'It was 30°C in the classrooms this afternoon, it was very tough': France experiences its hottest day in May on record
France is experiencing unprecedented heat, with temperatures soaring to record highs for May. Cities like La Rochelle have reported temperatures exceeding 34°C, significantly above the seasonal average. This extreme weather is affecting daily life, with many opting to stay indoors to escape the heat.
- ▪La Rochelle recorded temperatures of 34.5°C on Sunday and 33.9°C on Monday, breaking May records.
- ▪Temperatures across much of France reached between 33 and 36°C, 10 to 15°C above average for this time of year.
- ▪Brest and Dinard also reported record-breaking temperatures, with nighttime lows not dropping below 22.1°C.
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A man walks toward the entrance of a metro station in Rennes, May 26, 2026. LOUISE QUIGNON FOR LE MONDE "We wanted to see the towers, but now we're turning back. It was already 32°C at noon." Thierry and Esther – two retirees who preferred not to give their last names – gave up on seeing the cultural gems of France's Charente-Maritime prefecture on Tuesday, May 26, after arriving the day before from Courbevoie, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, to spend a week in La Rochelle. On the Vieux-Port, café terraces were sparsely populated. Nearby, three unhoused people sought refuge with their dogs in the more tree-lined Ville-en-Bois district. With 34.5°C on Sunday, then 33.9°C on Monday, the port city broke temperature records for May on consecutive days.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Le Monde (EN).
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