French transport minister condemns 'malicious acts' causing travel mayhem ahead of opening ceremony

High-speed trains including Eurostar were hit by what the national rail company SNCF called a series of co-ordinated arson attacks, although there was no immediate evidence of a link to the Games.

SNCF said its Atlantic, North and East networks were damaged in the incidents, but that an attempted attack in the South-East was foiled.

Vergriete wrote in a post on X: "Co-ordinated malicious acts targeted several TGV lines last night and will seriously disrupt traffic until this weekend.

"I strongly condemn these criminal actions which will compromise the departures on vacation of many French people. A big thank you to the #SNCF teams, on deck to restore traffic conditions as quickly as possible."

Trains from London to Paris and Lille were being delayed by around an hour and a half, and several trains have been cancelled. Eurostar said all high-speed trains to and from Paris were being diverted to a slower line.

Security has been high in Paris in the build-up to the historic opening ceremony, in which athletes will travel down the River Seine on a flotilla of boats.

On Sunday, a Russian man, Kirill Gryaznov, was arrested at his flat in Paris accused of being a spy who was part of a plot to disrupt the Games.

Russia is officially barred from the Games due to its war in Ukraine, although just over a dozen athletes from the country are being allowed to compete as neutrals.

There was no immediate link between the incidents, which involved fires being laid across the tracks, and Russia or Belarus.

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