-
Fréjus Tunnel that connects France and Italy to close this weekend
The tunnel will close for 12 hours and not the 56 hours originally announced
-
TotalEnergies opens service station for electric vehicles in Paris
It is the first of its kind in the capital and has ultra-fast charging
-
Conductors on French public transport will soon be able to check your address
Move is part of anti-fraud plans to prevent people from giving false information during fines including on SNCF trains
Major train delays due to naked man on tracks
A major French train station was totally closed down during rush hour this morning after a naked man was seen walking on the tracks.
Authorities at the Lille-Flandres station were forced to cut the electric current to the rails - not only to protect the man, but also to allow the police to search for him - and stopped all trains in and out of the station at prime commuter travelling time.
The naked man reportedly began playing a game of ‘hide and seek’ with the police as they searched for him, and was able to escape without being caught, reported local newspaper La Voix Du Nord.
Trains cautiously began to move again, although some are still operating with an hour’s delay or more.
Travellers took to Twitter to express their frustrations with the delays, especially as commuters were not initially told how long they would be waiting.
Photos on social media show the entire station brought to a standstill, with hundreds of passengers waiting around inside, waiting for news and services.
Circulation toralement interrompue pour une durée indéterminée pour cause de présence d'un individu sur les voies à #LilleFlandres. pic.twitter.com/flqh10KvEN
— Cyclocastor (at masse tôt point baïke) - #GGCG - (@Cyclocastor) September 6, 2017
The naked man, who caused the problem in the first place, has still not been caught, and police are searching for him, although it is thought that he is no longer in danger or at risk of disrupting future travel.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France