untouched by this episode, as the northwesterly flow blocked snowfall at the Hautes-Alpes level.

Challenging road conditions

The heavy snowfall is causing significant difficulties for travel. In Savoie, even roads at 400 meters altitude are covered. On the A43, snowplows are working to clear the roads, but conditions remain hazardous. “I preferred to stop rather than risk an accident,” says one driver, cautious in the face of the situation.

At higher altitudes, equipment like snow chains or socks is essential for reaching ski resorts. Despite the snowplows’ efforts, some drivers are forced to turn back due to the intensity of the snowfall.

A change in weather ahead

According to Météo-France, the snowfall is expected to give way to more stable weather starting Tuesday, thanks to the return of a high-pressure system. This will bring sunny days to the mountains, while clouds may linger over the northern plains.