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IN PICTURES: How France is coping with the record-breaking heatwave

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
IN PICTURES: How France is coping with the record-breaking heatwave
St Malo, Brittany. Photo: AFP

As the heatwave peaks here were the scenes from around France as children, adults and animals did their best to cope with record temperatures.

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Paris recorded its highest ever temperature as mercury levels hit 42.6C in Parc Montsouris, with records in Troyes, Rouen, Lille and Dunkerque also tumbling. 

Placing a number of departments on red alert for extreme heat, the government warned against physical exercise and unnecessary travel, encouraging regular intake of water. 

A young boy cools off in Paris' mist machines. Photo: AFP

Temperature records were broken in Paris. Photo: AFP

People cooling off in the Trocadeo fountains in Paris. Photo: AFP

Paris' urban beaches like the one at the Bassin de La Villette were descended upon by overheating Parisians. 

With some having to queue for over half an hour for entry, others decided to skip the lines and bathed in open areas of the canals. 

 

The city of Paris activated its emergency heat plan earlier this week, cool rooms were opened, extra water fountains installed and parks have been kept open overnight. 

Swimmers make the most of the Bassin de la Villette. Photo: AFP

Earlier today, at a summer camp for the children of SNCF employees, six children were hospitalised in heatstroke, whilst others were treated at the camp. 

READ MORE: Paris heatwave leaves children hospitalised with heatstroke. 

 

And it's not just the children feeling the heat! 

 

 

It's France's second extreme heatwave in under a month, but although temperatures in the capital reached new heights, the France-wide record of 46C - set earlier this month in southern France's Herault département - have not been reached. 

Nonetheless, continuing high temperatures have left signs of drought in areas such as the Loire Valley. 

Drought strikes the Loire Valley. Photo: AFP

Elsewhere in the south, training at Grenoble Rugby club proved a little too hot for comfort as members plumped for a more heat-appropriate budgie smuggler option.

 

One Frenchman even captured the moment some plastic road markings fell victim to the temperatures and started to melt. 

 

 

Luckily, for those struggling to cope with the heat, temperatures are predicted to drop rapidly after today. Highs of 31C are predicted in the capital for Friday, whilst storms on Saturday see it drop to 22C. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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A post shared by Just' Kio (@la_bande_a_louisette) on Jul 25, 2019 at 5:51am PDT

 

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