Heavy snowfall hit parts of France on Monday, causing problems such as traffic paralysis. In the Île-de-France region, traffic jams reached a record level of more than 1,000 km shortly after 5 pm on Monday, January 5th. Up to 13 centimeters of snow fell in the Calvados department. The snowfall cost the lives of six people.
On Tuesday morning, Météo-France lifted the orange warning in place in 26 departments*. However, traffic conditions remain delicate on several roads due to the freezing temperatures overnight. A new episode of snow is expected on Tuesday night, January 6th.
*The 26 departments concerned include: Calvados, Eure-et-Loir, Ille-et-Vilaine, Yvelines, Orne, Seine-Maritime, Seine-Saint-Denis, Charente-Maritime, Eure, Essonne, Oise, Val-d'Oise, Paris, Vendée, Hauts-de-Seine, Côtes d'Armor, Finistère, Seine-et-Marne, Val-de-Marne, Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Manche, Morbihan, Sarthe, Mayenne and Deux-Sèvres.
❄️Severe frost with risk of icy conditions in snow-covered departments, causing traffic problems.
Careful! Check the road conditions (@BisonFute_MT) and the weather watch for your department: https://t.co/SBcDaJ3wuk https://t.co/WUkmI0XvlF
- Météo-France (@meteofrance) January 6, 2026
In terms of logistics, the situation on Monday was reported to be particularly tense. Throughout the Vendée, Pays de la Loire, Brittany, and Normandy regions, heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tons were banned from the roads, preventing many producers from shipping their produce. One operator said he was unable to deliver to his clients. "On Monday, I did not send any pallets, so I had a lot of volume in stock." The transport paralysis is also said to have caused delays at Rungis on Tuesday morning, as well as supply problems in many stores. According to other sources, goods from Perpignan were also stuck in Niort.
HGV traffic bans partially lifted
On Tuesday morning, some HGV traffic bans were lifted, namely in Normandy and Pays de la Loire, allowing drivers to gradually resume deliveries. Restrictions remain in force in some areas, however, mainly for HGVs over 7.5 tons in western France and Brittany.
