The French Meteorological Agency pointed out on Monday that on that day, maximum temperatures in three-quarters of the country exceeded 35°C, with local temperatures reaching as high as 40°C. Orange heatwave alerts have been issued for 84 provinces.
The Meteorological Agency stated that this round of heatwave has swept across France since June 19 and is still ongoing. July 1st is expected to be the hottest day during this period, with maximum temperatures forecast between 36°C and 40°C, and up to 41°C in some areas; 16 provinces will issue red heatwave alerts.
Starting July 2, temperatures in regions along the English Channel and Atlantic coast are expected to decrease markedly. Until the weekend, this cooling trend will gradually spread from west to east across France, but high temperatures near the Mediterranean may persist.
Local media pointed out that France has implemented measures such as shutting down nuclear reactors, giving schools a holiday, and adopting flexible working hours at construction sites to cope with the heatwave.
French power company EDF confirmed on Monday that it had temporarily shut down the Golfech nuclear plant in the south on the evening of June 29 to prevent the Garonne River water—used for reactor cooling—from overheating.
According to the meteorological agency’s standards, an orange heatwave alert should be issued if high temperatures persist for three consecutive days and pose a health risk for people outdoors. A red heatwave alert should be issued for abnormally extreme temperatures in terms of duration, intensity, and coverage—which severely impact residents' health and normal social operations.