PHOTOS: Sudden hailstorm turns French Riviera towns white

Storms and cold temperatures combined yesterday (April 22) in the south of France, bringing rare hail to the French Riviera - turning several towns and beaches white. 

Picturesque towns and cities along the coastline such as Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer, and Saint-Laurent-du-Var – hotspots for tourists in the summer – were all affected by the storms.

At 18:00, temperatures in Nice and the surrounding area were 4.4C, the lowest in all of France at that time. 

Below are some photos and videos of the storms shared on social media. 

White-lined streets in Nice 

Nice looked dramatically different yesterday evening, as streets in the western half of the city lined with a white coating after hailstorms.

In nearby Cagnes-sur-mer, the hail was particularly fierce.

Rush-hour drivers were also caught in the hailstorm, and in this video you can hear how hard the hailstones was falling in the video below.

Read more: Why are temperatures yo-yoing in France?

No ‘natural disaster’ request planned 

Damage from the storm was relatively minor, although a few buildings suffered minor damage. Vineyards and larger-scale agricultural farms in more rural areas saw some crops destroyed, however.

The mayor of Villeneuve-Loubet, Lionnel Luca, said that some school buildings in the town were damaged, but the pupils were already evacuated. 

He was asked by local media Nice Matin whether the commune was planning to request a catastrophe naturelle (natural disaster) listing after the damage. 

“I've heard that this doesn't exist for them,” he said, “but that it's an agricultural disaster, so I imagine their union will do what's necessary.” 

The Alpes-Maritimes department is still on a tier-two yellow warning for storms. 

Read more: What action is advised with different Météo France weather warnings