Several fatal traffic accidents caused by snow and ice have hit France in the past 24 hours, French media report.
The accidents have claimed five lives since the storm began, including a taxi driver who lost control of his car and drove into the Marne River in the Paris region.
Several airports in northern and western France are closed due to snowfall, according to the EFE news agency.
The snow has also affected major European airports, including Orly and Charles de Gaulle in Paris, as well as Schiphol in Amsterdam.
Only a limited number of flights were able to take off from Schiphol on Monday, and traffic in Paris was reduced by 15 percent due to the severe weather. Around 30 centimeters of snow fell in Charente-Maritime in western France, among other places.
The situation has eased somewhat in France, but at other European airports departures are also being cancelled or delayed on Tuesday, especially from Schiphol. The airline KLM says on its website that it has cancelled 300 flights to and from the major airport, and warns there may be even more delays because there is a shortage of de-icing agents.
A new snowstorm is heading towards France on Wednesday. Orange warnings have been issued in 38 departments, and Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot is urging residents of the Île-de-France region to avoid travel. Around 40 percent of flights from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris have been cancelled on Wednesday.
