Météo-France has placed 78 departments under orange heatwave warnings as a severe fifth heatwave of the year tightens its grip across the country.
Expanding Alert Levels Across France
The geographic scope of the heat warning expanded significantly following a new bulletin issued by Météo-France. While 43 departments held orange alerts earlier in the week, that figure climbed to 78 departments. Forecasters warn that outside of narrow coastal strips and elevated mountain zones, maximum temperatures will consistently clear the 35°C threshold.
According to Météo-France, peak readings are expected to reach between 38°C and 40°C across a broad swathe stretching from the Centre-Val de Loire region down to Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The extreme conditions follow a punishing Tuesday that saw thermometers hit 39°C at measuring stations in Cadenet within the Vaucluse and Joué-lès-Tours in Indre-et-Loire.
Early Morning Highs and Regional Readings
At dawn, Météo-France networks recorded baseline temperatures exceeding 25°C in multiple locations. Communities including Le Luc in the Var, Nice, and Île-Rousse in Haute-Corse registered morning lows of 27°C, while Montpellier recorded 26°C, and Clermont-Ferrand alongside Orange logged 25°C.
Official figures captured 38.5°C in Châteaumeillant within the Cher department and 38.4°C in Grospierres, Ardèche. Western and southwestern corridors experienced similar intensity, with Mont-de-Marsan in the Landes and Nantes in Loire-Atlantique both peaking at 37.3°C.
