A severe heatwave gripping France has prompted the early closure of major Paris landmarks and triggered maximum weather alerts across much of the country. The Eiffel Tower is shutting its doors at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with last entry at 12:15 p.m., while the Louvre closes at the same hour through Monday and the Musée d'Orsay shuts early at 5 p.m. through Wednesday.
Temperatures in the capital have approached 40 degrees Celsius in recent days, with readings exceeding 35 degrees across the country on Saturday. Twenty-four departments are on maximum red alert, covering roughly 26 million residents. Bastille Day celebrations including fireworks and public festivals have been cancelled nationwide.
The extreme weather has taken a broader toll: since mid-June, 131 people have drowned in France, a 20% increase over last year, and more than 25,000 hectares of land have burned in thousands of wildfires since the start of the year.