France Records Hottest Summer on Record in 2026

France has recorded its hottest summer ever in 2026, joining Belgium, Britain, and Ireland as temperatures rise across Europe, which is experiencing the fastest warming globally. French Environment Minister Monique Barbut stated on Thursday during the presentation of the summer climate report, "We have just lived through the hottest summer ever recorded since measurements began in 1900." The country faced multiple severe heatwaves this year, including one in late June that set a new intensity record. French Health Minister Stephanie Rist reported that there were 2,025 excess deaths recorded during the heatwave, particularly among individuals aged over 45. Another heatwave occurred from late July into August, matching a 23-day record set in 1983. During this period, France experienced several major wildfires, even in regions that are typically cooler and wetter. According to the national weather agency Meteo France, the summer was characterized by very low rainfall, with a deficit of nearly 40 percent, making it the second driest summer since records began. Meteo France reported that the average temperature for the summer of 2026 was 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit), which is 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above the normal average. Barbut remarked, "The summer of 2026 will go down in history," and emphasized the importance of addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu tasked Barbut in late July with presenting new measures to expedite the implementation of France’s national climate change adaptation plan. She promised to deliver conclusions by the end of September, which will include a five-year funding plan. Millions of people in France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe experienced extreme temperatures this summer. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the rate of the global average since the 1980s.