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CLIMATE CRISIS

IN PICTURES: French drought intensifies as River Loire dries up

As France continues to suffer its worst drought on record, many of its mighty rivers - including the Loire and the Dordogne - have in some areas dwindled to a trickle while in other regions lakes and reservoirs have vanished.

Published: 11 August 2022 13:35 CEST
Updated: 14 August 2022 06:52 CEST
IN PICTURES: French drought intensifies as River Loire dries up
The shows the parched salt marshes on Ile de Noirmoutier, in the Bay of Biscay. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Almost all of France is now under some level of water restrictions and in many communes tap water has been rationed or even cut off altogether as supplies run dry.

The climate crisis-linked drought – intensified by an unusually hot summer – has dried out many subterranean water supplies, but the country’s rivers are also affected.

From the Loire to the Dordogne, rivers are slowing to a trickle – as this aerial video from French TV channel LCI shows.

The dry bed of the Loire River in Saumur, western France on August 8th. Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT / AFP)

Swimmers bathe in the Adour river near Aire-sur-Adour, southwestern France, on August 9th. Photo by GAIZKA IROZ / AFP

Across France many lakes have also virtually dried up, while reservoirs are at a perilously low level.

The dry bed of Lac des Brenets, part of the Doubs River, a natural border between eastern France and western Switzerland. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

In inland areas, many lakes have ‘beaches’ that serve as leisure attractions for locals who are too far away for day-trips to the sea – complete with sun-beds, bars, cafés and souvenir stalls.

Some lake beaches have been forced to close because of the lack of water.

A man walks at the Castillon lake, partially dried out, in Saint-Andre-les-Alpes, southeastern France. Photo by Christophe SIMON / AFP

Marshland has also dried out, threatening wildlife and also the livelihood of France’s artisan salt-makers, who produce fleur de sel from salt marshes around the French coastline.

French salt worker Evan Thoby collects salt flowers in salt marshes, in Batz-sur-Mer, western France. Photo by Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS / AFP

These scenes have been repeated across Europe, including in Italy where the Po river has dried up and Germany where the Rhine – which carried a huge amount of freight traffic in normal times – is perilously low and has had to restrict shipping. 

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CLIMATE CRISIS

9 tips to keep your French home cool without using air conditioning

As summer kicks off in France, temperatures are starting to rise - whether you want to avoid air conditioning for environmental reasons or if your place simply isn't equipped with it, here's how to stay cool this summer without AC.

Published: 2 June 2023 16:10 CEST
9 tips to keep your French home cool without using air conditioning

Air-conditioning is not a standard feature of French homes – under five percent of French households are equipped with it and having it installed can be complicated (not to mention expensive), especially if you live in an apartment block.

READ ALSO The rules of installing air-conditioning in your French home

And that’s before we get into the environmental impact of air-con – not only does it guzzle energy, but it also contributes to the ‘heat sink’ effect that can make cities up to 10C warmer than the surrounding area. If you have ever walked past the exterior of an air-conditioning unit in the street and felt the hot blast, you will realise why thousands of them make cities even hotter during the summer months. 

As the climate crisis intensifies, heatwaves in France are predicted to become longer and more intense. So here’s a look at how to keep your home cool without using air-conditioning. 

Keep it shady – In France, many homes and apartments have shutters. If you are from the US or UK you might not have grown up with shutters, but you will be surprised what a difference they can make, both in keeping your home cool during the summer and warm in the winter – during the summer the ideal technique is to keep the shutters closed during the day to protect your rooms from direct sunlight, then open them up at night and the early morning to let the cooler air in. 

If your home doesn’t have shutters and installing them is not an option (if you own your own home, shutters are widely available and reasonably priced from DIY stores) you might consider window insulation film. This will help both in the winter and the summer, but during the hot seasons, it will prevent heat from penetrating.

Anti-heat blinds are another option, and they are sold at many French hardware shops, like Leroy-Merlin. 

Neutralise heat ‘bridges’ – Did you know about the concept of a ‘heat bridge’? If you have a balcony or patio area that is covered in heat-sucking concrete, and you have a glass door or window directly next to it, then this will be funnelling heat into your home.

In order to keep the inside of your home cool, think about maintaining a fresh, shady space just outside of your house or apartment. Consider wooden panelling or fake grass (for balconies) instead of concrete, and create your own shade.

For balconies, you might consider a demi-parasol (half-umbrella), or an awning, or place a bamboo screening across the railing to block some of the sunlight. Plants also play a large role, and they can help keep the area around your windows cool as well. The greener your outdoor space, the better. Consider leafy plants that block sunlight in the summer, but lose their foliage in the winter (and thus give you more sun during the cold seasons) as an option to put nearby to your windows.

Air out your space – Do not keep your windows open all day long. Instead, try to create air flow with them, and do so during hours of the day when the air outside is cooler than the air inside.

The early hours of the morning (or late at night) is the best time to do this. 

Fans – Most people will have an electric fan (and if you don’t you might want to buy one now rather than waiting for the first heatwave when all the shops will instantly sell out), but how you use it is also important. 

For example, if you have more than one, you can place one fan on the ground to push cooler air around the space, while pointing another in the direction of an open window to shuffle the warm air out. 

Ultimately, the trick is creating currents so that cool air comes inside and warm air goes out. If you live in a multi-story home, remember that heat rises, so try to make it so fans blow hot air out upstairs and take cool air in downstairs.

If you have a ceiling fan, try setting it up so that it rotates counterclockwise, rather than clockwise, in the summer. This helps to push air down and to create a downdraft.

READ MORE: How can I protect my pet during a French heatwave?

Switch out your lightbulbs – This is an easy fix, but it can make a big difference. Incandescent light bulbs are prone to heating up quite a lot, which you probably already know if you have ever accidentally touched one.

Switching these out with CFL or LED bulbs can help save energy, and they emit significantly less heat. 

Avoid devices that generate heat – During July and August in France, you might want to stock up on the materials to cook up a delicious salade niçoise instead of a hearty gratin. Avoiding the oven can help keep your home cool, but there are other smaller electronics that also heat up when plugged in, like game consoles.

Keep these unplugged when you are not using them.

Walk around on bare floors – In the winter, your cosy carpet or rug helps to insulate the space and keep you nice and warm, but in the summer, carpeted rooms can start to feel warmer than certain bare floors.

If you have floors made of ceramic and porcelain tile, stone, or hard wood, consider keeping them bare to help stay cool. 

Handmade air con – One trick is to fill a bowl or saladier with ice cubes, then place it in front of a fan to enjoy a chilly breeze. Remember to refill the bowl once the ice melts, though. 

READ MORE: ‘Don’t sleep naked’ – How to get a good night’s sleep in a French heatwave

Buy a dehumidifier – While dehumidifiers cannot lower the temperature in the room, they can help make you feel a bit cooler by lowering the overall humidity. Another trick to keep your space less humid is to use bathroom and stove fans when appropriate.

Leave home – if your place starts to feel unbearably hot and stuffy, there are plenty of places that you can head to that are cooler. City authorities publish ‘cool maps’ during heatwaves that list all of the cool public spaces – from ancient churches to air-conditioned supermarkets and cinemas and the public ‘cool rooms’ that local authorities maintain for vulnerable people.  

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