France heatwave blamed for dozens of drownings and widespread school closures

Deadly heat across France

France’s unusually early heatwave has escalated into a public-safety crisis, with officials saying 40 people have drowned since June 18 and with wide disruption spreading across schools, transport and daily life.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the drownings occurred in unsupervised swimming areas and that most of the victims were young people. The toll has sharpened concern as residents have sought relief in rivers, lakes and other open-water spots during the heat.

Météo-France has placed 54 departments under red heatwave alert, a level reserved for the most dangerous temperature episodes. The warnings cover more than 90% of the population, underscoring the scale of the weather emergency.

Temperatures in parts of western France were expected to reach as high as 43C, while reporting said the country was entering several of the hottest days ever recorded for this time of year.

Schools, transport and daily life

The heatwave has forced more than 1,300 schools to close or reduce operations, adding pressure on families already coping with the temperature spike. The timing has made the disruption more severe because the episode hit while schools and workplaces were still in session.

Reporting also said train services and other public life have been affected. The strain has rippled through normal routines as authorities and emergency services try to manage both the health risks and the broader disruption.

The heatwave began around June 17 or June 18, according to later reporting, and quickly intensified across the country. AP reported 40 drowning deaths in France in the past week, while Le Monde described the country as heading into four of the hottest days ever recorded there.

The episode has revived concern about how dangerous early-summer heat can be in France, where red-alert warnings are used for the most severe heat events and where hot weather can quickly overwhelm public safety measures.

What officials are watching

The main questions now are whether the red-alert area expands or begins to shrink, whether more heat-related deaths or drownings are reported, and how long school and transport disruptions continue.

It is also unclear how far the emergency will spread into the rest of the week if temperatures stay elevated. Officials have warned of continuing risk as people look for ways to cool off and as the heatwave remains in place across much of the country.