With a grueling and prolonged heat wave continuing to engulf large swaths of France into the start of this week, temperatures that are now expected to top 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) have led local authorities to put in place a number of emergency measures that restrict public activities.
While French laws normally allow drinking alcohol in public so long as one is not visibly intoxicated, the office of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu banned public alcohol consumption in any area under a “red alert.”
A third of the country’s administrative regions, including all of Paris, is currently under the highest vigilance rating meant to indicate extreme meteorological conditions. Any cities holding public events, particularly those taking place for the summer solstice and Music Day festival on June 21, have also been instructed to not allow alcohol consumption in order “to preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable.”
As heat wave grips France, authorities ban public alcohol consumption
With some of the highest temperatures expected for later in the week, the ban will continue and affect both local residents and any visitors. Licensed bars and restaurants with their own outdoor areas are exempt from the ban.
Throughout France, both local and intercity train services have been reduced as authorities urge for those who can to work remotely to minimize traffic in urban centers. Popular tourist destinations across Paris, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, have also been set up with misting stations for passersby to seek some relief.
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As of the morning of June 23, 18 people including two children died of the heat wave across France. During the prior heat wave in 2025, there has also been a 172% spike in drowning deaths as people sought reprieve from the sun in any waterway near them.
“Swim only in places that are supervised,” French Civil Safety service spokesperson Jerome Boulanger said in a statement in translation.
Spain, Germany also put in place restrictions amid extreme heat
Multiple other European countries, including Spain and Germany, have also been putting in place measures to address the extreme heat.
The authorities in Spain’s Basque region canceled all sporting and outdoor events into the start of the week while in Germany the finale of the Berlin Open tennis competition was evacuated and delayed by six hours as the combination of high temperatures and a thunderstorm battered the grounds on which the athletes were set to play.
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At least 16 cities in Italy are also under red alert over temperatures surpassing 40°C (104°F).
The Italian authorities have installed shades under popular tourist attractions like The Coliseum in Rome while also putting in place a temporary ban on any construction work between 12:30 and 6 p.m. to minimize movement and congestion in cities under a heat wave.
Spanish authorities have also put in place similar crowd control measures in cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia while canceling most outdoor festivals and sporting events scheduled to take place this week.
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