The vineyards of Burgundy are about to become the first in France to be totally covered by a "hailstone shield" to kill destructive storms that have blighted the famed wine growing region in recent years.

By June, the entire area will be protected by a network of 125 ground generators that cause tiny particles of silver iodide to rise to the clouds above, where they stop the formation of hail stones, and thus reduce the risk of damage.

The move to total "cloud seeding" cover follows several years of severe hail storms in Burgundy. Last year, Macon and Chablis were particularly hard hit.