France recorded its hottest day ever on Tuesday as an early heat wave gripped Europe, pushing the national average to a record 29.8 degrees Celsius, Meteo-France said. The figure beat the previous high of 29.4 C from the 2003 and 2019 heat waves. The extreme conditions led to restricted hours at the Eiffel Tower and Louvre, altered school and transport schedules, and at least 40 drownings nationwide as people sought relief in water.
Meteo-France calculates its national thermal indicator as an average drawn from 30 weather stations spread across the country, offering a broad gauge of heat conditions rather than a single local peak. On June 23 this average climbed to 29.8 C, or 85.6 F, while scattered stations reported highs above 43 C in western and southern areas. The agency has flagged the early-season timing as notable given historical patterns.
Landmark sites in Paris adjusted operations to safeguard visitors and staff from the worst of the heat. The Eiffel Tower closed its upper levels earlier than usual, and the Louvre limited entry during peak afternoon hours, according to local officials cited by AP News. Comparable steps extended to other public venues facing similar strains.
Transportation networks across France and parts of neighboring countries scaled back services, with some rail routes running reduced timetables and schools shifting hours to avoid the hottest periods. Airlines at affected hubs logged higher cancellation rates as ground crews worked under temperature limits, AP News reported. The disruptions compounded challenges for residents already coping with successive warm nights that offered little respite.
France’s prior benchmark of 29.4 C for the national indicator was first reached during the 2003 heat wave, which caused thousands of deaths across Europe, and it was matched again in July 2019. That same year saw a local high of 46 C in southern France, at the time the absolute national record, Central Meteorological Archive figures show. The current event ranks as one of the earliest major heat episodes documented in June for the region.
Meteo-France has forecast that the heat will likely persist at least until the weekend, with potential for further extremes. “Further record-breaking temperatures are expected, including some that could surpass all previous records, regardless of the time of year,” the agency stated. Officials have urged hydration, limited outdoor activity during peak heat and vigilance for vulnerable groups.
At least 40 people drowned while swimming in rivers, lakes and coastal areas in attempts to escape the high temperatures, according to French authorities. The broader European heat wave has triggered alerts in Spain, Italy and Germany, with similar temperature spikes reported, regional meteorological services indicated. A United Nations climate assessment has tied the rising frequency of such events to human-caused climate change, projecting additional records in the years ahead.
