+39.9°C in Chateaumeillant, France, Carcassonne +39.2°C, Many All-time June Records!
Marek Kučera 
France is in the grip of an exceptional early summer heatwave, with temperatures approaching 40°C across central and southern regions. The town of Châteaumeillant recorded an astonishing +39.9°C, while Carcassonne followed closely with +39.2°C.
This intense heat event is part of a larger European pattern, fueled by a hot Saharan air mass sweeping northward into France, Spain, and Italy. The airflow from North Africa, channeled by a blocking high-pressure system, has trapped dry, hot air over the region for days. As a result, dozens of weather stations in France have shattered their June maximum temperature records.
📈 All-time June Records Broken in France:
- Tusson: 39.0°C
- Saint-Cast-le-Guildo: 35.1°C
- Lanleff: 34.0°C
- Sainte-Marie-du-Mont: 33.5°C
These locations span from the southwest to the far northwest, showing the unprecedented geographic spread of the heatwave. Traditionally cooler areas in Brittany and Normandy are now seeing temperatures more typical of Spanish inland plains.
The impacts are immediate and escalating: schools and offices are adjusting schedules, public health warnings are active, and the risk of wildfires is rapidly increasing in vulnerable rural zones. Agriculture, infrastructure, and energy systems are all under pressure as France endures one of its hottest Junes in recorded history.
Meteorologists emphasize that such early and intense heatwaves are strongly tied to climate change, which is amplifying both the frequency and the severity of hot spells across Europe. France, with its diverse climates, is becoming increasingly exposed to Saharan air surges that penetrate deeper and earlier each year.
🌡️ When northwestern towns hit 35°C+ in June, the message is clear: France’s climate is shifting fast.
Illustration picture: https://www.baris-france.com/
