France activates red alert over extreme heat, alcohol restricted at Music Festival and hundreds of schools closed

France has placed around half of its territory, including Paris, under red alert as the country faces an intense heatwave and temperatures are forecast to reach record levels.

As part of preventive measures, the French authorities have banned the consumption of alcohol in public spaces during the National Music Festival, one of the country’s most important cultural events.

The French government has explained that the measure is intended to ease the burden on emergency services and the healthcare system, so they can focus on people most exposed to the high temperatures.

In Bordeaux, a city in southwestern France, temperatures have reached as high as 40 degrees Celsius, while meteorologists warn that the heatwave is expected to peak on Monday. At present, 49 French regions are under red alert, while most of the rest of the country remains under orange alert.

The extreme weather conditions have also led to measures in education: around 850 schools will remain closed, while another 1,500 will shorten their school hours, allowing pupils to leave earlier. The heatwave has also caused disruptions to some public services and the cancellation of dozens of railway lines.

According to Météo-France, the French meteorological service, hot air masses coming from the Sahara Desert have trapped hot air over Western and Central Europe, further worsening the climate situation in the region. Experts stress that it is still unclear how long this heatwave will last, and it could affect up to three-quarters of the French population.

To help residents and tourists cope with the high temperatures, authorities in Paris have decided that parks and public gardens will remain open at night.

Extreme heat is not affecting only France. In Italy, a red alert has been declared in eight major cities, while Spain has also issued similar warnings for several regions, where temperatures are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius.