PARIS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - French energy supplier Enedis, a unit of EDF, said on Monday that some 75,000 customers were without power after storm Gerard struck western parts of the country.

France has placed over 20 departments in its west and north and around Paris on an "orange" alert for high winds, heavy rain and possible flooding due to the storm, the second-highest warning.

The southern departments of Cantal and Lozere are not expected to be hit by the storm, but are on alert for heavy snowfall, Meteo France said. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; editing by Dominique Vidalon and Jason Neely)