Parisians defy restrictions to cool off in Canal Saint-Martin during heatwave
Residents in Paris were seen jumping into the Canal Saint-Martin to cool off as an intense heatwave swept across Europe. The scenes came as France recorded soaring temperatures, red heat alerts and a rise in heat-related deaths.
- People were filmed swimming in Paris’ Canal Saint-Martin during an intense European heatwave.
- France recorded temperatures above 40°C and issued red heat alerts across multiple regions.
- Health authorities reported around 1,000 additional deaths during the peak of the heatwave.
FRANCE: Residents in Paris have been filmed jumping into the Canal Saint-Martin as France and other parts of Europe continue to experience an intense heatwave.
Video footage circulating online showed people entering the usually restricted waterway to cool off amid soaring temperatures in the French capital.
NBC News reported others were seen gathering along the canal banks and playing volleyball during the afternoon heat.
The scenes unfolded as France remained under severe weather alerts, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in several regions.
Heatwave intensifies across Europe
According to the BBC, red heat alerts were issued across parts of France, Spain and other countries in western and central Europe as forecasters warned that temperatures could continue rising.
French weather agency Météo-France reported temperatures reaching 42°C in Bordeaux, while more than half of France's regions were placed under the country's highest heat warning level.
Authorities also ordered hundreds of schools to close as officials sought to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses among students and staff.
The extreme temperatures have been driven by hot air moving northwards from the Sahara Desert, creating conditions that forecasters say could result in one of Europe's longest recent heatwaves.
Heat linked to rise in deaths
France's public health agency reported a sharp increase in deaths during the height of the heatwave.
According to NBC News, more than 1,200 deaths were recorded on Wednesday (24 June 2026) during the country's hottest conditions, rising to more than 1,400 deaths on each of the following two days.
Before the heatwave, France typically recorded between 900 and 1,000 deaths per day during April and May.
The agency estimated that at least 1,000 additional deaths occurred during the three-day period alone, though officials cautioned that the figure could rise as more data becomes available.
According to the agency, around 85% of those who died were aged 65 and above.
Europe's fastest-warming continent warning
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that Europe is currently the fastest-warming continent in the world.
In a statement shared on social media, Tedros said approximately 150 million people were living under extreme heat conditions across Europe, with schools closing and infrastructure facing strain.
He described heat stress as a "silent killer" and warned that many homes, workplaces and schools across Europe were not designed to withstand such temperatures.
Tedros also noted that more than 1,300 excess deaths had been recorded across Europe since 21 June that were linked to the heatwave.
Climate change connection
Scientists have linked the severity of the heatwave to climate change.
A study by the World Weather Attribution research collaboration found that the record-breaking heat and humidity experienced across Europe would not have been possible without human-driven climate change.
Researchers concluded that conditions which were once considered exceptionally rare are now significantly more likely than they were just a few decades ago.
According to Météo-France, 34 of France's 51 recorded heatwaves since 1947 have occurred since 2000, with 26 taking place since 2011.
Authorities continue to urge residents to take precautions as high temperatures are expected to persist in several European countries.
