Update, June 19: A total of 60 French departments are now under an orange heatwave alert for Saturday, with Météo-France warning that a possible shift to red alert could occur from Sunday.
The French forecaster is warning that as the heatwave intensifies it could lead to "the hottest day ever recorded in France" on Monday, June 22.
At the same time, French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu is poised to activate the inter-ministerial crisis centre at the Ministry of the Interior on Saturday, June 21, in response to the situation.
On Saturday, a few locally strong thunderstorms are expected over the northern half of France. Nights will remain warm, with minimum temperatures often above 20C and daytime highs of 35C and 38C.
Several departments have been newly added to the orange alert list including Ardèche, Drôme, Gironde, Landes, Maine-et-Loire, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and Deux-Sèvres,, while five northern departments previously under orange vigilance for storms (Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, and Somme) have been removed, resulting in an overall increase from 58 to 60 departments.
Sunday and Monday will mark the peak of the heatwave however. From Sunday, several departments could move into a red heatwave alert, as temperatures climb from 36C to 39C, with local peaks up to 40C.
A red alert (vigilance rouge canicule) is the highest level of weather warning in France issued by Météo-France, and signifies temperatures severe enough to pose a danger to the entire population — not only vulnerable people.
Monday June 22 is expected to be the hottest day, with temperatures potentially reaching 37Cto 42C, while nights remain extremely warm.
Météo-France said the day could reach the level of "the hottest day ever recorded in France for any month," with minimum temperatures forecast at above 22°C.
Fête de la Musique cancellations
Several cities and communes across France have cancelled or modified their Fête de la musique celebrations scheduled for this weekend as the heatwave intensifies.
Fifty-five departments have now been placed on orange heatwave alert with temperatures still continuing to rise. Sunday and Monday will be the hottest days and potentially the hottest days ever recorded in France.
Among communes under alert, Brive-la-Gaillarde (Corrèze), Claye-Souilly (Seine-et-Marne) , Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), Thouars (Deux-Sèvres), Le Teich (Gironde), Ecommoy (Sarthe) and Saint-Savinien-sur-Charente (Charente-Maritime) have cancelled their music festivities due to forecast temperatures of up to 40C.
Other municipalities are reducing events, and introducing safety measures. Further cancellations and restrictions may follow as local authorities continue to monitor conditions and alert levels.
The cancellations come as the temperature threshold of 40C was exceeded for the first time this year in France on Thursday, June 18. Météo-France recorded temperatures of 40.2C in the town of Montmorillon in the Vienne department and 40.4C in Saint-Florent-sur-Cher in the Cher department.
Temperatures are recorded in the shade meaning it is likely to feel much hotter in direct sunshine.
55 departments are on orange alert after Météo-France added Aisne and Ardennes on Friday at 12:00. Minimum temperatures are expected to reach 34C to 36C from the western Massif Central to the north-east, with local peaks of up to 38C.
Météo-France has warned of even higher temperatures through the weekend with the agency predicting that next Monday "could be among the hottest days ever recorded".
Additionally, meteorologist Yann Amice raised the possibility of the heatwave continuing until the end of the month in some parts of France, reports Nice Actu.
Key updates in France
A 30-year-old man dies at athletics track - A man was found in cardiac arrest at the Raoul-Dautry athletics stadium in Ermont, Val-d'Oise, on Thursday morning. Despite resuscitation attempts he was pronounced dead at the scene. His death has been linked to the heat.
Train cancellations - SNCF has cancelled 71 Intercités services up to and throughout Monday because the trains' older air-conditioning systems may fail under extreme temperatures. Affected routes include Paris–Toulouse, Paris–Clermont-Ferrand, and Bordeaux–Marseille. In the Grand Est region, SNCF is only running air-conditioned trains until June 22, leading to services in Lorraine, Alsace, and Champagne-Ardenne being disrupted or cancelled.
School closures - Around ten collèges in Paris implemented partial closures and special measures on June 18 and 19, with some classes suspended. Early closures were also reported in Toulouse. Oral baccalauréat examinations may be postponed locally for a few hours or longer if conditions are deemed unsafe for candidates or staff.
Drones deployed - Some municipalities have deployed drones to monitor rivers, canals and other waterways where swimming is prohibited, in an effort to detect unsafe bathing.
Canal Saint-Martin reopening - In Paris, part of the Canal Saint-Martin has been opened as a supervised swimming area, with clearly marked boundaries and capacity limits, offering residents a controlled option to cool off.
Water restrictions - 51 departments across France are subject to prefectural decrees aiming to limit or reduce the use of drinking water. A total of 335 zones are affected, particularly in north-central France.
Heatwave hotline - France's ministry of health has activated the country's Heatwave Information Service hotline, with the free service offering advice on how to cope with the heat. The number is 0800 06 66 66
Supermarkets allow pets in stores - In Mirecourt (Vosges), an Intermarché hypermarket is allowing small dogs into the store during the heatwave to prevent them from being left in overheated vehicles, following repeated incidents of pets being found in parked cars during high temperatures.
High risk of forest fires - Deux-Sèvres, Haute-Garonne, and Vaucluse are considered particularly at risk, with Météo-France warning that current weather conditions significantly increase the risk of an outbreak.
Tropical nights and limited cooling - In several regions, including Paris, the Rhône Valley, and parts of south-western France, overnight minimum temperatures may remain above 20C, with some areas staying between 22C and 25C making nights particularly difficult.
Heatwave safety advice - Authorities recommend drinking water regularly, even before feeling thirsty, avoiding physical exertion during the hottest hours of the day, and keeping homes cool by closing shutters and curtains during the day while ventilating at night where possible.
Heatstroke signs - Symptoms of heatstroke include very high body temperature, confusion, nausea, headaches, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness. Emergency medical assistance should be sought immediately if serious symptoms appear.
Health risks and medication warnings - Health authorities have warned that some medications - including diuretics, antidepressants, antipsychotics and anti-inflammatory drugs - can increase risks during extreme heat by worsening dehydration or affecting the body's ability to regulate temperature. Patients are advised to seek medical advice before making any changes to prescribed treatments.
Vehicle safety advice - High temperatures can affect cars, especially batteries, tyre pressure, coolant and oil levels and air conditioning systems. Checks should be carried out when the engine is cold and the vehicle is parked in the shade.
