As Europe's heatwave leaves millions sweltering in poorly insulated apartments, schools and retirement homes, more French people are breaking with tradition to turn to air conditioning.

The second early-season heatwave of the year has brought the return of a politically-charged issue. That of air-conditioning - for decades, France has been notoriously reticent to…

About a third of France was under a “red alert” on Sunday for heat, and high temperatures reached 104 F in some areas, in a country where air conditioning isn’t widespread. The…