Europe shivered Wednesday in the grip of an icy cold snap, with France hardest hit by blizzards that left thousands of motorists stranded in sub-zero temperatures or forced into roadside shelters overnight.
Snowstorms also brought road chaos to Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic, causing train cancellations in Britain and delays at two German airports.
Worst hit was north-western France, where 5,000 to 10,000 people spent a chilly night behind the wheel after traffic ground to a halt on a stretch of motorway between the towns of Toul and Nancy, regional authorities said.
Traffic gradually resumed on Wednesday morning, though hampered by ice and snow, and trucks from neighbouring Luxembourg and Belgium were allowed back onto the highway after the lifting of an overnight safety ban.
In the north-western Manche department, 300 to 400 people were taken into shelters for the night, after deep snow caused a string of truck accidents that left the road logjammed and blocked access for snow-clearance workers.
Weather experts have warned drivers to be on alert for snow and icy road conditions in the Calvados and Manche departments in the west, as well as across Bourgogne, Allier, Aube, Loire and Puy-de-Dome in the east.
Flight delays of up to 30 minutes were affecting Frankfurt and Stuttgart airports, as Germany lay blanketed almost entirely in white, with more heavy snowfall expected in the coming days.
In the Czech Republic, the highway linking Prague to the country's second city Brno was closed on Wednesday morning after a collision between four trucks.
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