A massive power cut plunged large swathes of the French Riviera and the Var into darkness on Wednesday night, in a bizarre outage that affected some cities and not others.

Initial reports say more than 130,000 people were affected by the power cut that impacted some towns in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var.

While Monaco was spared the surprise power cut, which occurred at around 7.55pm, homes and businesses in the cities of Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Cannes, and Tourrette Levens were among those impacted in the Alpes-Maritimes, as well as Draguignan, Saint-Maxime and Fréjus in the Var.

The power cut left several tens of thousands of homes without electricity. Traffic lights were also affected, as well as electric bus services.

Authorities say an incident on a high voltage line which supplies both departments is believed to be the cause of the massive outage.

Power supplies were returned at around 9.40pm.

Why was Monaco not affected by the outage?

Monaco receives its power from France, however early reports say that that the high voltage lines involved in the outage do not supply power to Monaco.

Though power cuts were reported in surrounding areas, including Beausoleil.

Make sure you’re never left out of the conversation. Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.   

Photo credit: Hani Agha