France prepares for ice storm amid severe travel warnings

The French capital of Paris has prepared itself for a sleet and snow storm today, banning lorries from motorways and warning of massive flight cancellations as freezing conditions make it treacherous for travel across much of Europe and the UK.

French authorities have issued a ban against heavy commercial road traffic starting at midnight until noon on Wednesday, on motorways around Paris due to a fresh winter storm forming.

At Charles de Gaulle Airport, the main airport in Paris, aviation authorities have warned that the storm may force airlines to cancel up to 50 per cent of flights, adding to troubles already caused by a strike.

The French civil aviation safety authority DGAC has asked airlines to cancel at least 30 per cent of flights from Charles de Gaulle airport, which could rise to 50 per cent if necessary.

The other main airport in Paris, Orly, traffic will be reduced by about a half, with final decisions expected later in the morning.

The DGAC said that a two-day strike against reforms of the air transport sector in some cities was likely disrupt air traffic even more.

Meanwhile, some 60 workers of Meteo France walked off the job on Tuesday to protest the proposed reorganization plans, forcing the closure of several departmental centres in the west of the country.

In other parts of Europe, failing temperatures in Germany have created dangerous, icy roadways on Tuesday, causing an increased number of accidents and motorway closures and delays around the country.