France Imposes Alcohol Ban and School Closures as Temperatures Soar
France has banned alcohol sales and consumption in public spaces across multiple regions, closed hundreds of schools, and reduced train services as a brutal heatwave pushes temperatures above 40°C. The country's national weather service, Météo-France, has placed 49 departments under a red alert for extreme heat, with an additional 40 on orange alert.
The heatwave, which began on June 22, is expected to peak in Bordeaux at 42°C. Météo-France warned: 'An intense and prolonged heatwave is underway, with temperatures locally exceeding 42 degrees Celsius in the afternoon across central and western France.'
Alcohol Restrictions at Fête de la Musique and Along Seine
To protect public health, authorities have cancelled some outdoor sports events and imposed alcohol restrictions at the nationwide Fête de la Musique festival. Many regions have banned drinking on the streets or in public spaces if under red alert, and no alcohol is on sale at municipally organised events. In Paris, under red alert, high-alcohol beers, fortified wines, and spirits are banned along the banks of the Seine and Canal St-Martin to reduce the risk of people falling into the water. Drinking at licensed bars remains permitted.
845 Schools Closed, 1,800 Finish Early
According to France's education minister, 845 schools were closed on June 22, with another 1,800 allowing pupils to finish early. The government urged people to avoid cooling off in unsupervised lakes and rivers, citing 13 drowning deaths over the previous weekend alone, as reported by the BBC.
Train Services Reduced Across France
France's national railway operator SNCF reduced several train services in Paris, urging 'vulnerable' people to avoid or postpone travel. Belgium also cancelled some peak train services for June 23 as the country expects record highs. Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg have also issued red weather warnings.
Heatwave Spreads Across Europe and UK
The heatwave is also impacting Spain and Italy, with Madrid hitting 39°C and Rome predicted to reach 37°C. The UK Met Office has placed parts of southern England under an amber heat warning, upgrading to red on June 24-25, with temperatures expected to reach 39°C. The Met Office stated: 'This heatwave is being driven by a strong area of high pressure building over continental Europe, with temperatures around 10°C above average for mid-June.'
