Heavy rains and violent winds left two dead, four missing and thousands in southern France without electricity today.

Forecasters predicted better weather today as southern France reeled from storms that killed five people, forced thousands to evacuate their homes and crippled transport.

Surging flood waters killed three men and swept a woman off a bridge in storms that lashed southern France, closing schools, roads and power plants and causing dozens of people to flee their homes.

A cave with vivid prehistoric engravings possibly dating as early as 28,000 BC has been discovered in western France.