Travel disruption: Storms affect trains, roads and flights in south; Avignon station evacuated

Update: as of 14:40 the train station had reopened and the suspect package had been dealt with.

Severe storms have caused disruption to trains, road and air travel across southern France, with rail services suspended or delayed on several routes, while the Avignon train station in Vaucluse was evacuated over a piece of luggage considered suspicious. 

The storms that struck southern France on Monday evening have affected transport networks from west to east, with disruption continuing into Tuesday morning.

Rail traffic has been interrupted between Narbonne and Sète since 18:30 on Monday, with around 20 trains, including six TGV services, delayed by up to two hours.

TER services in Nouvelle-Aquitaine have also been heavily disrupted after a tree fell on the tracks, with numerous services cancelled. A return to normal service was expected around 13:00, but SNCF hasn’t provided any update yet. 

At Saint-Pierre-des-Corps in Indre-et-Loire, rail traffic on the Atlantic high-speed line was interrupted from 19:10 because of a loss of electrical power. One TGV, one Ouigo and around 10 TER services were delayed by up to one hour.

“In the rail sector, storms are causing numerous disruptions on several routes,” Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said in his update on X.

Road restrictions, including reduced maximum speed limits, have also been introduced on motorways and national roads across the southern zone.

Several airports including Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Nice, as well as Paris airports, have reported delays and cancellations as a result of the storms.

Avignon station evacuated over suspected luggage

Avignon train station in Vaucluse has been evacuated following the discovery of a piece of luggage considered suspicious. 

A Connexion reporter currently on the ground said police carried out the evacuation, with travellers temporarily kept outside the station while the situation was dealt with. 

“I saw a piece of luggage inside the station near the entrance. At around the same time a group of several police officers asked everyone to leave the station because of a suspect package,” said a reporter from The Connexion, who happened to be transiting through the station at the time of the incident. 

Passengers were kept waiting at the steps of the train station and the surrounding area until they were allowed back inside. 

The luggage was described as approximately the size of a standard piece of hand luggage. It had been left leaning against a wall close to the station entrance. 

At this stage, there is no indication that the luggage contained anything dangerous, and the circumstances surrounding the discovery have not yet been confirmed by police or SNCF.

What should you do if you see an unattended bag?

An unattended piece of luggage does not necessarily signify danger, but passengers should not approach it or try to move it themselves. 

If you see luggage that appears to have been abandoned, alert a member of SNCF staff. You can also report a security concern on the French rail network by calling 3117 or sending an SMS to 31177.

SNCF's procedures can involve checking whether the owner can be identified, followed by the establishment of a security perimeter if the luggage cannot be accounted for. Police may then be called to assess the situation and, if necessary, request the intervention of bomb-disposal specialists.

It is also important to keep in mind that an unattended bag can lead to significant disruption. The owner of the bag can ultimately face legal or financial consequences if their abandoned luggage results in security intervention or disruption of rail traffic.