Snow and ice in the French Alps have stranded 15,000 vehicles, snarling up holiday traffic to and from ski resorts, French media report.
The country declared an orange weather alert, its second-highest, as local authorities scrambled to put up motorists for the night.
One man died when his vehicle slid into a ravine in the Isere region.
The government asked drivers to "exercise the utmost caution" and avoid travel if possible.
Three people died in other snow-related incidents across France earlier this week, according to French daily Le Monde.
Snowy conditions in the French Alps are expected to persist into Sunday, followed by freezing weather next week when Paris should see its first frosts in more than a year, French weather forecasters say.
Local gyms and community halls were opened up as shelters in the Savoy region on Saturday.
Motorists seeking accommodation "stormed" the Chambery exhibition centre, according to a live page (in French) on the website of Le Dauphine Libere newspaper.
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