Intense lightning storm hits Paris and northern France, striking Eiffel Tower

On the night of June 27, a rare and powerful thunderstorm swept across Paris and the northern regions of France. Over 13,000 lightning strikes were recorded in just five hours, with the Paris region experiencing around 1,800 impacts, including a spectacular strike on the Eiffel Tower. Wind gusts exceeded 100 km/h, and hail up to 3 cm in diameter battered areas from the Indre‑et‑Loire to Hauts‑de‑France.

Heavy downpours caused flash flooding, with nine mm of rain falling in six minutes at Rouen and 25 mm in half an hour at Pontoise. The storm briefly halted the Top 14 rugby final at Stade de France while officials awaited safer conditions. No official casualty or damage figures were released the following morning, but material damage was reported.

A separate social‑media video from Paris showed numerous lightning flashes without accompanying rain, prompting speculation about unusual atmospheric phenomena, though the event was consistent with the broader severe weather system affecting the region.