France records nearly 30% increase in deaths during June’s heatwave

Published on 03/07/2026 - 10:05 GMT+2•Updated

11:01

Public Health France has reported an increase of 29.1% in the number of deaths in France during the week of 22 to 28 June, as the country sweltered under a heatwave.

The agency said that corresponded to 2,025 additional deaths compared to the week prior.

The number of deaths rose most sharply in the Île-de-France region, up 62.8%. A similar surge was also reported in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.

Temperatures soared across the nation last week, topping 40°C in many areas and piling pressure on emergency services and hospitals.

Although officials have described the hot spell as more intense than the deadly 2003 heatwave, they say its overall health impact is expected to be less severe.

Nicolas Revel, director general of the Paris public hospital system, said he expected the final death toll from the June heatwave to be lower than in 2003, which accounted for around 15,000 deaths, but "probably" higher than last year's heatwave, which claimed about 5,700 lives.

Opposition politicians have criticised the government's response to the extreme weather.

On Thursday, the Greens filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's government, arguing it had failed to adequately prepare the country for rising temperatures.