Parisians took to sleeping outside last night as temperatures rose above 40C amid a sweltering heatwave that continues to grip Europe. Pictures showed people lying on inflatable mattresses and blankets in the French capital's green spaces in the early hours of Saturday morning. France, along with the rest of Western Europe, has been baking under a 'heat dome' this week. Dozens of people, both young and old, have died during the heatwave in France, including an 18-month-old baby who was left in a hot car in Marseille. The tragedy makes the baby the fourth child to die in France amid the scorching temperatures. Meanwhile, temperatures above 40C have disrupted rail travel and power generation, sparked alcohol bans, suspended schools and postponed outdoor events as French hospitals become overwhelmed. French and British health services reported a surge in emergency calls and visits as the merciless heat struck the elderly and the ill.'We are reaching a saturation point in hospital facilities,' Paris police chief Patrice Faure said. 'The number of hospitalisations keeps increasing.' Parisians took to sleeping outside last night as temperatures rose above 40CPeople lie under blankets at sunset in Buttes-Chaumont Park as temperatures rise amid a heatwave affecting a large part of the country, in Paris, France, June 27, 2026 People cool off in the Trocadero Fountain near to the Eiffel Tower as temperatures rise during a heatwave affecting a large part of the country, in Paris, France, June 24, 2026France saw a fourfold increase in emergency room visits for heat-related reasons and a surge of cardiac arrests, authorities said.London Ambulance Service said the extreme heat on Wednesday had led to the highest number of life-threatening emergency calls in a day.Germany and Italy have been enduring sweltering conditions on Saturday as the heatwave continues to spread eastwards. Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany have all experienced record heat in June, and the weather system could test more records as it rolls across Germany towards Poland.Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without man-made climate change, which has made this week's night-time temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been even two decades ago.On Friday, a new German record of 41.3 C was reached near the city of Saarbrücke, close to the French border, according to Germany's National Meteorological Service.The service issued extreme heat warnings for nearly all of Germany on Saturday as authorities urged people to save water.It said temperatures of 36 C were expected across the board in the country, with local highs of 42 C possible. A woman shields herself from the sun with a towel over her head amid a heatwave in Budapest, Hungary, June 27, 2026 Workers push handcart loaded with water bottles during a heatwave in Saint Mark square in Venice on June 27, 2026 Tourits shield themself from the sun with an umbrella during a heatwave in Venice on June 27, 2026 A young man jumps from a bridge into a canal to cool off during an extreme heatwave on June 26, 2026, in Dortmund, Germany People swim in the Canal Saint-Martin after public swimming was permitted in certain areas due to high temperatures amid a heatwave in Paris, France, June 26, 2026 A man washes his face with water during an extreme heatwave on June 26, 2026, in Dortmund, GermanyThe heatwave is going to peak at the weekend at well over 40 degrees in some parts of Germany,' said Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de.The Ironman European Championship long-distance triathlon taking place on Sunday in Frankfurt shortened the cycling and running courses due to the heat, organisers said.Italy's health ministry issued a red alert for the heatwave in 18 Italian cities, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna for Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures expected to climb as high as 39 C in some areas.Italian singer Loredana Berte said she had cancelled a concert scheduled for Sunday in the northern city of Bergamo due to the heat on the advice of her management and medical staff.'Performing under these conditions would pose a real risk to my health,' Berte, who was married to Swedish tennis star Björn Borg in the early 1990s, wrote on X.Struggling with the prospect of damage to infrastructure, including buckling roads and swelling train tracks, some major public service providers have sought to reduce traffic.German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn has given customers the option of cancelling long-distance travel bookings into early next week without charge due to the heatwave.The firm said its infrastructure is under particular strain because of sun exposure and additional risk to signals, tracks and overhead wires stemming from thunderstorms and wildfires.