‘It’s becoming intolerable’: homeowners in France move north to escape the heat
Heatwaves becoming more regular and intense
Wildfires in Aude in summer 2025
Aygul Bulte/Shutterstock.
A sustained increase in summer temperatures is forcing some homeowners in southern France to seek a new life in the cooler north of the country.
There are currently, on average, two heatwaves every year. This is compared to one every four years in the period spanning the 1950s-1970s, according to Météo France. Over half of the 50-plus heatwaves recorded since 1947 have taken place since 2011.
The hot weather is also starting increasingly earlier in the season; June 2025 was the second hottest June recorded in France since 2003, when a deadly heatwave killed almost 15,000 people.
Retired nurse Heather Wilson, 68, from Oxfordshire, has noticed the change since she first bought a property in Lot 25 years ago.
“The summers in Lot are too hot. It’s now reaching 40-45C on a regular basis, which it never used to before,” she said.
“Without air conditioning, a pool or a source of water to cool off in, it’s impossible, because you can’t actually go anywhere or do anything.”
Her partner has recently bought a property in Brittany, and Ms Wilson is planning to follow suit.
“I’m looking at properties in Brittany or further north than I am now, because I think it will be impossible to stay here.”
Her current home, near Gourdon, is a three-storey barn without air conditioning. In the past it has stayed cool during the summer because of its traditional stone construction.
Last summer, however, with temperatures exceeding 45C, it was so hot inside the house that friends staying there had to sleep outside on the terrace.
Summer wildfires spread
It marks a significant change since Ms Wilson moved to the area, when people were drawn there specifically for the milder climate.
“When I first bought, people were moving up from the Mediterranean because it was getting too hot, so they were moving to the Dordogne/Lot area,” said Ms Wilson.
She also highlighted the growing number of wildfires.
“In recent years the fires have become a major risk,” she said.
“About two or three years ago, we could smell the fires around Bordeaux at the house, and that's 100 miles (160km) away. It’s a bit scary how everything is going, temperature-wise.”
In August 2025, a wildfire the size of Paris burned through the department of Aude, in southern France. It was the largest in over half a century, destroying more than 16,000 hectares, killing at least one person and forcing nearly 2,000 people from their homes.
Ms Wilson is not the only one considering a move among her expatriate friends.
“They’re struggling with the heat. It’s become a common topic of conversation with the British.
“The French seem to just shake their heads and accept it… they’re not so fazed by it. But certainly among the Britons that I know, it’s a consideration. The heat is becoming intolerable.”
Have you been affected by rising temperatures? Are you planning a move to cooler regions? Let us know at feedback@connexionfrance.com
