White Christmas arrives in eastern France amid travel alerts

SAINT-ETIENNE, FRANCE - DEC. 24: Snowfall blanketed parts of eastern and southeastern France on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, bringing winter conditions to low altitudes and plains.A cold air mass moving over the country triggered the precipitation, covering streets, parks, and rooftops in white in cities such as Saint-Étienne.Météo-France issued weather alerts for snow and black ice for the Rhône Valley and surrounding areas. While the weather created picturesque holiday scenes, it also complicated travel conditions during one of the busiest nights of the festive season.Local accumulations of a few centimeters were reported across the affected regions.(Footage by Mathieu Prudhomme/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)