Updated on
Summary
Giant waves of up to six metres pushed by high winds battered the coast of the French Riviera, leaving the seafront at Cannes, home to next week's international film festival under water. Carefully groomed beaches that had been prepared for the arrival of stars, starlets and paparazzi were under water, tents put up for the festival were brought down by the onslaught of giant waves, a rare occurrence at this time of year. Car parks were flooded and a sea wall was breached under the force of the waves, damaging beachfront restaurants. The heavy seas were driven in parts by high winds above 100 kilometres an hour, according to French media and freak weather that also saw snow fall in southwestern France.
