Overview
- A Paris–Nice service that left Paris at 2:10pm stopped near Civrieux‑d'Azergues and stayed immobilized on the tracks for about four hours, according to passenger accounts and video.
- After roughly two hours inside uncooled carriages, many travellers exited to find shade; elderly people, children and infants were reported to be struggling with the heat.
- SNCF has cited a power‑supply fault as the immediate cause but has not published a detailed technical explanation or confirmed a direct link to the heatwave.
- Viral footage shared by France TV and on social platforms intensified public criticism of SNCF over air‑conditioning, emergency procedures and maintenance standards.
- Meteo‑France recorded record May temperatures near 37°C and experts warn that extreme heat can expose weaknesses in rail systems, raising pressure for equipment upgrades and clearer heat‑response plans as summer travel rises.