Record heatwave pushes French hospitals to the brink, kills four children, and sends residents fleeing to hotels

Record-breaking temperatures

Europe is sweltering through its most severe heatwave on record, with temperatures 5 to 12°C above normal, according to World Weather Attribution. France recorded its hottest day since records began nearly 80 years ago on Tuesday, and Paris hit a June record of 40.9°C on Wednesday. The UK and Switzerland also broke their June temperature records. The heatwave has now lasted more than a week.

Hospitals under siege

The prolonged heat has pushed hospitals to a critical point. In Paris, hospitalisations among people over 75 have increased 47%, and emergency calls are up 80%. Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou saw around 3,000 emergency admissions on Friday alone, a 36% jump compared with a normal day. In the UK, emergency department visits surged 50%, and several English hospitals declared critical incidents after cooling units broke down. Jim Cédric Hansen, vice-president of the International Commission on Disaster Medicine in Rouen, said older people are particularly vulnerable to prolonged exposure.

“The situation highlights the urgent need for stronger collaboration, reforms to healthcare staffing models, improvements to healthcare infrastructure, and greater government investment.”

Rising death toll

The heatwave has claimed lives, including four children who drowned. An adult man was found unresponsive in Paris's Canal Saint-Martin after swimming outside designated areas. The overall death toll continues to climb.

Fleeing to hotels

With few apartments in French cities equipped with air conditioning and zinc rooftops absorbing heat, residents have rushed to book hotels. Veronique Savoye, a resident of Tours, checked into a local hotel for four nights.

“It's about being more comfortable, and—above all—being able to sleep.”

Matthieu Evrard, CEO of Les Hotels (tres) Particuliers, said his countryside properties are fully booked, even without AC, as they rely on thick stone walls and pools.

“With the heatwave, everything has filled up in just two weeks.”

Climate warnings

Scientists draw parallels to the deadly 2003 heatwave that killed 70,000 people. Pierre Masselot, an environmental epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said climate models predicted more of these events. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, former IPCC vice-chair, warned that unless global CO₂ emissions are significantly reduced, future heatwaves will become even more extreme. Schools have closed, and Paris postponed its Gay Pride event.