21-05-2025
Is it safe to travel to France? Latest advice after 'truly violent' floods
The south of France has been rocked by a series of rainstorms and floods which have killed at least three people.
The disaster has been likened to 'scenes of war' by the mayor of popular seaside town, Le Lavandou, where an elderly couple died.
'It was a truly violent, nasty, incomprehensible phenomenon,' said Gil Bernardi.
The flooding has caused widespread damage in the Var region, which includes part of the French Riviera, including Saint Tropez and part of the Cote d'Azur.
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Locals have been left without water or electricity, and La Mole St Tropez Airport has also been closed.
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In the town of Vidauban, which lies on the banks of the river Argen, another women also died when her vehicle was submerged by water.
Writing on X, French President, Emmanuel Macron shared his 'heartfelt condolences' with the victims and their families.
He said: 'To all those affected, I want to say that the Nation will be there, fraternal and united. There, with the relief forces, to overcome the coming hours. There, to rebuild.'
The UK Foreign Office has not currently issued any new travel warnings for France after the flooding.
But, like with any country, the Foreign Office advises British nationals to stay vigilant when abroad.
The website warns travellers there is 'a risk of flooding in areas of France' and advises visitors to check if their accommodation is near a river.
They also advise tourists to check France's flash food watch website (or 'vigicrues' in French) for more up to date information on current flood risks.
Before or during a flood, the UK government says you should turn off gas, electricity and water supplies, if it's safe to do so.
They also advise to move to higher ground, and to use flood protection products if those are available to you. It is also recommended to follow the advice of local officials or emergency services.
The FCDO states that British travellers are responsible for their own personal safety while abroad, adding 'we do not have a general duty of care to British nationals abroad'.
However, the FCDO may set up a specific response to help British nationals in a crisis abroad, which can include natural disasters such as flooding. This can include a dedicated hotline or online registration where you can apply for assistance.
If you've taken out your travel insurance and you'd now like to cancel your holiday due to the floods, you may be entitled to some money back.
Flooding should be included under the natural disasters coverage (although it varies between insurers so check your policy) but this comes with a catch.
Travel insurance will only pay out for holiday cancellations if the FCDO advises against anything but essential travel to your holiday destination – and there are currently no such warnings for France.
Some providers also require the local or national authorities to state it's unsafe to travel there. If your holiday provider or airline is operating there as normal and there are no advisories, you won't get any cancellation cover. More Trending
According to you should look at the 'cancellation and curtailment' section of your policy, as this can help with cancelling or cutting a trip short due to extreme weather.
There's another reason your travel insurance may not cover you, too. If extreme weather was forecast for the area before you booked your holiday and before you took out your insurance policy, you won't be covered for 'anticipated' events.
Basically if you knew the weather was going to be bad but booked it anyway – you won't get your refund.
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