Avalanche alert in Alps

Snowstorms forced the Mont-Blanc tunnel to close and left homes without power. Copyright radio alps webcam.

Around 100 tourists were left stranded in the village of Bourg-Saint-Maurice after storms caused chaos and restricted road access in the Tarentaise valley. Roads leading to Val Thorens, Val d'Isère and Tignes ski stations were also cut off. 

20,000 homes in the northern Alps were left without power last night and an orange weather alert was issued across Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Isère. The snowstorms also forced the Mont-Blanc tunnel to close.  

According to Météo France, avalanches have been forecast for the rest of the day in the Mont-Blanc mountains, Haute-Savoie, Isère, Bauges, Beaufortin, Vanoise, Maurienne and Haute Tarentaise. "Roads, buildings and mountain structures exposed to avalanche risk could be hit." 

The south of France also experienced a series of strong winds which reached up to a staggering 150 kilometres per hour yesterday. While the strongest gust was recorded at 194 kilometres per hour at Cape Sagro in Corsica. 

In Mougins, a fallen tree on the railway track caused four hours of disruption. Flights and ferries were also cancelled in the region. 

Two departments in northern Corsica have also been put on high alert today with predicted violent winds and flooding. 

Sarah Lloyd