“Have you noticed it’s raining?” quipped Prime Minister François Bayrou during a session in the National Assembly, as water leaked from the dome of the French Parliament. His remark, delivered mid-debate, unintentionally marked the beginning of one of the most violent thunderstorms France has seen in recent years.
The storm, which struck with particular force on Wednesday night, left a grim toll: two fatalities, at least 17 people injured — one of them seriously — and widespread damage across several regions of the country, according to reports from France Info and the national civil protection agency.
Paris was among the hardest hit. Torrential rains and hurricane-force winds turned boulevards into makeshift rivers, while fallen trees blocked roads, avenues, and access points. On Thursday morning, the capital awoke partially paralyzed, with transportation disruptions, power outages, and residents stunned by the storm’s intensity.
But the damage was not confined to the capital. In Montauban, in southwestern France, a 12-year-old boy was killed when a tree weakened by the storm collapsed on him. In the Loire region, a 59-year-old man died after crashing his vehicle into another fallen tree.
Emergency services were quickly mobilized. More than 110,000 households lost electricity, prompting technical crews to work around the clock to restore power. Meanwhile, firefighters, police officers, and rescue teams were deployed to assist those trapped, clear blocked roads, and assess the damage.
Even the Parliament building was not spared. While Bayrou delivered a speech on the Middle East, the storm made its presence felt inside the chamber. Leaks from the dome forced Deputy Speaker Roland Lescure to temporarily suspend the session. Firefighters arrived on the scene and, after placing absorbent mats to contain the water, the debate resumed 15 minutes later.
The storm followed an intense heatwave that had pushed temperatures across much of France to extreme highs, creating ideal conditions for severe weather. The clash between lingering heat and incoming cold air masses triggered heavy rainfall, powerful winds, and lightning strikes that strained both urban and rural infrastructure.
According to the civil protection office, dozens of trees were uprooted by strong gusts, especially in Paris, where streets were littered with branches and debris.
Authorities continue to assess the full extent of the storm’s impact and have warned of possible additional storms in the coming days, urging the public to stay vigilant and follow safety guidelines.
