Reuters
Snow and ice brought misery to travellers in northwest Europe on Wednesday, forcing around a thousand to spend the night in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, but delighted others who set out to explore a snow-blanketed Paris on sledges and skis.
Storm Goretti blew in from the Atlantic coast and hit Paris with heavy snowfall as daylight broke, prompting further flight cancellations, traffic snarls and transport disruption after days of delays.
Meanwhile, tourists and residents enjoyed the rare sight of snow-covered Paris, with a few taking the opportunity to ski down the slopes of Montmartre and along the Champs de Mars gardens below the Eiffel Tower.
"It's exceptional, it's incredible. It's magnificent and we're enjoying it. We also came across a lot of tourists and they look so happy," said Pierre, a Parisian out admiring the snowy scenery.
People grabbed sledges or even just plastic bags to slide down any slopes they could find.
More than 1,000 travellers spent the night in Schiphol airport as some 700 flights were cancelled on Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of disruption at one of Europe's busiest hubs.
Schiphol spokesperson Stephan Donker told Reuters it was an "exceptional situation". The airport has set up a few hundred beds before and after security checks and provided pillows, blankets, food and drinks for travellers, he added.
Knock-on effects from the disruption could cause further delays and cancellations in the coming days, he said.
Storm Goretti blew in from the Atlantic coast and hit Paris with heavy snowfall as daylight broke, prompting further flight cancellations, traffic snarls and transport disruption after days of delays.
Meanwhile, tourists and residents enjoyed the rare sight of snow-covered Paris, with a few taking the opportunity to ski down the slopes of Montmartre and along the Champs de Mars gardens below the Eiffel Tower.
"It's exceptional, it's incredible. It's magnificent and we're enjoying it. We also came across a lot of tourists and they look so happy," said Pierre, a Parisian out admiring the snowy scenery.
People grabbed sledges or even just plastic bags to slide down any slopes they could find.
More than 1,000 travellers spent the night in Schiphol airport as some 700 flights were cancelled on Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive day of disruption at one of Europe's busiest hubs.
Schiphol spokesperson Stephan Donker told Reuters it was an "exceptional situation". The airport has set up a few hundred beds before and after security checks and provided pillows, blankets, food and drinks for travellers, he added.
Knock-on effects from the disruption could cause further delays and cancellations in the coming days, he said.
