Raging wildfires in south of France suspend Marseille flights
An official message on the airport's website says: 'Due to a fire at Pennes Mirabeau, landings and takeoffs are suspended until further notice. We advise you to contact your airline for more information.'
The prefecture urged people in the affected areas to stay indoors and off the roads.
Flights cancelled and diverted at Marseille airport
Marseille Provence Airport, which serves France's second-biggest city, announced that the runway had been closed at around midday.
The airport said the cause was nearby wildfires, fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour.
A spokesperson for Marseille Airport said planes had not been taking off or landing since around midday.
Cancellations included Ryanair services to Tangier, Naples and Nantes, a British Airways flight to London Heathrow, a Transavia France flight to Brest, Brussels Airlines to Brussels, Volotea to Oran and Swiss to Zurich.
Some flights were diverted to Nice, Nimes and other regional airports.
Marseille Airport website shows some flights have now managed to land, although delays are expected throughout the afternoon.
Departing flights are also experiencing delays of an average of 166 minutes, according to FlightRadar24.
It comes during a peak travel season as the French summer holiday period begins.
French regions under red alert for wildfires
Several weeks of heatwaves combined with strong winds have increased the risk of wildfires in southern France, with several breaking out over the past couple of days.
Some 168 firefighters, two helicopters and 68 engines were deployed to tackle the fire, which broke out in the town of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, with 30 hectares hit.
There have been no reports of casualties.
A red alert has been issued for forest fire risk in Bouches-du-Rhone, Var, and Vaucluse, France.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
17 hours ago
- LeMonde
Tour de France: Cycling's showcase remains heavily sponsored by fossil fuels
On the winding roads of the Tour de France, the bicycle embodies the ideal of low-impact mobility. But behind the celebration and athletic endeavor, another mechanism is at work: the symbolic reconquering of environmental issues by champions of the fossil fuel industry. At the end of June, the French oil giant TotalEnergies announced it had signed an official three-year partnership with the Tour de France, starting in 2026. The company is also the main sponsor of one of the participating teams, which bears its name. Within the Tour's peloton, six other teams (out of 23) are directly or indirectly connected to the fossil fuel industry: UAE Team Emirates-XRG, backed by the United Arab Emirates, one of the world's leading oil producers; Ineos Grenadiers, named after the British petrochemical giant Ineos and an off-road vehicle, the Grenadier, made by its automotive division; Bahrain Victorious, backed by Bahrain, a country whose economy is heavily dependent on oil production; Jayco-AlUla, whose name refers to the Saudi city of Al-Ula that is at the heart of a major tourism initiative by one of the world's top oil producers; XDS-Astana, funded by a sovereign wealth fund supporting Kazakhstan's oil and gas company; and Uno-X Mobility, a chain of gas stations present in Norway and Denmark.
LeMonde
21 hours ago
- LeMonde
In Toulon, a dive into modernism
Many residents of the southern French city of Toulon who were children in the 1970s have personal anecdotes about the Port-Marchand swimming pool's construction. One recalled living with their family in the Sainte-Elisabeth residence, a tower overlooking the railway station, from which they could perfectly follow the progress of the works. Another, who lived with his parents at La Corvette, an apartment block facing the site, remembered treasure hunts and cardboard sliding competitions organized in the enormous hole of the construction site. Frédéric Auban, for his part, had the privilege of swimming the 100-meter breaststroke with his club on inauguration day. "There were international swimmers and members of the French national swimming team," recalled the lifeguard, now close to retirement. "Champions Michel Rousseau and Alain Mosconi were there. The place was beautiful and very well designed, with plenty of space, large changing rooms and quality materials…" As journalist Jean-Paul Jacob noted in an article devoted to the opening of the facility in the regional daily Var-Matin on Sunday, May 28, 1972, the previous day in Toulon had been marked by a triple inauguration. But the openings of the new sports medicine and medical-social centers neither had the importance nor the resonance of the opening ceremony reserved for the remarkable aquatic complex. Presided over by the prefect of the Var region, Louis Lalanne, and Toulon's mayor, Maurice Arreckx, the pool's inauguration was attended by a crowd of public figures and two days of festivities featuring competitions, water polo matches and aquatic ballets.
Local France
a day ago
- Local France
Beach rules, €1 homes, and summer heat: 6 essential articles for life in France
France has over 5,500 kilometres of coastline, spanning the English Channel and the Atlantic coast to along the Mediterranean, and many people planning trips to France prioritise time relaxing au bord de la mer (at the seaside). But French beaches are far from lawless places – there are still plenty of rules you should remember to respect when tanning on the sand. Sand, smoking and sex: The rules of French beaches Even after you've factored in hefty renovation costs that follow, the idea of buying a home in France for just €1 is an attractive one – so here's a look at how to find them, who qualifies and what you need to do first. 5 things you need to know about France's one euro homes Dismissively referred to as 'empty', the diagonal swathe of land that's the French equivalent of what Americans call 'fly-over' states contains some of the loveliest parts of France, as well as vibrant towns and growing industry. Diagonale du vide – what's really in France's so-called 'empty' middle? It's one of the most important questions anyone living in France, especially in rural areas, should consider when choosing their mobile phone operator – and an interactive government agency map offers users an instant view of coverage by area. Which French phone operator offers the best mobile coverage? Summers in France have always been hot, especially in the south, so do the latest wave of extreme weather warnings really mark a rise in temperatures? Or just a change in weather forecasting techniques and media attention? (Spoilers: yes. And also yes.) Advertisement In numbers: Are summers in France really getting hotter? Real estate agents the world over have their own particular jargon, but it can be even harder to understand in a foreign language. So here is our list of key terms and vocabulary found in French property advertisements. How to understand French property adverts
