France has placed more than a third of its mainland departments under a red heat alert, cancelled outdoor sports events, and restricted alcohol consumption at the nationwide Fête de la Musique as a brutal heatwave pushes temperatures above 40C. The national meteorological service Météo-France described the heatwave as of “exceptional severity and duration,” likely to break monthly and possibly all-time records.
Record Heat Alerts Across France
Level 1 or 2 heat alerts were issued on Sunday for about 53 million people, just over 75% of the population. A record 35 of France’s 96 mainland departments were placed on danger-to-life red alert, with another 45 under orange warning. Ecology minister Mathieu Lefèvre said on Sunday that 14 more departments would be on red alert on Monday. “We do not see temperatures falling before the end of the week,” he warned, demanding “great prudence and a great many precautions.”
Météo-France stated: “Very high temperatures are setting in for the long term.” Temperatures could exceed 40C in many places on Sunday, with some areas facing rises to 42C or beyond from Monday. The national heat index, an average of day- and night-time highs at 30 weather stations, is expected to hit its highest ever level.
Fête de la Musique Impacted
Sunday’s Fête de la Musique, a nationwide summer solstice celebration with free performances and street parties, raised heat-related health concerns, especially in Paris, Lyon, and other major cities. Culture minister Catherine Pégard urged “extreme vigilance” and left decisions to local authorities. Most opted to proceed with precautions.
Several towns cancelled pre-7pm performances or moved them indoors. Many introduced alcohol restrictions, banning drinking on the street and in public spaces in red alert areas, with no alcohol sales at municipally organised events. In Paris, under red warning, stronger drinks including high-alcohol beers, fortified wines, and spirits were banned along the Seine and Canal St-Martin to reduce the risk of people falling in. Drinking at licensed bars, cafes, and terraces where many gigs take place remained permitted.
Nearly 5,000 police were deployed across the capital, along with 2,500 emergency and health service workers. Paris city hall installed more than 1,300 free public water fountains, and over 1,500 local shops signed up to fill personal water bottles without charge.
Government Response and School Closures
Prime minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a government heat crisis meeting on Saturday and planned another on Sunday, ordering ministers to plan for better adapting France to future heatwaves. Education minister Édouard Geffray announced that over 800 schools across the country would not open on Monday due to extreme heat, while another 1,800 were rescheduling classes and end-of-year exams.
SNCF state rail service head Jean Castex advised “more vulnerable passengers” to avoid trains and postpone journeys if possible, warning that air-conditioning systems and rail infrastructure were being “heavily tested.”
Drownings and Broader European Heatwave
Authorities reported four children aged 11 to 17 drowned in swimming accidents on Saturday, including two in the Doubs River in Besançon, where swimming was banned. The heatwave also affected Italy, where heat warnings expanded from seven to eight cities in northern and central parts. In Spain, Aemet issued red warnings for northern regions, with temperatures between 40C and 42C forecast in major river valleys and inland areas like Andalucía and Extremadura, rising to nearly 44C by Tuesday. In the UK, the Met Office said baking heat could last until at least Thursday, with growing confidence that this week could break the record for the hottest UK June temperature of 35.6C set in Southampton in 1976.
