Paris - An unusually heavy snowfall accompanied by a cold snap paralyzed travel in sections of southern France on Wednesday, with the city of Marseille particularly badly hit, French media reported.

The Marseille-Marignane Airport was shut down early Wednesday as 18 centimetres of snow fell on France's second-largest city.

The snow also crippled Marseille's public transport system, with most tramways and buses not running and only below-ground lines of the city's metro system operational, France Info radio reported.

The national SNCF railway network said regional railway traffic has been virtually shut down, with few trains running in the Provence and along the Riviera, an area better known for its generally balmy climate.

In addition, access to most of the motorways around Marseille were closed by regional authorities, after dozens of cars became stuck on the snow-clogged roadways. Rescue operations were under way.

Thousands of households in the area were without electricity at noon Wednesday as power lines snapped under the weight of the snow. (dpa)