November 1994, the Var River

While 2020 will be remembered by the whole of humanity for the global Covid-19 epidemic, it is also rooted in the memories of many people in the Mediterranean Arc due to four successive weather events that marked this extraordinary year. In January, Storm Gloria...

1900, 1907, 2011, 2014, etc Autumn 2019 once again heralded a series of “Mediterranean episodes” throughout the Mediterranean Arc region.It began with Marseille, the Aude, the Pyrénées Orientales and especially Hérault which were all in the firing line on 23...

On 15 October, almost 20 years after the disaster of 1999, the Department of the Aude once again experienced major flooding. At Villalier, the RD 620 road was cut off by the Orbiel when it flooded. Sadly, a truck driver lost his life.Photo: Sébastien Gominet/IRMA*. 14...

Corsica is a well-known and popular holiday destination but is no stranger to the risk of torrential floods. The island’s sharp, steep relief combined with heavy rainfall so typical of the Mediterranean climate, lends itself to impressive flash floods that rush down...

Following 2 days of heavy rain, a powerful, but very localised thunderstorm struck the area of Cannes on 3 October, cascading down in a highly built-up area. The surface runoff that followed was hugely destructive, killing 20 people. Small coastal rivers, such as the...

2014 was particularly trying for South East France. In January, the Var was again affected by severe flooding, as had been the case in 2010 and 2011. A house engulfed by floodwaters from the Real Collobrier, at Collobrières (83) on 19 January.Photo: Collobrières Town...

Having already experienced heavy rains in 2009, in Sainte Maximime and Cogolin on 18 September and 22 October respectively, theDepartment of the Var was hit by major flooding in 2010 which threw plans for the forthcoming tourist season into turmoil. Serious damage to...

In late afternoon on Sunday 8 September 2002, torrential rain began falling on the Gard Department as well as parts of neighbouring Vaucluse and Ardèche. It was the start of a major “Mediterranean episode”By evening, all the rivers in the area (Gardon, Cèze, Vidourle,...

Rainfall on 12 and 13 November 1999 was exceptional not only in terms of its extent but also by its length and intensity. It spread to the Tarn, Pyrénées Orientales, Hérault and especially the Aude, where cumulative rainfall in 24 hours reached colossal proportions...

In 1907, the entire French part of the Mediterranean Arc experienced a series of powerful, devastating floods in 1907. Five major floods hit various areas killing at least 25 people. The Departments of the Gard and Hérault were the first to be flooded from 2 to 28...

The flooding that hit the Ardèche river catchment* on 23 September 1890 still strikes a chord as the rive’s record flood. Gorged with continuous rainfall that began in the evening of 19 September, it reached a peak on the 22. After a brief lull, the rain returned in...

A scene of utter destruction in Toulouse.Repeating events in the Rhône Valley in spring 1856, a very wet June compounded by snowmelt from the Pyrenees fed floodwaters that engulfed Toulouse on 20 June and reached their peak on the 23. Maréchal Mac-Mahon, French...