France has experienced a record-breaking heat wave, resulting in over 5,700 excess deaths, the country's highest heat-related toll in more than two decades. Between June 17 and July 2, the expected number of deaths was 15,910, but the actual number was 21,674, a difference of 5,764 excess deaths, which is 36% higher than expected. This unprecedented event exposed almost the entire population to extreme heat during a period that was still largely dedicated to school and work activities. Temperatures climbed well above 104 degrees Fahrenheit in many parts of the country.
The excess deaths were attributed to all causes and increased across hospitals, private homes, and nursing homes during the heat wave. The analysis included people ages 15 and older, with mortality increasing beginning at age 45. Adults 75 and older accounted for roughly two-thirds of the provisional death toll, representing at least 3,719 excess deaths. The Paris region was hit hardest, recording 1,999 excess deaths, more than 80% above what would have been expected without the heat wave.
The year 2026 recorded the country's highest excess mortality linked to a heat wave since 2003, with the National Institute of Health and Medical Research estimating that roughly 15,000 more people died compared to the usual mortality for that time of year. The hottest days occurred on June 24 and June 25, when the national average temperature reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and peak temperatures climbed above 104 degrees in many areas. More than half of the excess deaths, about 56%, occurred during or immediately after the most intense stretch of the heat wave between June 25 and June 27.
Officials reported that more than 10,000 excess deaths occurred across Europe during the peak of the heat wave, though the preliminary figures are expected to be updated in the coming weeks. Funeral directors in Paris were inundated by the surge in bodies awaiting burial or cremation, with some mortuaries reaching capacity and turning down new arrivals. Health officials noted that the excess mortality estimate includes deaths from all causes that occurred during the heat wave, and the figures remain provisional and will continue to be refined in the coming weeks.
