Nearly half of France’s 96 administrative regions are facing red heat warnings as the country prepares for dangerous temperature spikes. Météo-France reports that western areas could see temperatures exceeding 40C, with Bordeaux potentially reaching 43C. Approximately 63 million people are impacted by either red or orange alerts nationwide.
The intense conditions follow a weekend where temperatures climbed to 40C, forcing officials to ban alcohol at the national Fête de la Musique. In the Gironde region, officials confirmed that three elderly individuals died, with heat cited as a contributing factor. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist has advised citizens to monitor their vulnerable neighbors and relatives closely as the prolonged heatwave is expected to persist until the weekend.
Education authorities have closed 845 schools for the day, while others have allowed students to leave early. Travel disruptions are also widespread, with the French railway operator SNCF requesting that vulnerable passengers delay their journeys. Meanwhile, temperatures are surging across Europe, with Italy and Spain also bracing for extreme heat.
