Traces After The Bitterly Cold Spell In Central France.

[mike Meehan]

En route to Capestang and stopped for the night at Issoire just before the Massif proper.

There was still the odd patch of snow left above 500 metres in the Clermont Ferrond area, although temps up to +11C here.

Wondering what tomorrow will bring as we travel the rest of the A75 reaching up to 1125metres.

Will report back if there is anything interesting.

[4wd]

On a farmer's forum I moderate there's a lot of concern that overwintered crops in northern France have been badly affected - for example wheat and oilseed rape had suffered exceptional low temperatures and everything above ground looked all but dead.

[Guest]

Well arrived now - some of the plants in the garden look none too healthy and need a few dead bits cutting out - the forecast is for warmer weather without any frost over the next 10 days . so hopefully things will start sprouting soon and we will know where we are.

No obvious signs of leaks in the house either which had been left without heating but it is well insulated.

We left Issoire at 1030 this morning - temp +9C and cloudy - as we rose temp dropped to +4C in the St Flour area, where in more sheltered parts there were more extetensive snow patches and some valiant snow drifts about 2 metres deep still fighting a rearguard action against the advancement of spring.

On the sides of some of the gorges running water had frozen to ice and were perched on the rocks like a white scar.

About half way along the clouds cleared and we were left with a lovely blue sky - saw snow patches off and on as far as Millau, though by then the temp had risen to +14C and there the ground looked very dry - it seems to be a result of freezing arid conditions - down the other side the temperature climbed to +20C, though it dropped back to 16C at Capestang - the tramontane is blowing today. which is holding the temps back,