July 14, wildfires, and the big bike race: 6 essential articles for life in France
There are many ways to celebrate, including fireworks displays, traditional parades and the highly popular
bals de pompiers
, where French firefighters host parties in their station houses. Here's what to expect this year.
July 14th: What's happening during France's Fête nationale this year
It's still early in the usual summer season for wildfires, but France has already dealt with two major blazes that caused widespread travel disruption – one of which saw
hundreds of people evacuated from their homes in the country's second-largest city
.
These are unlikely to be the last major fires of the summer due to tinder-dry conditions and further forecast heatwaves. Scientists say that
climate change
is making the European
wildfire season
longer while increasing the geographical spread of fire risk zones and making the heatwaves that are a major cause of fires more likely. So..
Is France ready for a summer of increasingly severe wildfires?
In total only around 25 percent of private homes in France have air conditioning installed, so if you're moving here then it's likely that your new place won't have it. There are, however, alternatives that will also keep you cool when
la canicule
(the heatwave) hits.
7 alternatives to air conditioning in France
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It's fair to say France is a country that thrives on bureaucracy and admin – and many new arrivals are issued with strict instructions to never throw away any piece of paper, in case it proves vital at a later date.
But, with more and more admin moving online things are perhaps less paper-based than they used to be, but still the terror of throwing away the wrong item remains. So, now, the French government's Service Public has issued a list of the papers that must be kept forever and ever, and those that can safely be thrown away after a certain amount of time.
French government clarifies how long you must keep paperwork for
They're expensive, but for some people full immersion French language exchanges are the best way to learn the language. Here, Gabrielle Nadler examines the advantages and disadvantages of these programmes.
Are French language exchange holidays worth it?
Some 184 riders from 26 countries set off on a big cycling tour around France with the dream of winning the world's most famous bicycle race – here's why you should watch the Tour de France, even if you have no interest in bikes.
7 reasons to watch the Tour de France (even if you have no interest in cycling)
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Local France
8 hours ago
- Local France
'Not normal . . . a nightmare' - French react to searing heatwave
France is currently in the grip of an exceptional heatwave - large parts of the country are on red alert , the highest alert level, while temperature records tumbled in the south-west of the country on Monday. Despite those people who insist on responding that this is 'just a normal summer' or 'France in summer is always hot', we know that these temperatures are unusual. Météo France has described the heatwave as exceptional, albeit not unprecedented, and there is good, solid data that shows that overall French summers are getting hotter . Advertisement Not only are summers as a whole getting hotter, but heatwaves themselves are getting longer, more frequent and more intense . As for being 'normal for France', the French are suffering too . The French agro-climatologist Dr Serge Zaka posted on social media: "No, this is not 'normal for summer'. Monday's temperatures are set to be 14C to 17C above average for August 11th, with the potential for around a hundred weather stations to exceed 40C. "This is not normal, it's a nightmare." In Cagnes-sur-Mer, close to Nice, pensioner Monique told local reporters that she went to the market at 7.15am to avoid the worst of the heat, adding: "I can't stand this heat anymore." Stallholder François said that the heat had been "unbearable" on Monday. In Avignon, teenager Mourad, who describes himself as 'a Vaucluse native used to the heat', told France Info : "I didn't expect the heatwave to come back like this, it's really surprising. I hope it doesn't last too long, because going back to school would be tough, in these temperatures." Fellow Avignon resident Nabil described his working conditions as 'hell', saying: "I work in a quarry - in a hole basically - so it's even hotter. "Our bosses asked us to start work an hour earlier in the morning, but well... it's hell. We drink a lot of water and wait it out." Monday saw several places in France record their hottest ever temperatures - Sauternes in the Gironde département was 42.5C, beating the record of 41.8C set in August 1906. Advertisement Several records set during the severe heatwave of 2003, in which 15,000 people died, also toppled - Angoulême-la-Couronne in Charente was 42.3C while Bergerac Dordogne registered 42.1C and Saint-Emilion was 41.5C. Bordeaux was 41.6C, beating a record set during the 2019 heatwave. Monday also saw high night-time temperatures - known as 'tropical nights', when the temperature never falls below 20C, these can make sleeping difficult. On Monday night the temperature never fell below 28C in Nice, 26C in Toulon, 21C in Montpellier and Le Havre, while Grenoble, Paris and Agen saw night-time lows of 20C. Health minister Catherine Vautrin said : "At these temperatures, everyone, even the young and fit, can succumb to heatstroke if they do not take precautions." And the phenomenon of people insisting that these are normal summer temperatures, even faced with weather data showing clearly that they're not? That's so common that it has a name - 'shifting baseline syndrome'. The term was coined in 1995 by French-Canadian biologist Daniel Pauly, and explains that our perception of temperatures is changing in the context of climate change, as we take increasingly higher temperatures as our reference point and become accustomed to them.
