Overview

• A major power outage in southeastern France affected 160,000 homes, including Cannes, on the final day of the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
• Authorities suspect deliberate sabotage, with a fire at a Tanneron substation and a damaged high-voltage pylon identified as key causes of the blackout.
• The Palais des Festivals switched to independent power supplies, allowing the closing ceremony and scheduled screenings to proceed as planned.
• The outage caused significant local disruptions, including traffic jams, cash-only transactions, and temporary train service halts.
• Police have launched an investigation into potential arson, with no arrests reported yet, as restoration efforts brought partial power back by mid-afternoon.