Live Roundups Editor's Desk Insights Executive Ops Weather About 🔍
Home › Weather › France records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across country
Weather

France records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across country

The Guardian Environment Tuesday 23 June 2026, 16:31 UTC By Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspondent 1 min read
Key Points

French weather service says temperature hit 44.3C in Pissos as heat forces Louvre and Eiffel Tower to close earlyEurope heatwave live – latest updatesFrance has registered its hottest day on record as 40 people across the country were confirmed to have drowned while swimming in unsupervised areas over the last few days. “There is a tragic scourge of drownings,” prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Tuesday. “The latest figures we’ve received are 40 deaths since 18 June.

French weather service says temperature hit 44.3C in Pissos as heat forces Louvre and Eiffel Tower to close early

France has registered its hottest day on record as 40 people across the country were confirmed to have drowned while swimming in unsupervised areas over the last few days.

“There is a tragic scourge of drownings,” prime minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Tuesday. “The latest figures we’ve received are 40 deaths since 18 June. Most of the victims are young people.”

Continue reading...
France (LOCATION) French (ORG) Pissos (LOCATION) Sébastien Lecornu (PERSON)
Originally published by The Guardian Environment Read original →

Related Stories

At least 40 drownings reported in France as Europe swelters

Schools close, railways urge against travel as Europe heatwave intensifies Wed 24 Jun 2026 at 5:09am In short: At least 40 people have drowned in France over the past five days as a record-breaking heatwave across Europe continues. Railway operators are urging against travel for the coming days and some schools in the UK are closing over fears for the safety of pupils. Climate scientists and the UN are warning Europe, the world's fastest warming continent, is experiencing extreme weather...

ABC Australia 51m ago

Popular city bans public alcohol amid heat wave as people take risks to cool down

France has banned some public drinking and restricted outdoor events as a brutal heat wave bears down on Europe, according to the Associated Press (AP).Tourists and locals are reportedly taking desperate — and sometimes dangerous — measures to cool off by plunging into canals and dunking in fountains. Authorities in France imposed alcohol restrictions in public spaces and at some major gatherings as temperatures climbed toward triple digits, as health experts warn that drinking in extreme...

Fox News 1h ago

Achieving net-zero carbon emissions can reduce the intensity, duration, and frequency of heat waves

Haxie Meyers-Belkin is pleased to welcome Dr. Chloe Brimacombe. She presents a clear and sobering analysis of the current European heatwave as both a meteorological event and a societal stress test. Her argument is that the exceptional temperatures affecting France are not merely unusual because of their intensity, but because they combine several compounding factors: their early arrival in the season, elevated humidity that amplifies health risks, and a broader trend toward longer and more...

France 24 1h ago

Searing UK heat leaves schools, hospitals and transport networks struggling to cope

Temperature on Tuesday hits high of 34.6C in Surrey, England, with heatwave forecast to get more intense on Wednesday and ThursdaySearing heat has swept the UK with schools, hospitals, transport networks and water companies struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures caused by climate breakdown. Temperatures hit highs of 34.6C in Wisley in Surrey, the Met Office said on Tuesday, with the UN chief warning that London was “cooking”. Reduced rail speeds and services;Hospital patient...

The Guardian World 1h ago