France has recorded more than 7,300 excess deaths during this summer's heatwaves, provisional data shows, after Environment Minister Monique Barbut warned of economic losses reaching 15 billion euros.
Three distinct heatwaves struck the country since late May, producing 52 days of extreme heat — a record surpassing the 33 days of 2022 and 22 of 2003. The first episode, from June 17 to July 2, caused 5,764 additional deaths, while a second wave through mid-July added 1,243 more, with roughly three-quarters of the victims aged 75 or older. An initial late-May spell contributed 300 deaths. Temperatures hovered near 40 degrees Celsius in late June and early July, making July the hottest month ever measured in France. A final mortality report is expected in October.