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Four killed in avalanche in France’s Auvergne region

Four people were killed on Sunday in an avalanche in the mountainous Auvergne region of central France, local authorities said.

Published: 25 February 2024 18:45 CET

An avalanche risk flag on a mountain in France

This file photo from December 20, 2023, shows an avalanche risk flag. Four people were killed Sunday in an avalanche in France’s Auvergne region. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

The avalanche took place at 1,600 metres (5,250 feet) of altitude above the village of Mont-Dore in an area known as the Val d’Enfer, the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dome department said in a statement.

Three other people were also slightly injured after a major search operation mobilising some 50 people, it added.

Local daily La Montagne said that those hit by the avalanche were ski mountaineers from a nearby club who had gone on an off-piste route with a guide.

The mountains in the Auvergne, many of which are of volcanic origin, are less high than those in the Alps or Pyrenees further south but can be highly remote with extensive snow cover.

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Will we see the sun in France over May's Ascension holiday week?

Forecasters in France expect warmer, sunnier weather for the days ahead, after several weeks of clouds and cold temperatures.

Unfortunately, in order to enjoy the sun you’ll have to wait through a few more days of rain. Here is what to expect for the rest of the week and the long weekend;

Monday

Rain is the dominating weather characteristic of the day, especially over Occitanie, PACA, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy-Franche-Comté and the Grand-Est. Over in the west, skies will be mostly cloudy, and residents in Brittany and Normandy can expect storms later in the day, which could spread into parts of Centre-Val de Loire.

Where it’s not raining, it will be mostly cloudy, with temperatures expected to rise to between 14C to 18C across most of the country, but could reach 21C on the Mediterranean coast and 26C in western Corsica.

Tuesday

More rain. With the exception of the far west of the country, which will get a preview of conditions to come as Tuesday goes on, rain is the weather order of the day, with storms predicted in southern areas from mid-afternoon and into the evening.

Maximum temperatures are expected to range from 14C to 19C in the north of France, and from 11C to 20C in the southern half.

Wednesday May 8th – Public holiday for Victory in Europe day

The long public holiday weekend arrives, along with the sun. Other than in the far north early on, expect sunshine and mostly blue skies – though occasionally stormy showers may develop in the southeast later on.

Temperatures of between 17C and 20C are forecast in the northern half of the country, and between 18C and 21C further south.

The map below from Météo France gives a better idea of the weather across France on Wednesday afternoon.

Weather forecast for France on Wednesday May 8th. Météo France

Thursday – Public holiday for Ascension

Mild. Dry. Sunny. Your three-word forecast for Thursday. There may be a few clouds in northern France, but the south is wall-to-wall sunshine for most of the day. Isolated storms may develop in the southern Alps late in the day.

Temperatures of between 18C and 20C are forecast in the northern half of the country, and between 19C and 24C further south.

Friday – Pont de l’Ascension – Day off for many with schools closed in France

Overcast conditions return in the northern half of the country on Friday, to remind everyone that it’s not quite summer yet, but the skies remain clear in the south, with temperatures expected to climb past 25C in the southwest of the country.

Weekend

Other than a few thunderstorms in the south of the country, expect dry, warm, sunny weather across the whole of France over the weekend, with early summer temperatures reaching into the upper 20s celsius to match.

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