NORMANDY town Saint-Lô has become the first in France to open a hydrogen filling station, which will fuel council vehicles.

Designed and installed by Air Liquide, the station was ordered by Manche conseil général for its fleet of 10 clean hydrogen cell electric vehicles.

Air Liquide can fill a tank in less than five minutes and each gives a range of up to 500km, which will reduce CO2 emissions as hydrogen power emits only water vapour.

Although it is a first for France, Air Liquide has previously built filling stations for the general public in Rotterdam, Düsseldorf and in several cities in Denmark.

* All this week we will be looking at newsworthy events in Normandy to tie in with a feature on Normandy food festivals in this month’s Connexion. To get your copy of the February issue you can find us at newsagents and supermarkets across France. Use www.findthepressinFrance.com to find your nearest stockist – or click here to download a pdf version now for €3.50.