LYON, France — Torrential rains and egg-sized hail pummeled southwestern France on Monday and Tuesday, flooding rivers, sweeping away campsites, damaging the Beaujolais vineyards and killing two people.
Distraught homeowners dug through mud and pushed aside uprooted trees Tuesday to assess the damage. The freak storm arrived on the eve of the summer vacation season, when millions descend on the region to enjoy its sunny weather.
