An unusually early heatwave has swept across France, with record May temperatures and one reported death during a running event in Paris.
A participant in a race in the French capital died, while around ten runners in another event in a Paris suburb were taken to hospital, according to emergency services.
The national weather agency, Météo‑France, said temperatures in Paris exceeded 30°C for the first time this year, reaching 31.9°C on Saturday.
Record temperatures and prolonged heat
The agency described the phenomenon as a “remarkable early heatwave,” caused by a heat dome trapping warm air from North Africa over the country. Conditions are expected to intensify further.
At least 13 regions in western France have been placed under a yellow heat alert, marking the first time since the alert system was introduced in 2004 that such warnings have been issued in May.
Temperatures exceeded 30°C across large parts of the country, with records broken at multiple weather stations. In Brest, in western France, temperatures reached 29.8°C, surpassing the previous May record set in 2017.
Forecasters expect temperatures to climb as high as 35°C in parts of western France, with the heatwave likely to persist into the start of next week.
📌🗞️ Le sport parisien est en DEUIL après un drame survenu en pleine course ce dimanche midi.
— La Maison Presse (@LaMaisonPresse) May 24, 2026
Un participant de LA PYRÉNÉENNE est MORT suite à un malaise foudroyant survenu durant l'épreuve.
Malgré l'intervention immédiate des SECOURS sur place, le coureur n'a pas pu être… pic.twitter.com/w9a89ojPj1
Climate concerns
Climatologists warn that increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves are a clear sign of climate change, driven largely by fossil fuel use. These events are expected to become more common, longer in duration and more severe.
