Overview
- The episode reached its peak on Thursday when record daytime and nighttime temperatures were logged across much of France and Météo‑France put a large majority of departments on maximum heat alert.
- By the morning of June 26 several Atlantic departments began to cool and Météo‑France announced 13 departments would be downgraded to orange on Saturday while 61 departments remained in red vigilance.
- Hospitals, especially in Paris, report rising hospitalisations and local saturation that officials warn is stretching emergency services and could force event cancellations and stricter public‑order measures.
- Critical infrastructure has been hit: Enedis reported tens of thousands of customers lost power in heat‑related incidents and SNCF warned of widespread rail disruptions that leave vulnerable passengers advised not to travel.
- Attribution studies and climate experts say the intensity and early timing are virtually impossible without human-caused warming, exposing gaps in adaptation in health care, transport and urban planning that will shape policy responses.