LeMonde
15 hours ago
- LeMonde
Heatwave spreads across Europe, sparking deadly wildfires in Spain
A man died after suffering burns and thousands fled their homes in Spain on Tuesday, August 12, as wildfires fuelled by a heatwave scorched southern Europe. Heat alerts were issued in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Balkans, with temperatures expected to soar above 40°C. One child died of heatstroke in Italy on Monday. A man who suffered serious burns died in hospital as winds of up to 70 kilometers per hour whipped flames through Tres Cantos, a wealthy suburb north of the Spanish capital of Madrid, officials said. He was the first fatality from dozens of wildfires that have hit Spain since a heatwave began last week. Hundreds of residents of Tres Cantos left their homes due to the risk from the blaze, which was contained on Tuesday morning. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X that rescue services "are working tirelessly to extinguish the fires" and warned that "we are at extreme risk of forest fires. Please be very cautious." "In barely 40 minutes, the fire advanced 6 kilometers," Carlos Novillo, Madrid's regional environment chief, told reporters. Saved at 'last second' Elsewhere, about 2,000 people were evacuated from hotels and homes near the popular beaches of Tarifa in the southern region of Andalusia. The wildfire broke out near where a similar blaze forced evacuations earlier this month. "We managed to save the residential area at the very last second," said Antonio Sanz, the Andalusia region's interior minister. A Civil Guard police officer was injured after being struck by a car while helping with the evacuation, he added. In the northwestern region of Castile and Leon, more than 30 blazes were reported, including one threatening Las Médulas, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its ancient Roman gold mines. Climate change driving heatwaves Meteorologists predicted that Tuesday will be the hottest day yet of the heatwave, with all regions under weather alerts. Forecasters said temperatures would hit around 40°C and overnight lows would remain above 25°C. Climate experts say global warming is driving longer, more intense and more frequent heatwaves around the world. In neighboring Portugal, firefighters battled three large wildfires, with the most serious near Trancoso in the center of the country. More than 700 firefighters and four aircraft were deployed. Authorities warned that temperatures in southern Portugal could reach 44°C. Morocco sent two Canadair planes to assist after two of Portugal's own water-dropping aircraft broke down. French hospitals braced for fallout Temperature records were broken at at least four weather stations in southern France on Monday, and three-quarters of the country was under heat alerts Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to top 36°C in the Paris region and 40°C in the Rhône Valley region. In the Rhone department, authorities suspended outdoor construction work from midday until 10 pm and banned outdoor public events. French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said hospitals were braced for fallout from the country's second heatwave in just a few weeks. Temperatures started rising on Friday and could remain high into next week, according to the national weather office Météo-France. That would make it a 12- to 14-day stretch of extreme heat. Italian agriculture hit hard Meanwhile, 11 Italian cities, including Rome, Milan and Florence, were placed on red alert Tuesday due to the heat. Meanwhile, officials said a wildfire near Mount Vesuvius has been brought under control after burning nearly 600 hectares over four days. The scorching temperatures and drought have hit agriculture hard. Italy's main farm lobby, the Coldiretti organization, said vegetable production in the southeastern Apulia region has dropped by 30%. In England, a water shortfall was classed as "nationally significant" after experiencing its driest first six months of the year since 1976, the Environment Agency said.
