'I almost faint every time I stand up': In cramped student housing, studying becomes impossible during the heatwave

Thermometer inside an apartment in Paris, June 22, 2026. WILLIAM KEO FOR « LE MONDE » When Mathilde (those identified by first name requested anonymity) arrived in Paris to pursue a double major in philosophy and sociology at Sorbonne University, she was careful to look for housing in the suburbs, not in the city, hoping to avoid an overpriced, overheated maid's room under the eaves. In September 2025, she moved into a 12-square-meter studio in Puteaux (Hauts-de-Seine). "And yet, I find myself in an unlivable apartment because of the heat," the 19-year-old student said. Her window is a floor-to-ceiling glass door exposed to direct sunlight. Lowering the blinds offered some relief at first, but now, nothing helps. “It’s so hot I feel like throwing up.

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