PARIS — French authorities on Monday extended the highest-level heat alert across an expanded swath of the country as temperatures climbed above 42°C in parts of southern and central France, triggering emergency public health measures not seen since the deadly 2003 summer heatwave. Météo-France confirmed the red alert — its most severe category — remained in force for more than 50 departments, with the Rhône Valley, Occitanie, and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions bearing the brunt of the extreme conditions.

The French Ministry of Health activated the national heatwave emergency plan, ordering local prefectures to open additional cooling centres in public buildings including sports halls, libraries, and metro stations. Officials urged the elderly, young children, and those with chronic illnesses to avoid going outside during peak afternoon hours between noon and 8 p.m. Hospitals in Lyon, Bordeaux, and Toulouse reported a sharp increase in heat-related admissions overnight, with emergency services warning of strain on resources.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal convened an emergency interministerial meeting on Monday morning to coordinate the national response, with the labour ministry issuing a directive suspending outdoor construction and agricultural work during peak heat hours. Trade unions representing farm workers and building sector employees had called for the suspension over the weekend, citing unsafe conditions for outdoor labourers across the Mediterranean corridor.

The heatwave has broader European dimensions: Spain's national weather agency AEMET reported record June temperatures in Aragón and Catalonia, while Italy's civil protection department issued orange alerts for much of the Po Valley. Meteorologists at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts attributed the event to a persistent high-pressure system drawing hot Saharan air northward, a pattern they described as increasingly common under current climate trajectories.

Environmental groups and opposition politicians used the emergency to renew pressure on the government to accelerate France's climate adaptation plan, which has faced repeated delays in the National Assembly. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to the United States under sweltering summer conditions, French health authorities also issued travel advisories for fans flying from France to North American host cities, warning of compounding heat stress during transatlantic travel.