France recorded 5,764 more deaths than expected during last month’s record-breaking heatwave, with health authorities describing the rise in deaths among people aged 15 and above as “unprecedented”.
According to Santé Publique France, it is the country’s highest excess mortality recorded during a heatwave since the devastating 2003 heatwave, which claimed around 15,000 lives.
France has experienced three heatwaves since May, reflecting the growing frequency of extreme weather events that scientists say are driven by human-induced climate change.
The intense heat disrupted daily life across the country, where many homes, schools and hospitals are not designed to cope with extreme temperatures and lack air conditioning.
The scorching weather also dried up riverbeds and fuelled several wildfires, including one that destroyed around 10% of the UNESCO-listed Fontainebleau forest near Paris last week.
Health authorities said the 5,764 excess deaths were recorded between 17 June and 2 July and were attributed to all causes, with investigations still underway to determine how many were directly linked to the heat. Final figures are expected to be released in the autumn.
For comparison, France recorded 5,722 heat-related excess deaths between June and mid-September last year.
Of those who died during the latest heatwave, around two-thirds were aged 75 and above, while fewer than 20% were between 45 and 64 years old. Nearly half of the excess deaths occurred over just three days, from 25 to 27 June.
France also recorded its hottest June since records began in 1947, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in many parts of the country.
The national average temperatures recorded on 24 and 25 June 2026 were the highest ever observed in France across any month.
In the Paris region, deaths increased by 80% during the heatwave. Health officials had previously reported that fatalities in the capital had doubled during the week of 22 to 28 June.
During the same week, four young children died after becoming trapped inside overheated vehicles, although officials said those cases did not significantly affect mortality figures for that age group.
Authorities also reported that an unusually early heatwave in May resulted in at least 300 excess deaths.
Scientists have concluded that human-caused climate change was directly responsible for the intensity of the late-June heatwave that swept across much of Europe.
According to Météo-France, 53 nationwide heatwaves have been recorded since 1947, with half occurring since 2010, highlighting the increasing frequency of extreme heat events.
