France faces fourth heatwave of 2026 as 16 départements go on orange alert, with temperatures up to 42°C

Heat alert across France

Météo-France will place 16 départements under orange heatwave vigilance at midday on 29 July 2026, while 63 will be under yellow alert and only 17 remain green. The highest level covers mainly the centre-east from Puy-de-Dôme to Savoie, but also Gironde and Landes in the southwest, where a "fort pic de chaleur" is expected.

There will be a sharp heat peak over Gironde and Landes in a particularly difficult context requiring special vigilance.

The distribution of alert levels across all French départements is shown below.

Scorching temperatures

In Aquitaine, maximum temperatures will be between 38 and 41°C, with localised peaks of 42°C possible inland in Gironde and Landes. The heat will then spread eastwards, with highs of 36 to 39°C across the centre-east and 35 to 38°C in much of the rest of the country. In Loire-Atlantique, under yellow vigilance, inland towns like Ancenis-Saint-Géréon and Saint-Mars-la-Jaille could hit 38°C, while coastal spots like Pornic will see just 27°C. The contrast between coastal and interior areas is captured in the forecast maximums.

Wildfire adds urgency

The heatwave arrives just as Gironde continues to fight a megafire that has already burned nearly 42,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of 220,000 people. In neighbouring Landes, a separate fire that scorched 3,600 hectares is officially "fixed" but authorities warn it could reignite. Météo-France's special vigilance for these two departments reflects the heightened risk, with the peak of 42°C due in the very zone where firefighters are still at work.

Fourth heatwave of an intense summer

This is France's fourth canicule of 2026. The previous episode, which lasted from 4 to 19 July, was the country's third-longest on record. At its height, the national thermal indicator (ITN) – the average temperature measured across 30 reference stations – reached 28.1°C, more than 7°C above seasonal norms. The ten-day respite that followed is now ending abruptly, with Wednesday and Tuesday (28 July) expected to be the hottest days of this new spell.

Cooler air on the way

Météo-France forecasts a "nette baisse" of temperatures starting Thursday morning for the western half of the country. Gironde and Landes should drop back to yellow vigilance by 6 a.m. Thursday. However, hot weather will persist in the centre-east, with possible thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday that may help cool the atmosphere.

The duration of this episode will need to be clarified in the coming days.

Private forecaster La Chaîne Météo expects this wave to be "moins intense et moins durable" than the July event.