France records hottest summer since 1900, schools disrupted

September 4, 2026 at 11:02 AM1 min

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France experienced its hottest summer since meteorological records began in 1900, Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut said on Wednesday. The extreme heat forced some schools to suspend classes and hospitals to receive patients in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. Wildfires destroyed homes and killed many residents, including young people.

Key Facts

Summer 2026 was the hottest in France since meteorological records began in 1900, according to Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut.
Some schools suspended classes due to extreme heat, and hospitals received patients in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius.
By the end of August, wildfires had destroyed an area six times larger than the 20-year average.
The heat and wildfires destroyed homes and killed many residents, including young people.

Record Heat

Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut announced the record at the Météo-France headquarters in Saint-Mandé near Paris. She said summer 2026 was the hottest in France since observations began in 1900 and would go down in the country's history. The extreme heat forced some schools to suspend classes. Hospitals had to receive patients in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, Barbut noted.

Wildfire Toll

Barbut said wildfires destroyed homes and high temperatures killed many residents, including young people. By the end of August, wildfires had burned an area six times larger than the average of the past 20 years. The minister stressed that France needs a broad set of measures across all areas of life and the economy to adapt to climate change. She said authorities will not be able to fully modernize all schools before next summer, but it is possible to install shutters and fans in educational institutions.