Just to bring you all up to date.

France lost over 270 million trees in the storm of 26/27 December. That's 3% of its total tree stock. Thge whole country was hit to a greater or lesser extent, but the area around paris, Champagne, etc. was worst affected.

This was the worst natural catastrophy to French Forests since records began in 1660 under Louis XIV.

If any of you want to follow the news here are three websites:

www.metro.fr = Metereological Office
www.edf.fr = The Na6tional Utility Electicite de France
www.onf.fr = French Forest Service