Lightning strikes historic church tower in south of France

The tower of a village church in the south of France was severely damaged after being struck by lightning during violent storms on Saturday evening (August 15).

Lightning hit the church in Saint-Salvadou, Aveyron, at about 21:00, setting fire to the upper part of its 41-metre-high tower.

Videos shared on social media showed flames engulfing the top of the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church as lightning flashed across the sky.

Spire collapses

Firefighters brought the blaze under control during the night, but the church spire collapsed onto the roof.

The intervention prevented the fire from spreading through the rest of the building, with the main vaults remaining intact.

Jean-Luc Farjou, the mayor's delegate for Saint-Salvadou, told French media that the damage was concentrated around the tower.

“Inside the church, you do not get the impression there is much damage,” he said, although beams beneath the tower were badly burned and the bells had been removed.

The full extent of the structural damage is still being assessed.

The church is known locally as the “Cathedral of Ségala” because of its imposing size. It also contains heritage objects, including a silver processional cross dating from the late 15th or early 16th Century, which is listed as a historic monument.

Storms followed heatwave

The fire came as thunderstorms spread across much of southern and western France following the end of a prolonged period of extreme heat.

Aveyron had been placed on yellow storm alert by Météo-France on Sunday, with further storms affecting parts of the region through the week.

Residents said they heard a loud bang when the lightning struck before seeing flames emerging from the tower.

The immediate priority is to protect the damaged, now open-topped tower from further rain and storms before restoration work can begin.