The French government has placed a record-breaking 49 departments under a red heatwave alert for Monday, June 22, marking the largest extension of the highest warning level since its creation in 2004. Another 40 departments will be under an orange alert, meaning more than 90% of the population will face extreme heat conditions. The announcement came Sunday afternoon from Mathieu Lefèvre, the minister delegate for ecological transition, who described the heatwave as “particularly intense and particularly early.” He called for “a great deal of caution, many precautions, and a very strong mobilization of state services, prefects, and local officials.” The previous record for a red heatwave alert dated back to July 2019, when 20 departments were placed under the maximum warning for two days. That benchmark was already shattered on Saturday, when 35 departments went red. >According to an AFP tally based on population estimates and the latest Météo-France bulletin, some 34.89 million reside in the departments now under a red alert. Among them, 3.85 million are aged 75 or older, based on INSEE data as of January 1, 2026. Météo-France forecasts maximum temperatures between 40 and 42°C in the red-alert zones on Monday. The institute warned that “the average temperature could reach the level of the hottest day ever measured in France, all months combined.” Specific forecasts include 38 to 40°C in the Île-de-France region, western Brittany, and the Rhône Valley, while areas from northern Aquitaine to Touraine and Anjou could see 40 to 42°C. Overnight lows will also remain exceptionally high, particularly between Gironde and Poitou, where temperatures may not drop below 23 to 26°C. No major change is expected in the coming days, with a plateau of extreme heat lasting from Monday through Thursday. A potential drop in temperatures could begin Friday, though this remains uncertain. In response, authorities have implemented measures to protect workers, especially in construction, and to safeguard students. A total of 845 primary and secondary schools will closed on Monday, while 1,800 others out of roughly 60,000 establishments nationwide will release students in the early afternoon. “From the moment the safety of staff or children is likely to be compromised, we must close,” said Education Minister Édouard Geffray. In Seine-Saint-Denis, the departmental council has begun distributing an initial batch of 1,000 fans to 32 middle schools that are especially vulnerable to heat. SNCF CEO Jean Castex advised “vulnerable” individuals to avoid train travel, warning that incidents cannot be ruled out on a rail network “strongly affected by this heatwave phenomenon.” >The extreme heat is already disrupting the annual Fête de la Musique. Several cities, including Auch, Nanterre, and Châteauroux, have canceled concerts planned for the 45th edition of the event. Elsewhere, festivities have been delayed until early evening. In Lyon, labeled stages will offer shaded areas and music will start from 6 p.m., while in Troyes, events will not begin until 8 p.m.A Historic and Early Heat Episode
34 Million People Under Maximum Alert
Schools Close and Precautions Multiply
Music Festival Disrupted
France Red Alert: 49 Departments Brace for Historic Heatwave
