France recorded 5,764 excess deaths during the heat wave
In France, from June 17 to July 2, 2026, 5,764 deaths above the usual level were recorded. This period coincided with a heat wave in several regions of the country, France 24 reports, citing health authorities.
The French public health agency, Santé publique France, noted that the excess deaths have so far been recorded across all causes of death. They have not yet been directly linked to the heat. According to the agency, excess mortality among people aged 15 and older reached an unprecedented level for a heatwave period.
This is the highest rate of excess mortality during a heatwave in France since 2003, when the country experienced a devastating heatwave that claimed 15,000 lives. Approximately two-thirds of this year’s excess deaths occurred among people aged 75 and older, while less than one-fifth occurred among those aged 45 to 64.
Half of these deaths occurred over a three-day period—from June 25 to 27. In June, France experienced its hottest June since records began in 1947: in many places, temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. The average temperatures on June 24 and 25 were the highest on record in the country, regardless of the month.
