A severe heatwave sweeping across France has resulted in at least 20 drownings, according to Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari, speaking on France Inter. The fatalities, recorded since the weekend, come as 54 départements remain on red alert, with temperatures soaring above 40°C in many areas.
Météo France forecasts that Tuesday will bring exceptionally high temperatures, both during the day and at night. Overnight lows are not expected to fall below 18 to 24 degrees across most of the country, while daytime highs will reach 40 to 42 degrees in the west, with peaks of 44°C in Bordeaux and 43°C in Rennes expected around 6 p.m.
Heatwave Strains French Farms, Schools, Rail, and Health Services
The extreme heat has disrupted transport networks, with several TGV high-speed trains, TER regional services, and metro lines cancelled or delayed on Monday. Disruption is expected to continue on Tuesday. More than 1,300 schools closed their doors on Monday, and the heatwave is straining French farms, schools, rail, and health services across the country.
Tragic incidents have been reported beyond the drownings. In Carpentras, in the Vaucluse, two young children aged two and four were found dead on Monday after apparently locking themselves in their parents' car in a residential car park. On Sunday, three elderly people died from the intense heat at home in Gironde.
Wildfires pose another significant threat. According to Météo France, weather conditions strongly influence the ignition and spread of fires due to the heat and lack of humidity. Twenty-eight départements are under a “high” risk of forest fires on Tuesday, a figure expected to rise to 34 on Wednesday.
Temperature records have already been broken, notably in Angers (40.9 degrees) and Châteaumeillant (43.3 degrees). The record for June was also broken in Paris, with 38.4 degrees recorded. These temperatures could be exceeded on Tuesday, with forecasts of 44°C in Bordeaux and 43°C in Rennes.
The heatwave is expected to persist at least until Thursday, after which it should ease slightly but remain above average for June, Météo France has warned. The situation underscores the growing impact of climate change on Europe, as seen in the second heatwave accelerating melting of the Bossons Glacier in the French Alps.
With more than 90% of the French population exposed to extreme, exceptional heat, authorities are urging caution. The red alert covers much of the western half of the country up to Burgundy, while 35 other départements are on orange heatwave alert.
