Paris (France) (AFP) – France on Sunday prepared to host its annual street music festival in boiling heat, with a third of the country placed on red alert and alcohol consumption banned in the streets.
Issued on: 21/06/2026 - 13:28
3 min Reading time
Every year on June 21, musicians take over France, filling bars, street corners and rooftops as revellers celebrate the start of summer -- as measured by the summer solstice -- late into the night.This year, however, the Fete 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 Meteo-France warned that temperatures could reach as high as 41C in some places.
Some people in Paris have been jumping into water in unapproved spots to cool down. Authorities have warned about risks related to unsupervised swimming © ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP
