France is preparing to host annual street music festival Fête de la Musique in boiling heat, with a third of the country on red alert and alcohol consumption banned in the streets. While some French cities have cancelled Sunday's events, celebrations are going ahead in Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg and other cities.
Issued on: 21/06/2026 - 14:31
2 min Reading time
Every year on 21 June, musicians fill French bars, street corners and rooftops late into the night. But this year the Fête de la Musique coincides with a ferocious heatwave, with a record 35 departments – roughly a third of the country – placed under the highest heat alert. Weather service Météo-France warned that temperatures could reach as high as 41C in some places. To minimise health risks and prevent potential disturbances to public order, the government announced a ban on public alcohol consumption in departments under red alert. Another 45 departments are on the second-highest orange alert, and some have also opted to impose a ban on street drinking. While urging people to limit their alcohol intake, the government said it would be up to local event organisers to adapt festivities. Authorities have instructed that alcohol not be served at state-organised events. What is France's heatwave warning system and how does it work? Drowning danger Last year, around 2 million people attended the Fête de la Musique in Paris alone, many of them travelling from the UK. Authorities will deploy 4,800 police officers and gendarmes, along with 2,500 firefighters, to enforce public safety in and around the capital. Gatherings along the lower banks of the River Seine will be prohibited to reduce the risk of people falling into the water. Officials warned about risks linked to swimming, with reports of several drownings on Saturday. Two children aged 11 and 13 died after swimming in a river in Besançon, while a 17-year-old drowned the same day in the River Dordogne.
