-
Four departments put on orange heatwave alert
Hot weather warnings look set to increase over the coming days
-
Tourism and leisure sectors in France commit to water saving measures
25 industry players will receive government funding to reduce consumption
-
French pharmacists threaten summer of ‘guerilla’ strike action
Protests, closures, and blockades of medicine depots are all on the agenda as anger in the sector rises
What is France’s Vigipirate alert system?
The security apparatus follows a three level plan

France follows a three level security alert system called Vigipirate to allow police and emergency services to coordinate their resources in times of crisis.
The name Vigipirate is an acronym for Vigilance et protection des installations contre les risques d'attentats terroristes à l'explosif.
The system, first introduced in 1978, has gone through several iterations. Last updated in 2016, there are currently three levels:

When has France been on high alert?
In the past ten years, France has been on its highest level of alert five times:
- March 19, 2022: After the Toulouse and Montauban shootings.
- January 7, 2015: After the Charlie Hebdo shooting
- November 14, 2015: After the November 2015 Paris attacks
- October 29, 2020: After the 2020 Nice stabbing.
- October 13, 2023: After the stabbings in Arras
Related articles:
Teacher killed, two injured in terrorist knife attack at French school
Paris trial over jihadist murder of French priest in 2016 begins today