Record Heat Across France
France is enduring a historic heatwave that has pushed temperatures to dangerous extremes across much of the country. Météo-France placed dozens of departments under its highest alert level as the crisis unfolded.4
Strasbourg reached temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius over the last weekend of June.4 The heat shifted eastward by Saturday, June 27, but the red alert remained in force across a wide swath of the country.4
Death Toll and Health Impact
France recorded approximately 1,000 excess deaths during the heatwave, according to early estimates.7 The country's health minister confirmed that the number of deaths observed was above normal levels.6
Since June 18, 74 drowning deaths were recorded across France.6 At-home deaths rose as the crisis continued into late June.7
Alert Levels and Department Status
At the peak, Météo-France placed 37 departments under red canicule alert and 48 under orange on Saturday, June 27.6 On Sunday, 24 departments remained at red alert, while 41 stayed at orange.6
Several departments, including Seine-Maritime, Eure, and Indre-et-Loire, dropped from orange to yellow on Sunday.6 The red alert was expected to lift by Sunday evening, June 28, as cooler air arrived from the west and northwest.4
What Was Driving the Heat
AccuWeather warned that over 250 million people faced a dangerous heat dome extending into the July 4th holiday weekend.3 The extreme heat warning remained active for multiple French departments including Jura, Yvelines, Loire, Meuse, Puy-de-Dôme, and Bas-Rhin.8
Météo-France noted that while the heatwave was receding, a fresh temperature rise was expected later in the week following July 1.5 A weak weather disturbance moved from Brittany toward Normandy and the Hauts-de-France, bringing cloudy skies and light drizzle along the English Channel coast.5
Current Conditions and Outlook
As of July 1, conditions were described as generally sunny across France, with more cloud cover over the northwest quarter.5 AccuWeather recorded a temperature of 23°C in the Gaillon area, with a RealFeel of 22°C.1
The broader pattern shows a receding heatwave followed by a renewed temperature rise expected later in the week.5 Cooler air arriving from the west also brings the risk of potentially violent storms.4
Check the forecast for your city at PrestoWeather to stay ahead of the next weather shift.