Wind and storms on the day: what to do with a reception tent

The first threshold is the warning level. Météo-France monitors nine phenomena, including wind and storms, and gives each a colour. That colour tells you the level of danger expected, not a precise wind speed.

The second is the structure's own limit. Each tent is designed for a maximum wind speed, and its hire company knows it. This is the right question to ask: “up to what wind speed can your tent stay open to the public, and what do you do beyond it?”.

The third is regulatory. For a tent open to the public, article CTS 7 of the safety regulations provides for evacuation above a normal wind of 100 km/h, unless a higher value is justified by a calculation note. It refers to a “normal wind”, a design notion and not a warning one: do not derive a conversion to a warning colour from it.

Until that date, a single warning level applied to a whole department. Since 1 September 2026, Météo-France also identifies the areas exposed to violent winds, flooding, storms and snow-ice within a single department. A department can therefore stay yellow on the national map while part of it appears orange on the “Wind” map.

In practice, the main map still shows the department's highest level. To see what concerns you, open the map for the phenomenon (Wind or Storms) and look at your municipality's area. This breakdown is applied only when forecasts can locate the at-risk zones with enough certainty, and it covers mainland France and Corsica.

The maps are updated at least twice a day, at 6 am and 4 pm. For an evening event, the 4 pm update is the last one before guests arrive: plan to look at it.

The CTS articles apply to soft-covered tents where the public capacity is at least 50 people. Between 20 and 49 people, only article CTS 37 applies. For a smaller reception, CTS 37 applies alone: ask your hire company or the town hall what it requires. The rule that matters remains the hire company's.

When the CTS articles apply, three obligations concern the organiser. Evacuation is required above a normal wind of 100 km/h, or a higher value justified by a calculation note. For an existing establishment, the maximum wind speed set is stated in the safety register extract. And the organiser must obtain the mayor's authorisation, with the register extract sent 8 days before opening to the public.

So ask your hire company for that extract and read the wind line. That line, not a warning colour, sets the point at which you evacuate. For the full procedure, see the article on marquee authorisations. If in doubt about your situation, the town hall is the right contact.

Under a darkening sky, decisions are made badly. Put them in writing a week ahead, with the hire company, and share them with the best man or maid of honour, the caterer and the DJ.

The table above gives the rhythm. A week before, a forecast only shows trends: use it to confirm the on-call line and the fallback venue, not to cancel. The day before, the next-day map is available from 6 am: if wind or storms are forecast, check the detailed maps and call the hire company rather than waiting.

The Météo-France app can send notifications when the chosen departments go orange or red. Choose the one where the event takes place, and those suppliers will travel from.

Warn the hire company's on-call line first: it knows its structure's safety procedure, which may involve opening or removing walls to reduce the wind load. Follow its instructions to the letter.

Never act on the structure yourself. Do not release or move a stake, ballast weight or strap, do not climb on the tent to remove water or canvas, and do not let guests or suppliers do so.

As soon as the decision to fall back is made, apply it without waiting for the threshold: move to the permanent building in small groups, starting with the most vulnerable. Switch off the sound system and lighting effects that get in the way of instructions, and think about emergency lighting or torches if night is falling.

For a storm, the aim is simple: get guests into a permanent building before it breaks, rather than leaving them waiting under the canvas. Here you are following common sense and the authorities' instructions, which an orange warning asks you to respect.

Do not let guests back in until the hire company has checked the structure: anchoring, guy lines, walls, lighting and electrical connections, wet flooring. A tent that has moved can look intact and no longer be so.

Note what happened (times, decisions, exchanges with the hire company). The account will help your insurer if damage occurs, and your next event. For a wedding or private party, a weather plan B clearly explained to guests makes all the difference: see also the related articles below.