France Under Severe Heatwave as Red Alerts Cover More Than Half the Nation

Paris — France prepared for a week of record-breaking temperatures on Monday, as a brutal heat wave brought daytime highs above 40°C (104°F) and sweltering nights that robbed many of sleep.

The national meteorological service, Météo-France, said most of the country—an EU leader in size and the second most populous—was entering a prolonged “plateau” of extreme heat that was not expected to ease before Friday at the earliest.

With limited air conditioning across the nation, schools, businesses and public services scrambled to adapt. Hundreds of schools were closed on Monday and many more were canceling classes, the education minister reported.

Transport authorities urged commuters to stay hydrated, while medical experts warned against consuming alcohol in the extreme heat, a potentially deadly combination. Authorities increased enforcement of public drinking rules, and several drownings were reported as people sought relief in rivers despite safety warnings.

Scientists link the intensifying heat to human-caused climate change, and U.N. climate projections suggest the coming five years will see more record-high temperatures.

By Monday, over half of France’s regions were under a “red alert” for heat, with forecasts of temperatures exceeding 40°C during the day and nights staying above 20°C.

Neighboring United Kingdom also issued an “extreme heat” warning for southern England and parts of Wales through Thursday, with possible temperatures reaching 38°C (100°F), surpassing the June record of 35.6°C set in 1976.

According to the World Health Organization’s Europe office, more than 200,000 people across Europe have died from heat-related causes in the past four years, most of which were preventable. Elevated temperatures continue to pose risks of heat exhaustion and life‑threatening heatstroke this summer.

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