Local France
16 hours ago
- Local France
What gets cancelled during heatwaves in France?
If temperatures soar, the national weather service (Météo France) will issue a heat-related warning on a scale of yellow (exercise caution), orange (be very vigilant), and red (possible danger to life). READ MORE: Explained: What does a red weather warning mean in France? These warnings are issued by département via Météo France's 'vigilance' map , which they update daily, and they come with various advice for how to stay safe. Local authorities may open special air-conditioned cool-off areas, and they may increase opening hours for parks and other shady areas. Advertisement On the other hand, local authorities, businesses and event organisers may choose to close during a heatwave. Hiking in the mountains Heatwaves can coincide with increased forest fire risk. Météo France also issues a forest fire risk map . If an area is deemed at higher risk for wildfires, local authorities may issue a décret closing off certain massifs (mountain ranges) to non-essential personnel. On top of that, hiking in extreme temperatures can be very dangerous, particularly if you are in an area with little tree cover. Access to forests and natural parks can also be closed due to a risk of wildfire. READ MORE: How to stay safe when hiking in France in the summer Train travel While it remains uncommon for French rail services to cancel large swathes of scheduled train journeys due to high temperatures, heatwave-related cancellations and delays are becoming more common, especially on lines with older trains, like the Intercités and TER (regional) train services. Train journeys may be cancelled due to concerns related to adequate air conditioning. Similarly, trains may be cancelled or delayed due to high temperatures causing the steel rails to deform, which can cause damage and possibly lead to derailments. The hot temperatures can also force trains to run slower, in order to avoid engines overheating. Before heading to the train station during a heatwave, be sure to check the status of your train online. Always pack extra water in case of delays. READ MORE: Should I worry my French train will be cancelled during a heatwave? As for public transportation - in Paris, the city public transport runs during heatwaves, but lines can be disrupted or services suspended if a passenger collapses and requires medical attention - which is why you will hear lots of announcements encouraging you to stay hydrated on the hottest days. Advertisement Dechetteries (Recycling centres) Waste collection centres often close or alter their operating hours when temperatures climb. Closures and altered hours are meant to protect staff, as many dechetteries are highly exposed to the sun with little to no shade. Fireworks displays If there is a risk of wildfires in addition to the heatwave, then local authorities may ban fireworks displays in order to prevent a possible fire. Small businesses and restaurants Currently, it is not common to see shops and restaurants close during heatwaves, despite the fact that some work (eg cooking in a non-air-conditioned kitchen) can be very dangerous at high temperatures. This may soon change. In July, France brought in new legislation requiring employers to take more precautions to ensure that their employees are safe in the heat, which could include altering working hours (and therefore opening hours of a public site). Therefore, you may notice more businesses opting to close or change their hours once temperatures reach 35C or higher. Tourist attractions The decision to close or alter hours at tourist destinations is usually up to local authorities or the private operator. Some tourist destinations may instead change their offering slightly. For example, in July, the Eiffel Tower closed its summit to the public in order to ensure visitors' and staff safety, but they left the first and second floors open. People with tickets to the summit were reimbursed. Schools If a heatwave hits outside of the summer holidays, it could lead to school closures, particularly if the school is not adequately prepared to handle high temperatures. Parents will be informed of any closures ahead of time. Events A red alert gives local authorities the power to cancel large public events such as music festivals if they think the heat poses a danger to attendees. Likewise, organisers may cancel if they believe they cannot keep visitors safe. Similarly, local authorities can cancel sporting events if the heat is seen as too extreme. Open-water swimming areas Heatwaves often lead local authorities to make access to swimming pools free or at a reduced price . However when it comes to wild swimming or open-air swimming sites, high temperatures can lead to increased concentrations of bacteria, dangerous algae, and jellyfish. Local authorities may have to close swimming areas if the conditions become unsafe.
