Just as the nation recovers from a historic two-week heatwave, a new episode of intense heat is set to begin this weekend. Météo France has already placed two departments under an orange “heatwave” vigilance alert for Saturday, July 4, 2026, signaling the start of another challenging weather event coinciding with the first weekend of the summer school holidays.
The latest bulletin from the national meteorological service, issued on Friday, July 3, at 4 p.m., identifies the Pyrénées-Orientales and Hérault as the first areas requiring heightened caution. The alert underscores a “particular vigilance,” especially for sensitive or exposed individuals, though Météo France describes the upcoming episode as “unremarkable” compared to the previous one, forecasting a “progressive” rise in temperatures.
A Gradual Rise Before the Peak
The initial wave of heat will concentrate on the south-eastern quarter of the country, where temperatures are expected to exceed 35°C on Saturday. However, meteorologists warn that the heat will truly settle in on Sunday, July 5. Yann Amice, a meteorologist from WeatherNCo, explained that the northern half of France could see temperatures between 20 and 30°C, while the south-west will swelter in 34 to 38°C, with localized highs of 39°C around the Mediterranean basin.
The situation will be exacerbated by dying winds, as the tramontane and mistral are forecast to drop off starting Sunday, reducing any natural cooling effect. The first major peak of this heatwave is then anticipated for Monday, July 6. Météo France projects that the most intense heat will affect territories from the South-West to the lower Rhône Valley, with temperatures reaching or exceeding 35°C across the southern two-thirds of the country.
