Bordeaux, Angoulême, Bergerac: heat records broken across south-west France
Heatwave forecast to continue until weekend
The south-west in particular has been hit by extreme temperatures since August 9
Vereshchagin Dmitry / Shutterstock
The ongoing heatwave set new temperature records in several areas of south-west France on August 11 and forecasters warn that the episode is likely to continue until at least the weekend.
On Monday, 12 departments were placed on maximum red alert and 41 under on high orange alert due to the sweltering heat.
Bordeaux (Gironde) registered 41.6C in mid-afternoon, surpassing the city’s previous all-time record of 41.2C set on July 23, 2019 (data from Météo-France).
Likewise, Angoulême (Charente) and Bergerac (Dordogne) each recorded 42.1C, levels not seen since the deadly heatwave of 2003.
A total of 20 absolute heat records were broken across different weather stations, states Le Figaro-owned forecaster La Chaîne Météo, underlining the exceptional nature of this episode - France’s 51st officially recognised heatwave since 1947.
It follows a marked rise in temperatures since Friday, August 8, when the heatwave began affecting mainland France and Corsica.
The extreme weather is forecast to last until at least the August 15 bank holiday weekend, with the heat spreading north-east during the week.
Authorities continue to advise caution, urging people to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activity during the hottest hours, and check on vulnerable individuals. You can find tips for keeping our home cool here.
