France has recorded its hottest summer since national records began in 1900, according to Environment Minister Monique Barbut. Speaking at the release of the official climate report covering June, July and August, Barbut said: “We have experienced the hottest summer ever recorded since measurements began in 1900.”
The national weather agency Météo-France reported an average temperature of 24°C for the season, combining day and night readings. That figure sits 3.6°C above the long-term seasonal norm, surpassing the previous benchmark set in 2003, when temperatures ran 2.7°C above average.
A summer of extremes
The heat was accompanied by exceptional dryness. Rainfall across the three months was nearly 40% below normal, making it the second-driest summer since records began. The lack of precipitation, combined with scorching temperatures, fuelled a series of wildfires that stretched from the Mediterranean coast to regions that are typically cooler and wetter, including Brittany and parts of northern France.
One of the most destructive blazes tore through pine forests near Bordeaux, forcing around 250,000 people to evacuate their homes. Firefighters worked relentlessly through the season, often battling multiple fronts simultaneously.
Météo-France also noted an unprecedented number of heatwave days: 53 in total, spread across three distinct episodes. That far exceeds the 33 heatwave days recorded in the summer of 2022, which had previously been considered extreme.
Ocean temperatures around mainland France and Corsica also broke records, with coastal waters unusually warm throughout the season. The agency added that intense heat episodes extended beyond the traditional summer months, with exceptional warmth in May and early September—a pattern scientists attribute to climate change.
The heat was not confined to France. Millions of people across Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and other parts of western and southern Europe endured extreme temperatures this summer. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, heating at roughly twice the global average rate since the 1980s.
The findings add to growing concerns about the continent’s preparedness for more frequent and severe climate events. In neighbouring Belgium, authorities recently reported nearly 3,000 excess deaths during summer heatwaves, underscoring the human cost of rising temperatures.
France’s environment ministry has said it will use the data to push for accelerated climate adaptation measures, including better urban cooling strategies, wildfire prevention and water management reforms. The government has also faced pressure to address the broader drivers of warming, including emissions from transport and industry.
As Europe continues to warm faster than other regions, the summer of 2026 may serve as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. For now, the record stands as a warning that what was once exceptional is becoming the new normal.
