Destructive hail up to 8 cm in diameter hits the corridor between Besançon and Baume-les-Dames
A supercell thunderstorm unleashed hail ranging from 4 to 8 centimeters in diameter between Besançon and Baume-les-Dames, in the Doubs department. Dozens of vehicles were rendered unusable on the A36 motorway, roofs were damaged, and the village of Pouligney was particularly hard hit.
A supercell storm swept through northern Doubs on Thursday night, dumping 4 to 8 centimeters of hail between Besançon and Baume-les-Dames. The brief but intense event shattered windshields, roofs, solar panels, and damaged shops, leaving dozens of vehicles stranded on the A36 motorway.
The most severe hailstorm hit Pouligney-Lusans, Marchaux, École-Valentin, and the section of the A36 motorway between kilometer markers 100 and 110. Shortly after 7:00 PM, hailstones pierced windshields. The concessionaire APRR reported several dozen motorists unable to continue their journeys; other local reports put the number of affected cars at around 50. The motorway was not closed, but traffic was severely slowed.
In Pouligney, residents described the storm as an “apocalyptic” event: roofs ripped off, vehicles dented, and streets covered in ice. In École-Valentin, northwest of Besançon, the shopping arcade was flooded within minutes. There was also damage in Devecey, Marchaux-Chaudefontaine, Cendrey, Rougemontot, and Flagey-Rigney, where photovoltaic panels were destroyed. Hail measured in Autechaux reached 7 centimeters.
Firefighters from SDIS 25 received a flood of calls about damaged roofs, fallen trees, and obstacles on secondary roads. Regional media also reported minor injuries related to the impact on vehicles on the A36, although the final casualty count was not yet available this morning.
Météo-France had Franche-Comté under an orange alert for storms. The phenomenon was part of a severe outbreak that swept across eastern France. On Friday, several departments, including Doubs, remained on alert for a residual risk of hail, gusty winds, and heavy rain.
Local authorities and insurance companies began assessing the damage to homes, fleets, and crops. The corridor between Besançon and Baume-les-Dames was the hardest hit area in an event that, in just a few minutes, transformed a summer afternoon into a scene of exceptionally large hail.
Tormenta de granizo destructivo golpea entre Besançon y Baume-les-Dames (Doubs, Francia)
pic.twitter.com/727RgLehFr — Alertageo (@alertarojanot) August 27, 2026
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