France reports 2,025 excess deaths from record June heatwave as Europe counts the cost of extreme temperatures

Record-shattering temperatures

France experienced its hottest June on record, with average temperatures reaching 22.7°C, 3.8°C above the 1991–2020 norm, according to Météo-France. The heatwave, which lasted from 17 to 30 June, saw temperatures exceed 40°C in more than 40% of the country. The three hottest days ever recorded in France, all months combined, fell on 24 and 25 June. The national weather service described the episode as “unprecedented, both day and night, affecting more than a third of the country.”

Death toll and regional disparities

Santé publique France (SPF) counted 8,973 deaths for the week of 22–28 June, compared with 6,948 the previous week, yielding 2,025 excess deaths. The increase was sharpest in Île-de-France, where deaths rose 62.8% (619 additional), and in Pays de la Loire, up 62% (178 additional). Deaths at home nearly doubled (+91%), while fatalities in nursing homes (Ehpad) climbed 37%. SPF cautioned that the tally relies on electronic death certificates, which cover only 60% of national mortality and 45% of Ehpad deaths, meaning the final count will be higher.

Hospitals and mortuaries under strain

Emergency departments were flooded with heat victims from 20 June. Dr Nicolas Gonzales, head of the emergency department at Paris-Saclay Hospital, said patients arrived with heart attacks, dehydration, and kidney failure, spanning children to elderly people living alone. In Paris, funeral directors reported saturated mortuaries, with some forced to turn bodies away. The Samu de Paris emergency call centre also recorded an exceptionally high volume of calls during the last week of June.

We collectively have a very significant effort to make for those who are alone.

Political fallout and adaptation debate

The death toll reignited debate over France’s preparedness. Sophie Binet, secretary general of the CGT union, accused the state of failing to anticipate the heatwave despite decades of climate warnings. On the right, Éric Ciotti called for nuclear energy, widespread air conditioning, and new water-storage solutions for agriculture. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu pointed to a planned network of protection centres for vulnerable people as the “big difference with 2003,” when 15,000 died. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist stressed the need for solidarity with isolated individuals.

There was no anticipation of this heatwave, even though we have known for decades that the climate is warming and that we must not only fight climate change but also adapt. Heat kills.

A continent-wide crisis

Belgium recorded 1,222 excess deaths (a 39% rise) between 18 and 29 June, nearly half among people aged 85 and older. Spain attributed at least 1,028 deaths to heat in June, double the figure for June 2025. Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary all set absolute temperature records, while the UK and Switzerland registered their hottest June. World Weather Attribution said the heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change. An AFP analysis estimated that 410 million Europeans, two-thirds of the continent’s population, experienced temperatures above 35°C at least once between 15 and 30 June.

Next wave already building

A new heat surge is forecast for the weekend of 4–5 July, with Paris expecting 32°C by day and 20°C at night. Authorities are bracing for further strain on health services as the provisional death toll from June is expected to rise in the coming weeks.