France's third hottest heatwave on record

Paris (AFP) – France experienced its third-longest heatwave ever recorded in the country, lasting 16 days, tying with other heatwaves that occurred in August 2003 and the summers of 2018 and 2025, according to Météo-France.

The most recent heatwave, the third in France in 2026 and occurring within less than two months, lasted from July 4 to July 19.

The record for the longest heatwave in France was set in July 1983, when the event lasted 23 days, followed by a record set in the same month in 2006, during a heatwave that lasted 21 days. It is worth noting that this latest heatwave is the 53rd since France began recording data in 1947.

At the peak of the recent heatwave, the national heat index, which represents the average temperature across the country measured through 30 reference stations, reached 28.1 degrees Celsius, exceeding seasonal averages by more than seven degrees.

Despite its exceptional duration, the recent heatwave was considerably less intense than the one that affected France between June 17 and June 30.